The Pequeñas tasting is scheduled to take place in New York on Monday, June 10th. This event will highlight our Boutique wineries, Icon and Old Vine Carignan wines to key wine industry professionals and enthusiasts in the Tri-State regions of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, which consumes 23% of Chilean and 20% of all Imported wines in the United States!

The Pequeñas tasting will be held in downtown NYC, at the Chilean concept store Puro Chile. Located near trendy SoHo, Puro Chile is accessible by many major subway lines and public transportation.

Schedule

From 1pm to 5pm, we’ll target local trade professionals including press, bloggers, sommeliers, wine buyers, importers and distributors. Not only will attendees be able to experience the exceptional portfolio of Boutique wines at this interactive tasting event, but they can also be able to taste Icon wines and Old Vine Carignan wines at special thematic tables.  Chilean appetizers will be served to complement the wines.

Wines of Chile was featured on the Times Square jumbotron as part of the “Foods from Chile” campaign

The “Foods from Chile” campaign was launched in five US cities on November 15, introducing consumers in the northern hemisphere to Chilean luxuries such as merkén – an indigenous Mapuche spice made from dried and ground “cacho de cabra” peppers – avocados, and salmon, among many other luscious products exported by Chile.
Meanwhile, entrepreneurs like Mauricio Banchieri of Puro Chile in New York City are importing and selling luxury Chilean goods, expressing Chile’s culture through its commercial and agricultural products – including wine.

According to Newsweek Magazine, Banchieri and other Chilean importers are engaging in “retail diplomacy,” attracting United States consumers through Chile’s distinct and appealing cultural nuances, and providing a sensory opportunity to journey across hemispheres without leaving the United States.

“Diplomacy lives or dies by human contact, of course,” writes Newsweek author Amy Finnerty, “and Puro Chile has hosted more than 80 events in the past two years.

“On a given evening there, one might encounter Chilean diplomats sipping sparkling rosé with American journalists; a Chilean entrepreneur selling her fruit-based cosmeceuticals; or a scale replica of the rescue cylinder that lifted the Chilean miners to sunlight in 2010.”

Offering one of the best selections of Chilean wines in United States, Puro Chile is a marketing asset for Wines of Chile, especially throughout the busy December shopping season, when wine spreads holiday cheer and makes an ideal gift.

The same concept is driving ProChile’s new “Foods from Chile” campaign.

A press release for the program explains, “The U.S. enjoys literally tons of Chilean foods. The campaign highlights the nutritious food that’s already on fruit stands, at the seafood counter, on shelves, in wine stores, in homes and on America’s plates.

“The objective of the campaign is to let Americans in on this secret—that it’s Chile’s pristine land, waters, rich soil and extraordinary climate that bring forth these bountiful, healthful foods.”

"Foods from Chile"

And Chilean food clearly pairs best with Chilean wine.

Together with campaign partner Fundación Chile, ProChile provided hosts and venues with all of the Chilean ingredients and wine to prepare and throw amazing gourmet dinner parties prepared by top chefs for guests and bloggers in the five cities – New York, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Wines of Chile was present to educate attendees at the campaign launches in New York and Washington DC about Chilean wine, and the following wines were served at the various dinners, paired according to featured menus:

Veramonte Ritual Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Emiliana Novas Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Ventisquero Quelat Pinot Noir 2011
MontGras Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Ventisquero Quelat Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Kingston Family Tobiano Pinot Noir 2009

“See, South America is the supermarket of the world,” Matias Palomo, a Chilean chef who participated in the program, told VOXXI’s Fernanda Beccaglia. “And not only that, but we think green, we care about how we grow our food and the environment.”

“Foods From Chile” is spreading cultural, agricultural and nutritional awareness about Chile through a variety of social networking platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and the campaign’s website, which highlights mouthwatering recipes and retail outlets for Chilean food and wine, along with a food calendar showing Chile’s prime months of production and export.

The ultimate goal of the program is to inspire consumers to form an emotional connection to Chilean food and wine, and to understand the nutritional benefits of purchasing Chilean agricultural products, which complement United States’ own food production with an opposite growing season.

Emphasizing a healthy Mediterranean diet of fruits, vegetables, seafood, red wine, nuts and olive oil, “Foods From Chile” expresses the country’s national identity and culture as a gastronomic emissary through experiential tastings, shows, live streaming video from Chile’s vineyards, blogger outreach, and colorful social media inspiration.

So far, the program has recorded a significant media impact, generating 63,537,151 media impressions with press releases, newspaper and blog articles and Tweets, as of December 18, 2012.

“We are a power in the quality and variety of what we produce and this campaign is made to stress these attributes,” says Fundación Chile’s Executive Director Blas Tomic, according to FreshFruitPortal.com.

Retailers and promoters bring a taste of Chile to United States

The terroir that is evident in Chilean wine also nurtures Chile’s other delicious products, and Chile’s rich heritage and natural resources are being disseminated in a mouthwatering message by “Foods From Chile” and retailers like Puro Chile, where – as Newsweek says – “shopkeepers are unofficial ambassadors and border-crossing requires no passport, just a credit card.”

For more information about the “Foods From Chile” campaign, follow your taste buds to the program’s website, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter (@foodsfromchile, hashtag #NowInSeason).

Bon appétit!

An engaged audience at "Vinos de Terroir"

Chile’s exemplary terroirs have inspired tremendous online discussion following Wines of Chile’s “Vinos de Terroir” seminar, which was held at chic restaurant Colicchio & Sons in New York City’s Meatpacking District on November 13.

As described in our recent press release, the seminar – delivered by Chilean terroir specialist Dr. Pedro Parra – educated an audience of journalists, sommeliers, and other trade professionals about Chile’s unique geographic and geologic properties, showcasing the country’s terroir diversity.

Pedro Parra (center) speaking in NYC, with Sandy Block (left) and Mark Oldman (right)

With an overall objective to showcase the Chilean wine industry’s skill in producing high-quality wines that impeccably communicate Chile’s unique environmental features and winemaking artistry, “Vinos de Terroir” successfully provided a powerful taste of terroir through the following 10 expressive icon wines:

• Cipreses Vineyard 2011 | Casa Marín
• Casa Real 2009 | Santa Rita
• Don Melchor 2008 | Concha y Toro
• Carmín de Peumo 2008 | Concha y Toro
• Altaïr 2007 | Altaïr
• Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2007 | Errázuriz
• Seña 2007 | Seña
• Montes Alpha M 2010 | Montes
• Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2009 | Lapostolle
• Montes Folly 2009 | Montes

Sampling terroir

Tasted wines met various criteria for quality including price, critical acclaim and top ratings by wine experts, viticultural heritage, and terroir characteristics, taking the New York audience on a sensory journey to Chile.

“The tasting was very informative and well organized,” said Nathan Wesley of Wine Spectator. “I feel like I could spend a week with Pedro [Parra] and still only scratch the surface of terroirs in Chile. He’s a wealth of knowledge.”

Master of Wine Sandy Block led the tasting while author and TV personality Mark Oldman moderated the overall event. Master Sommelier and Wines of Chile Educator Fred Dexheimer organized wine service.

Mark Oldman

Fifty-eight attendees participated, including 36 VIP guests consisting of prominent members of the press, and key on- and off-premise personalities.

Impeccable food service

A marvelous lunch buffet followed, providing a relaxed opportunity for guests to again taste wines while enjoying a meal of superb cuisine.

“Vinos de Terroir” was a relatively small and intimate occasion, but the event has generated a significant online impact through Twitter posts, Facebook photos, and multimedia discussions.

Using the #TerroirChile hashtag for Twitter, the seminar’s effective media output resulted in 245,093 views, 1,061 “likes”, 147 shares, and 68 comments (as of December 7, 2012).

Further promoting “Vinos de Terroir,” four entertaining and informative videos about the event were created and published on Wines of Chile’s Youtube channel, contributing to the web chatter:

Part 1 – Speakers from the Vinos de Terroir Tasting in New York City discuss Chile’s wines and terroir.
Part 2 – Sandy Block and Pedro Parra speak about how terroir is interpreted in different ways.
Part 3 – Mark Oldman and Pedro Parra focus on pushing the limits of terroir.
Part 4 – Sandy Block, Pedro Parra and Mark Oldman share their perspectives on the wines tasted.

Online reviews of “Vinos de Terroir” by well-known journalists and bloggers include posts by 1 Wine Dude, Gabe’s View, Terroirist, and Cheers.

Chilean wine creates a buzz

“Excellent tasting … glad I could be there,” Gabe Sasso of Gabe’s View told Wines of Chile after the event. “I was really knocked out by a lot of the wines.”

“It was very well done and a good tasting,” agreed Michael Schachner of Wine Enthusiast. “Great lunch, too.”

Left to right: Sandy Block, Pedro Parra, Wines of Chile USA Director Lori Tieszen, and Mark Oldman

"Gracias New York" for a fantastic event

NEW YORK, NY (November 14, 2012)—A select group of high-ranking members of the New York wine industry gathered yesterday at an educational seminar hosted by Wines of Chile to explore a portfolio of remarkable wines representative of Chile’s diverse terroir. The aptly named Vinos de Terroir provided an in-depth perspective of the country’s environmental conditions and the impact of the region’s unique and complex geographic features on Chile’s wine production.

"Vinos de Terroir" on display in New York City

The audience, which included press members, buyers and sommeliers, was introduced to the remarkable wines by soil specialist Pedro Parra at the acclaimed Colicchio and Sons restaurant: the terroir expert discussed Chile’s geographic components, explaining how morphology, geology, geomorphology and soil composition affect the characteristics of each vine. Chilean-born Parra, who holds a PhD from the prestigious Institut Natiónal Agronomique de Paris-Grignon, has conducted more than 20,000 soil-roots observations and knows the terrain of Chile intimately.

Seminar audience

Parra was joined by Boston-based Sandy Block, one of the few Americans to hold the distinguished title of Master of Wine. Block led the tasting which featured some of the country’s most prestigious offerings, while Parra provided descriptions of the specific terroirs of each.

Mark Oldman, wine personality and noted author moderated the event, which was the first time a tasting of this kind has been conducted in the U.S. “The Vinos de Terrior event offers us an opportunity, on an international scale, to highlight the diversity and quality of Chilean wines,” says Lori Tieszen, Executive Director of Wines of Chile USA. “Our winemakers have an intimate relationship with each region’s idiosyncratic climate and terrain and they were able to demonstrate to our esteemed audience that terroir-driven wines are no longer reserved only for Old-World production.”

Elegant wine service

The wine service was coordinated by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer and included: Casa Marín Cipreses Vineyard 2011 Sauvignon Blanc; Santa Rita Casa Real 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon; Concha y Toro Don Melchor 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon; Concha y Toro Carmín de Peumo 2008 Carmenere; Altaïr 2007; Errázuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2007; Seña 2007; Montes Alpha M 2010; Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2009; and Montes Folly 2009 Syrah.

For more information on the event or on Wines of Chile, please visit www.winesofchile.org or the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages at http://www.facebook.com/WinesOfChile and http://twitter.com/DrinkChile.

Enjoying delicious food and wine

About Wines of Chile


Wines of Chile is an organization committed to promoting the quality and image of Chilean wine throughout the world. It has offices in Santiago, London and New York, as well as representatives in Canada, Ireland and Denmark. Wines of Chile also works closely with ProChile to develop and offer promotional and educational programs in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Wines of Chile’s 95 member wineries belong to Vinos de Chile and represent 88% of Chile’s bottled wine exports.

CONTACT: The Thomas Collective
Amber Gallaty (agallaty@thethomascollective.com)
Emily Denton (edenton@thethomascollective.com)
212-229-2294

We have an amazing array of wines including:
1. Casa Marin, Cipreses Vineyard 2011
2. Santa Rita, Casa Real 2007
3. Concha y Toro, Don Melchor 2008
4. Concha y Toro, Carmín de Peumo 2008
5. Aristos, Duque 2008
6. Altair, Altair 2006
7. Viña Errazuriz, Seña 2007
8. Don Maximiano 2007
9. Montes Alpha M 2009
10. Clos Apalta 2009
11. Montes Folly 2007

With the help of 60 wine bloggers in United States and six wine bloggers in Chile, a virtual Blogger Tasting on Wednesday October 24 generated 853 Tweets through the designated #BlogChile hashtag, creating 5.5 million impressions on the Web, and reaching 400,000 followers!

Another high-tech and innovative Blogger Tasting took place on Thursday October 25 for Wines of Chile’s Asian audience.

“We believe this is going to keep going,” says Wines of Chile Managing Director Claudio Cilveti, referring to the power of social media in promoting Chilean wine to the world.

Through the United States event, Wines of Chile bridged the northern and southern hemispheres by inviting six bloggers to Chile to take part in the tasting, which was broadcast to the computers of 60 additional bloggers who participated virtually.

Guest bloggers and winemakers socializing at pre-tasting cocktail in Santiago, Chile (photo by Gretchen Stahlman)

The tastings were moderated by Master Sommelier and Wines of Chile Educator Fred Dexheimer, who also traveled to Chile for the event.

A similar Blogger Tasting was held in United States in April, but last week’s events marked the first time Dexheimer moderated the tasting in the same room as winemakers, creating lively interaction and face-to-face discussions about the wines.

“[The Blogger Tasting] was more fun, more natural, that we were all here together,” recalls Lori Tieszen, Director of Wines of Chile’s United States office.

While 60 bloggers in United States received a shipment of wine in the mail for Wednesday’s tasting, six lucky bloggers instead received a trip to Chile and the chance to attend in person.

In addition to discovering Chile’s wine country, cuisine and warm hospitality on their week-long venture, the guest bloggers also comprised a discussion panel in a seminar on “New media today and how wineries can benefit it,” held in Santiago on Friday October 26.

Meet the visiting bloggers

Jameson Fink

“I like to use food as a vehicle for talking about wine,” says Fink. “The food audience is thirsty for wine knowledge.”

Fink regularly pairs food and wine in writing on popular sites Foodista.com and JamesonFink.com, where he quenches his readership’s thirst for gastronomic insight.

A true foodie, Fink savored the experience of pairing Chilean Sauvignon Blancs with coastal seafood last week. And although this was not his first trip to Chile, he also savored the view of the Andes from the vineyards he visited in the company of the other guest bloggers.

Timothy O’Neal

As a contributor to Sommelier Journal and the Wine Director of Kansas City’s Avenues Bistro restaurant, Timothy O’Neal is realizing and writing about his passion for wine.

“You gotta have feeling,” he explains, regarding his motivation as a wine writer.

O’Neal’s feeling and personality are evident in his writing and in his vibrant career selecting and promoting wine for the food industry.

No stranger to amazing meals and amazing wines, O’Neal recalls eating lunch outside on a beautiful day at Viu Manent winery as one of the trip’s distinguishing moments.

“Sauvignon Blancs seem fresher when drinking outside,” he reminisces.

Abigail Purcell

Creating “click candy” is Abigail Purcell’s specialty.

As Social Media manager for Bottlenotes.com, Purcell is perfecting the art and skill of engaging the wine community through social media, inspiring online wine-lovers with dynamic Facebook and Twitter posts.

Active social media communities like Bottlenotes benefit the entire wine industry, Purcell advised seminar attendees.

“Even though we all want to be the best,” she said,” it’s really important to recognize that we all want to succeed.”

Gabe Sasso

The freelance wine writer for Bullz-Eye.com and GabesView.com, has an adventurous palate and a curious mind. “I like to get inside things,” he says, discussing his trip to Chile and his exploration of Chilean wines. “Lesser-known is more interesting to me.”

Traveling to Chile has provided Sasso and his companions with direct insight into Chile’s wines, winemakers and wine regions, an irreplaceable experience that they’ll share online.

“Blogs have a more personal touch than traditional media,” said Sasso in Friday’s New Media seminar, indicating that consumers are more likely to identify with wine blogs, where they can easily “find a voice that speaks to them.”

Dennis Sodomka

Co-founder of BottleReport.com and based out of Augusta, Georgia, Sodomka is a career journalist who primarily began writing about wine after retirement.

“We tell stories, and that’s what people remember,” he told the seminar audience. “Stories are more important than anything.”

According to Sodomka, wine-lovers “can build memories on [wine],” like the memories he’ll carry and the stories he’ll tell of his time here – a dusky, outdoor dinner at Casa Silva, riding horses through J. Bouchon, and the consistent kindness of Chile’s people.

Kori Voorhees

WinePeeps.com is a family collaboration, representing Kori Voorhees’ decade-long career in wine, which began as a hobby and later evolved into a successful blog and consultancy.

Voorhes’ blog “writes to the level of the consumer,” she says. As a result, WinePeeps is a convenient educational hub for anyone seeking clear and friendly information and resources for augmenting all levels of wine knowledge.

Experience the Wines of Chile

The following wines and wineries were represented in the Blogger Tastings; keep an eye out for blogger reviews appearing online!

• Viña Casablanca Casablanca Valley Nimbus Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012
• San Pedro Leyda Valley 1865 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011
• Casa Silva Colchagua Valley Paredones Estate Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2011
• Emiliana Casablanca Valley Novas Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2010
• Cono Sur Casablanca Valley 20 Barrels Pinot Noir 2009
• Morandé Casablanca Valley Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2009
• Concha y Toro Cachapoal Valley Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2010
• Carmen Colchagua Valley Alpata Vineyard Gran Reserva Carmenere 2010
• Koyle Royale Alto Colchagua Carmenere
• Viña Ventisquero Maipo Valley Grey Glacier Single Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
• Viña Maquis Colchagua Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
• Viña Los Vascos Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Colchagua Valley Le Dix Cabernet Sauvignon

On Thursday August 23, Chilean wine industry professionals gathered in Santiago to attend a presentation about the United States wine consumer market and new trends in packaging.

The first half of the seminar was delivered by consulting agency Wine Intelligence. Research Director Juan Park and Project Manager Natasha Rastegar spoke about where Chile is currently positioned in the United States market, along with where Chile should aim and which goals to target.

As domestic wines represent a large portion of the US trade, importers face significant competition from other global suppliers, especially in the super-premium market, as Chile still has a strong reputation for value. According to Park, Chile must establish and communicate a clear regional image through engaging stories and cultural branding in order to overcome New World competition.

Natasha Rastegar of Wine Intelligence speaking on US wine trade

Rastegar continued with a detailed analysis of Chilean wine drinkers in United States, who fall into categories of current drinkers, lapsed drinkers, potential drinkers, and rejecters. The largest audience – and key for Chile – is the group of potentials, primarily younger Millennials who don’t know much about Chile yet.

Rastegar continued with a detailed analysis of Chilean wine drinkers in United States, who fall into categories of current drinkers, lapsed drinkers, potential drinkers, and rejecters, discussing their main characteristics, their relationship with Chile, and how to engage them. The largest audience – and key for Chile – is the group of potentials, primarily younger Millennials who don’t know much about Chile yet.

Rastegar calls the potentials an “interesting group” of price-conscious and social drinkers, who are adventurous and responsive to interesting packaging and country associations that will help them choose their wine. And once they are drawn to try impressive Chilean wines, they will remember and repeat the experience.

“Make Chile easy to understand,” advised Rastegar.

Stephan Finke of CLL Americas speaking on packaging trends

Stephan Finke, of CLL Americas, followed with an overview of the US wine market – the largest market in the world, focusing on innovative packaging.

The recent economic recession has presented challenges for imported wines, as consumer confidence has waned. Now, however, wine consumption is on the rise, with significant growth in luxury brands ($15+). With imports expected to soar by 2025, the United States is a prime opportunity for Chile. Noting that Chilean exporters must find ways to “please the palate of Americans,” such as planting sweeter grapes like Moscato, and maintaining brand innovation.

Comparing a number of super-premium US favorites, Finke showed that the largest financial growth could be seen in brands that had invested in new labels. With only 3-4 seconds to draw consumers’ eyes to packages, according to Finke, aesthetic labeling choices and variety are essential.

David Schuemann, of CF Napa, concluded the seminar by discussing the concept of “perception vs reality” in wine marketing. With extremely crowded wine aisles in United States supermarkets, consumers are overwhelmed with choices. Wineries must establish a “brand essence” and attract attention with packaging design and advertising, according to Schuemann.

Schuemann also confirmed Rastegar’s recommendation to brand Chile through unique stories that the audience can relate to. “Storytelling takes consumers on an emotional journey,” he said. Consistency is ultimately important, though, and wine lore and marketing slogans must be “clear, simple, and authentic.”

Describing various marketing success stories in United States, Schuemann showed that clever and innovative packaging and advertising strategies – combined with quality wine – can result in tremendous success for Chilean exporters.

©www.MattWilson.cl for Wines of Chile.

Wine Enthusiast, Cooking Light, Santé, Snooth; their work appears in some of the industry’s most-read publications and esteemed wine magazines, and now they are coming to Chile to see for themselves why this nation wedged between the feet of the Andes and the shores of the Pacific is steadily building a reputation as the world’s foremost wine destination.

John Harding, Doug Paulding, Scott Jones, Gregory Dal Piaz and Laurie Daniel form the contingent of wine writers invited by Wines of Chile to tour the country from this weekend through the next, enough time to experience a selection of the country’s best wine regions and wines, alongside gourmet meals, tours and tastings at over a dozen leading vineyards.

The group will focus on the the valleys that lay scattered around Santiago, the vibrant metropolis that serves as Chile’s gateway to the world, and will travel as far as the MauleValley, 150 miles south of the capital.

Shortly after touching down in Chile, they will be exposed to the best of the capital’s culinary scene, having lunch at Donde Augusto in the historic Mercardo Central – the bustling seafood market in the heart of downtown – and dinner at the upscale Italian pizzeria and wine bar, Tiramisú, in the high-powered financial district of Las Condes.

From there the team will head to the Maipo Valley – literally on the outskirts of the capital.

The valley stretches the length of this sliver of land, from Alto Maipo - nestled between Andean peaks – to Pacific Maipo, which catches sea breezes straight off the world’s biggest ocean.

El Principal, Concha y Toro and Santa Rita are the vineyards on the agenda for Maipo, where the group will sample the Cabernet Sauvignon that the region specializes in, and tour some of the country’s most historic wineries, before returning to Santiago to spend the night.

The following day will be spent at the country’s oldest wine growing region, the Maule Valley, which stretches around the city of Talca.

Maule has undergone something of a renaissance in recent ye

ars, thanks largely to the Camenere grape, and the emergence of a new breed of innovative winemakers, who are experimenting with new ways of creating environmentally friendly, and uniquely Chilean wines.

On the way down the group will stop in at the Koyle vineyard, in the Colchagua Valley – perhaps the country’s most prestigious wine region – before pushing on to VIA Wines and the J Bouchon vineyard, where they will spend the night.

The next day will the critics returning to the banks of the Colchagua, to sample the Cabernet, Carmenere, Syrah, and Malbec of Conosur, Apaltagua and Casa Silva, their final destination for the day.

Thursday will begin at Clos Apalta before the group travels to Matetic in San Antonio - the valley that divides Santiago from the port city of Valparaíso – to sample the crisp whites and spicy reds that thrive in this region, with its cooler temperature and ocean breezes.

De Martino in the Maipo Valley will kick off the last day of touring, before the group heads to the heights of San Esteban in the Aconcagua Valley, nestled at the base of the tallest mountain in the Americas.

After a hearty week full of vineyards, the group will bring their trip to a close with an opportunity to enjoy Chile’s acclaimed wines aside foodies at the Ñam Santiago Food & Wine Festival at the W Hotel. The festival combines high-end cuisine from chefs hailing from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Spain, and Chile, with workshops, a tapas fair and endless tastings.

As a multitude of venues and wine pros in the U.S. begin exploring the diverse range of varietals and blended wines that are produced in this faraway Andean nation, Chile’s profile is on the rise.

In a recent article for the Beverage Media Group, W.R. Tish investigated how Chilean wines are being perceived by venue owners and industry cognoscenti across the industry’s target market for 2012.

Far from being thought of as just a great value, the article found that Chilean wine is increasingly being recognized for its unique blend of old world philosophy and innovation, its purity of fruit and its diversity of climate.

“This next generation of winemakers is very precise,” Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer told Tish.

“Many are from the Northern Hemisphere and work two harvests, so they have broad experience,” Dexheimer said, adding that Chilean technology in both the production facilities and vineyards is state-of-the-art, including infrared scanners that have helped growers match varieties to soil types.

Another factor behind the wave of restaurants and venues taking up Chilean wines is their compatibility with the dinner table.

Rodrigo Davila, the beverage director for the Texas de Brazil group of restaurants, said that his restaurants rotated a variety of wines on his lists for this reason, saying that Chilean red goes particularly well with the beef-heavy Churrascaria fare.

But it’s not just red wine – the traditional Chilean export heavy weight – that is gaining traction, white wines are also increasingly making a splash. Davila described Sauvignon Blanc as the emerging as a signature Chilean white, distinctive for its crisp acidity and an ideal companion for seafood and salads.

Yet a major aspect of the appeal of Chilean wine is its diversity.

“The wines are a fantastic blend of old world highlights with new world accessibility,” explained David Lombardo, wine and beverage director for the Benchmarc group in NYC. “One of my favorite aspects is the diversity of the land enabling so many different classic grapes to thrive and shine.”

To read the full article, click here.

The NY Sommelier Guild Chilean Terroir Master Class will take place at Cork Buzz, a new wine educational facility and wine bar in New York, with approximately 30 – 40 area sommeliers attending the tasting.

Sign up to join the tasting.