Wines Around the World

Chile

Suddenly it seems everyone is talking about Chilean wine. This 3-thousand mile long sliver of land is producing some incredible values in red and now white wines. Chile produces California style wines; ripe and fruity Cabernets, Merlots, and Chardonnays. At $6-8 dollars a bottle, Chile produces good wine. Great Chilean wines run only into the $10-15 range. Chilean reds are generally better than the whites, but the whites are coming along nicely, including Sauvignon Blanc. French and American winemakers are investing in land in Chile, so it looks to be poised as a major player in the wine industry. Concha y Toro from Chile is one of the top ten imported brands already. The region of Casablanca is proving itself as a good producer of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The Rapel area is gaining notoriety for its ripe, luscious Merlot. And the better Cabernet Sauvignon is coming from Maipo.

Hopefully American and European investment will not ruin the great prices of these wines.