Chile may well be known throughout the world for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, but this feature focuses on some of the more upcoming varieties which are sure to please drinkers world wide: the classy Sauvignon Blanc, crisp Chardonnay, exciting Syrah and unusual Carignan.

We loved reading this article and think you will too – here’s the link so you can have a read: chile_2013 (1) copy

Salud!

This year for the first time, Europe Area Manager for Wines of Chile Alvaro Arriagada was invited to attend the event and represent Chile’s wine community in the tasting.

Eight ‘Gran Bacchus de Oro’ medals were awarded for the most outstanding wines in the competition which included wines from Spain, Portugal and France, and a Uruguayan wine also took a top medal. It’s clear that the judges already enjoyed a flavour of Southern Cone wines and hopefully next year more Chilean wineries will participate in the tasting.

For more information visit http://www.uec.es/bacchus

By Amanda Barnes

Photographed (L- R): Pedro Ballesteros from Belgium, a representative from Portugal, a representative from Spain, Sarah Jane Evans from the UK, and Alavaro Arriagada from Wines of Chile

Wine Challenge is a blind tasting held in Seoul organized by the country’s most influential wine magazine, Wine Review. With 20 sommeliers participating in a blind tasting of international wines in June, the prize-winning wines will be featured in the magazine throughout the year – ensuring great publicity for a long duration.

Chilean wineries are encouraged to enter their top wines into the competition to show this significant market what great premium wines and innovative blends the country is producing.

The competition offers a unique chance to get press coverage in the Asian market, find new importers and increase sales in the region. Get your best wines ready, because the prize is there for the taking!

By Amanda Barnes

Above: External Affairs Minister José Moreno, President Piñera and General Secretary Cecilia Perez at the Wines of Chile stand.

Promoting Chilean wine to an international forum, Wines of Chile had a valuable presence at the recent CELAC-UE Business Summit on January 25th and 26th.

The bi-annual summit is designed to help attract Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) from EU countries into Latin America and the Caribbean. Wines of Chile took this year’s summit as an opportunity to try and entice DFI into the growing wine industry with a prominent visitors’ stand.

Above: Alvaro Arriagada from Wines of Chile; Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism Juan Pablo Longueira Montes; and Jorge Cáceres from Prochile

Offering a tasting of some of the country’s world renowned wines over the two days, visitors to the Wines of Chile included Chile’s President, Sebastián Piñera, with the Minister of External Relations José Moreno and General Secretary Cecilia Perez who shared a toast along with many other prolific visitors from around the globe. 

“In CELAC-UE we presented the Chilean wines awarded in the Annual Wines of Chile Awards,” explained Alvaro Arriagada, Europe Area Manager for Wines of Chile, “these were a great attraction for all the entourage that accompanied the Presidents.”

Above: (Top) A journalist interviews Alvaro Arriagada and Cecilia Perez.
(Below) German Ambassador Sr. Jorge O’Ryan Schütz, Jorge Cáceres from Prochile and Alvaro Arriagada.
The summit which this year saw over 300 businesses in attendance, was first held in 1999 in Rio de Janeiro and continues to grow in prestige and attendance with the objective to promote business links. “The agenda is organized around the objective of improving bi-regional commercial relations and investments and of building a strategic alliance for the sustainable development of all our countries and peoples,” said Lorenzo Constans, the President of the Chilean Confederation of Production and Commerce in a welcome speech.

The next summit will be held in 2015.

Above: (Top) With Mining Minister Hernán de Solminihac
(Middle) The stand
(Below) With Coronel Andrés Felipe Diaz Lopez, Head of Honduras Presidential State

Asia as a continent holds a lot of mystery and for a winemaker in the provincial vineyards of Chile it can seem more than a world away. This year’s Annual Wines of Chile Awards (AWOCA) Seminar offered a unique insight into the captivating and unfamiliar world of Asian wine consumption to help those in the national industry gain an understanding of this diverse region.

The tenth anniversary of the prestigious nationwide awards was dedicated to promoting the links between Chile and one of its fastest growing consumer markets. A panel of expert judges was invited from the Far East to judge the wines and shed some light on this distinctive market.

With a short presentation by each judge followed by a question and answer section, the seminar focused on opportunities within the on trade and market trends. One clear message was the importance of educating the Asian consumer in Chilean wine.

Judge and wine educator Fong Yee Walker explained in her presentation: “What is important is a greater demand for knowledge,” she said. “Asia likes education. The demand for people to learn how to use this western drink is very high.” Fong Yee also emphasized the value of investing time in educating the under 25 age group who will mature into loyal customers.

Meanwhile Korean sommelier Young Jin You suggested Chile organize their own sommelier competitions in Korea to promote their wines and increase wine knowledge in the on-trade industry, following the example of France, Italy and Germany who have organised similar competitions there.

Another key message was the impact of branding and marketing. As the country begins to focus more on selling its premium wines, the judges commented on the importance of communicating this message to the world. There were some positive comments on the emergence of high quality wines in the market that are already starting to have an impact on its image, especially in countries like Korea and Japan.

“The image of Chilean wine in Japan is changing from inexpensive and quality matching the price, to quality not only matching the price but providing quality much better than what you are paying for,” said Master Sommelier and Chairman of the Japanese Sommelier Association Masaharu Oka.

The judges all stressed how Asian consumers are happy to spend top dollar on icon wines so long as the marketing and image warrants the price. Almost half of wine purchases in Asia are for gifts, so getting the correct labeling, wording, bottle and image is one of the most important elements of the sale.

Hong Kong food and wine celebrity Walter Kei highlighted how building Chile’s image as a country is also vital to its success being seen as a high quality producer: “To share Chilean wine, you have to share experience,” he said. “If you can sell the whole package, people will think Chile is not cheap, but that Chile is a lifestyle.”

The week of judging which culminated in the seminar was also an opportunity for these influential wine professionals to learn more about Chilean wine and so act as ambassadors for Chilean wine in Asia.

While the clear favorite wine of the judges during their time in Chile was the cool climate Syrah, numerous comments were made about the high quality Riesling, Pinot Noir, Carmenere and Carignan. The judges also positively encouraged more experimentation into different varieties. “What’s really amazing is the yet untapped potential,” added Fong Yee. “There’s a really good future and we need more crazy winemakers here. There’s so much undiscovered and I wish they would plant more grape varieties.”

Hong Kong wine expert and winemaker Tersina Shieh also indorsed innovation and risk taking in the wine industry: “Be a crazy winemaker! That is what we want you to be. To make a statement in the world.”

One clear statement made during the week is how Chile wants to be part of the future in Asia, and seminars like this are invaluable in helping the wine industry learn how to stake their claim in the world of wine.

By Amanda Barnes

Some of the biggest names in the Chilean wine industry gathered for a sunset event in Las Terrazas de la Reina – high in the foothills of the Andes overlooking Santiago – where the trophy winners were announced.

The night’s greatest honor went to Viña Errazuriz as they were presented Best in the Show for their icon wine Don Maximiamo Founder’s Reserve 2010: a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Carmenere and Cabernet Franc.

Owner Eduardo Chadwick was on hand to collect the esteemed prize with his colleagues: “It’s really a great honor,” he said on receiving the award. “We are trying to show finesse and quality from Chile and our winemaker and team are key in doing that. Thank you for recognizing our efforts.”

The same wine also took away one of this year’s most coveted new trophies, Best Super Premium Red Wine. Meanwhile, the Best Super Premium White Wine went to Casa Marín’s Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011.

Two wines were awarded Best Value Trophies: Oveja Negra Cabernet Franc-Carmenere 2011 for Best Value Red, and Santa Carolina Reserva Moscato 2012 for Best Value White.

A further 15 trophies were awarded to the best wines in each category. Winery Cono Sur struck gold three times during the awards ceremony as it took away the Best Pinot Noir medal for its 20 Barrels 2010 and in an unlikely turn of events the winery also won two medals for the Best Syrah as both its 20 Barrels Syrah 2010 and Single Vineyard Syrah 2011 produced a tie in the blind tasting.

This year saw a record number of entries at 615 wines and also the highest number of medals in the Awards’ history: 10% receiving Gold medals, 28% receiving Silver and 41% receiving Bronze, resulting in an astonishing 79% of entrants receiving a medal. “The caliber was of a significantly higher quality,” said Mario Pablo Silva, Vice President of Wines of Chile, speaking at the event. “Our message of diversity is an accurate description of what Chile has to offer.”

For the tenth year of the Awards, a specialist panel of wine experts was selected from Japan, China, Korea and Chile were selected to blind taste the wines that entered the competition. Wines of Chile chose this landmark year of the Awards to focus on one of the country’s most important growing consumer markets – Asia.

“The tenth Annual Wines of Chile Awards is a symbol,” says Claudio Cilveti, Managing Director of Wines of Chile. “We need to give a bigger focus to Asia now. These judges are now our ambassadors in the market.”

Commenting on the record number of wines entered into this year’s contest, with a great diversity of varieties and regions. “This year has been a great show of wines,” added Cilveti. “The level of the wines has been much higher.”

The Trophy Winners in AWOCA 2013 are:

Best in Category Blend – Sideral 2009, Viña Altair S.A

Best in Category Cabernet Sauvignon – Arboleda 2010, Viña Arboleda

Best in Category Carmenere – Marchigue Private Collection 2011, Viñedos Marchigue

Best in Category Chardonnay – Aconcagua Costa 2011, Viña Errazuriz

Best in Category Late Harvest – Erasmo 2008, Viña la Reserva de Caliboro

Best in Category Pinot Noir – Cono Sur 20 Barrels 2010, Viña Cono Sur

Best in Category Sauvignon Blanc – Outer Limits 2011, Montes S.A.

Best in Category Syrah – Single Vineyard 2011, Viña Cono Sur

Best in Category Syrah – 20 Barrels 2010, Viña Cono Sur

Best in Category Other Red – Vigno Garcia Schwaderer 2009, Garcia & Schwaderer

Best in Category Other White – Reserva Moscato 2012, Santa Carolina

Best in Category Rose – Litoral Rosé of Pinot Noir 2012, Viña Ventolera S.A.

Best in Category Sparkling – Santa Digna Estelado 2012, Miguel Torres Chile

Best in Category Premium Red – Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2010, Viña Errazuriz

Best in Category Premium White – Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Viña Casa Marín

Best Value Red – Oveja Negra Cabernet Franc – Carmenere 2011, VIA Wines

Best Value White – Santa Carolina Reserva Moscato 2012, Santa Carolina

Best in the Show – Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2010, Viña Errazuriz

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!

Rex Pickett’s novel Sideways was not even attached to a publisher when it was first laid on the desk of director Alexander Payne. Whatsmore, the story of Miles and Jack – two fortysomething wine enthusiasts tackling personal anguish in California’s picturesque wine country – hardly met a formula that satisfied those Hollywood production houses keen on sure-things over authenticity.

So when the movie grossed over US$100 million worldwide and brought in 350 awards including an Oscar for best screenplay, Pickett was more surprised than anyone.

“It was something I was completely unprepared for,” Pickett told ProChile. “And its influence was not limited to the movie industry. Sideways made wine hip again. Beer was no longer people’s adult drink of choice – for the first time in more than a decade, wine was topping preference polls.”

The movie caused a direct rise in wine sales in the U.S. and the U.K., with Pinot Noir experiencing a huge 16 percent increase in sales. Chile could be next in line to experience the “Sideways Effect,” as Pickett is unleashing his characters across Chilean wine country in the series’ latest book.

“After Vertical (the second book in the series), I felt like Miles had sucked the marrow out of the U.S. Pacific Coast,” Pickett said. “He and I needed somewhere new to explore, so when Mario Velasco (of Chilean production company Magallanica) contacted me about coming to Chile, it seemed like the perfect fit.”

Pickett is in his first weeks of a four month research trip, sponsored by Wines of Chile, that will see him sipping and writing his way through Chilean wine country, or “Wine’s last frontier” as he calls it.

“I’m so excited to really get going. I’ve already met so many interesting people who are doing such creative things in winemaking, stuff I’ve never seen before,” Pickett said.

“I can’t wait to get out to Maipo Valley, as well as Casablanca, Elqui and Maule Valley, and Colchagua. The diverse microclimates, the rich volcanic soils, and the creativity of the winemakers here all contribute to the outstanding level and number of quality wines there are in this country.”

To follow Rex on his journey, visit the blog he will be regularly updating, Rex in Chile.

Miguel A. Torres, a "bedrock" of Chile's wine industry

Wine Enthusiast magazine annually acknowledges substantial accomplishments and prominent personages in wine, and this year’s Lifetime Achievement award is drawing the spotlight to Chile.

Miguel A. Torres of Bodegas Miguel Torres is a 2012 Wine Star Award Winner, recognized for being a “lifelong visionary who, early on, grasped the importance of exporting his family’s wines along with the ‘culture of wine,’” according to Wine Enthusiast.

The magazine focused on the theme of family traditions for the 2012 competition, tipping its hat to some of the world’s most fundamental and innovative wine families – the “bedrock that the wine industry rests on.”

The Torres family is one of the industry’s key “bedrock” families, having made wine in Europe for centuries before planting its first 100-hectare vineyard in Chile’s idyllic Curicó Valley in 1979.

Since that time, Miguel A. Torres has been an instrumental participant in the development and evolution of Chile as a major exporter and producer of fine wines – directly contributing to the country’s wildly expanding reputation and success.

Over three decades, Bodega Torres’ 100-hectare vineyard grew into a productive enterprise that now cultivates 445 hectares and performs as a leader in the export market, essentially acting as an ambassador for Chile and a messenger of the country’s terroir and budding potential.

Torres is also regarded as a pioneer of modernization in wine production, and his well-earned legacy thrives in Chile today through both traditional and revolutionary winemaking techniques, and products ranging from icon wines to organics.

“Miguel Torres has changed the world of wine by not only setting an example for the modernization of the Spanish wine industry, but on a global scale,” noted Wine Enthusiast publisher and editor Adam Straum.

The Wine Star Awards contest will be featured in Wine Enthusiast’s Best of the Year issue, which hits the stands and the web on December 13. Torres and other winners will also be honored at a special awards dinner in New York City on January 28.

“It is with great pride that we award this prestigious recognition to the leaders of an industry driving a great passion we all have—wine,” said Straum.

Congratulations Miguel A. Torres, a leader in Chilean wine!

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