Chile's Wine Ambassador Rebecca Chapa hard at work in San Francisco, California.

In this series of interviews with the major players in Chile’s centuries-old industry, Wines of Chile gets an inside look at the ins and outs of winemaking and sales, from the grape harvests in southern Chile to the wine list at New York’s hottest restaurants.

Wine grapes have been a staple of Chile’s valleys ever since the arrival of the Spaniards. Yet in recent decades, the nation’s wine industry has transformed from a young New World producer into a burgeoning source of luscious, award-winning varietals, emphasizing sustainability and premium wines and exporting to five continents around the globe.

Today we talk to Rebecca Chapa, Chile’s premier Wine Ambassador in the Bay Area, about the delicious diversity that Chilean wines have to offer the U.S. market.

In March 2011, Chapa teamed up with Wines of Chile with one goal in mind: to bring the best of Chilean wines to San Francisco’s bars, restaurants and retail stores. With a passion for good wine and a degree from Cornell University, Chapa embarked on a career in wine and food, soon becoming a Certified Wine Educator and Certified Sommelier, with a diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust in London.

“Most consumers and sommeliers don’t realize that there is incredible diversity within Chile,” Chapa says. “The multitude of regions, climates [and] soil types ensure that there is a wealth of different styles of wine, something for every palate.”

As part of her job as “Wine Ambassador,” Chapa also works to expose people to the rich and wonderful world of Chilean cuisine and culture, adding another facet to enjoying a good Chilean wine.

“The best part of the job is when I find someone super excited about the wine they taste and see the smile on their face, having experienced something new or learning something about Chile they didn’t know,” Chapa says.

You work in California’s cosmopolitan Bay Area, steps away from one of the world’s best-known wine regions. What attracted to you working with Chilean wines?

I think it’s exciting working with these unique wines. Although we are surrounded by great wine throughout California, the wines of Chile are really unique. I find that it’s exciting to taste the same varieties grown in a different country and find that there really is a typicity to Chilean wines - they are completely unique from what is grown here in California and both have a reason to be on a wine list or on a shelf.

What do you think sets apart Chile’s wine region and wines from those in Napa Valley?

Chile has been doing some really exciting cool climate wines, some exciting blends and great whites. I would say the Chilean wines have a certain vibrancy while Napa wines can be a bit more dense. I have had fun doing some blind tastings with sommeliers and slipping a Napa wine in the mix — it’s unmistakable, not better or worse, just different.

You work with restaurant and bar owners to promote and inform them about Chilean wines. What is the most common misconception they have about Chilean wine?

Most people expect that Chilean wines because they are a good value can’t hold up to California wines in terms of quality. They also assume that Chilean wines are rich and fat, while the cool climate areas [like Chile’s Casablanca and San Antonio valleys] are really creating some exciting very vibrant high acid wines.

Say I live in the Bay Area. Where should I go for a good selection of Chilean wines, and a staff who can guide me to best choice for my tastes?

Epic Roasthouse has brought in a wide selection of Chilean wines, which is great. Weimax in the Peninsula has a great selection right now for a retailer.

The Bay Area and San Francisco specifically is known for its diversity in food and nightlife. What popular types of food in the Bay Area pair well with Chile’s finest?

Chilean wine can be truly diverse, so the food options are endless. The whites can be fantastic with oysters and shellfish. A favorite of mine is Carmenere with barbecue. We actually had a great dinner at a Brazilian Churrascaria - (the Carmenere) was fabulous with everything from beef to chicken hearts!

For the second consecutive year, Chilean wine giant Concha y Toro earned the number one spot on the list, beating out competitors from other leading wine regions worldwide. Another two Chilean wineries — Santa Rita and Undurraga — also made the rankings, a sign of growing international recognition of the high-quality wine and brands hailing from Chile’s many diverse terroirs and vineyards.

Drinks International anonymously polled a 60-member judging panel that featured wine masters and winemakers, critics, buyers and consultants from around the globe to discover which wine brand the industry insiders admired most.

“The list includes brands that are found in Shanghai boardrooms as well as mom and pop stores in Minnesota, and all points in between,” wrote editor Graham Holter at Most Admired Wine Brands. “Congratulations to all the brands who achieved a ranking in this unique project.”

After earning the number one spot in 2011, Drinks International wrote that Concha y Toro’s brands “encompass everything that Chile does best: consistent, flavoursome wines priced within reach of connoisseurs and casual consumers alike.” The acclaim holds equal weight today, as the company - founded in 1883 in Chile’s Maipo Valley - manages to sell wine on a global scale while continuing to emphasize quality and increase prices.

“This nomination fills us with pride and reaffirms our commitment to provide millions of consumers with high-quality wines that reflect the diversity and typicity that Chile offers as a world-class producer,” said Eduardo Guilisasti, CEO of Viña Concha y Toro.

Santa Rita took the next highest spot for the Chilean industry, “jumping from its 76th-place position in 2011 to 29th place for 2012, making it the brand with the greatest one-year

advance in position,” the vineyard said in a statement, pushing it past “other internationally known brands such as Chateau d’Yquem, Gallo, Mouton Rothschild, Petrus.”

The ranking coincides with another major award for Santa Rita, having received a 5-star classification and “Decanter Award” from Decanter magazine this month for the winery’s 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley.

Undurraga, whose T.H. Sauvignon Blanc won the trophy for best white wine from the New World at ExpoVinis last month, ranked 41 out of the Top 50. Founded in 1885 in the Maipo Valley, the vineyard currently exports to over 70 countries on five continents.

“We’ve worked hard to focus on the global consumer, improving our classic products and launching comprehensive new product proposals and brands for the modern-day consumer,” said Danilo Buvinic, marketing manager at Viña Undurraga. Buvinic called the ranking an honor and a testament to the vineyard’s hard work.

In addition to wineries born and raised in Chilean soil, several of the world’s most admired brands — including Spain’s Torres from Spain at number two, France’s Chateau Lafite Rothschild at 23, and Argentina’s O. Fournier at 38 — have set up operations in Chile over the last decade, attracted to Chile’s unique terroirs and ideal climatic conditions.

Viña Undurraga's wine cellar. (Photo by jdlasica/Flickr)

Viña Undurraga closed out its trip to ExpoVinis São Paulo, Brazil, on a high note when their wine T.H. (Terroir Hunter) from acclaimed enologist Rafael Urrejola was chosen as the best white wine from the New World.

ExpoVinis is one of the world’s most recognized international wine fairs, and in many ways it sets the standard and serves as a guide for executives seeking the best wines to sell throughout Brazil. Over 200 wineries participated, hailing from 25 countries across Latin America, Europe, Oceania and Africa. From the countless varietals, judges chose the Top 10 wines of the fair, one for each of the following categories: Rosé, National Red Wine, New World Red Wine, Old World Red Wine, Sparkling National Wine, Imported Sparkling Wine, New World White Wine, Old World White Wine, National White Wine, and Sweet and Fortified.  It was in this competition that Viña Undurraga’s wine T.H. was honored with the Best Wine Award for white wine from the New World.

T.H. Sauvignon Blanc from Lo Abarca Valley

The honored wine is a very fresh, aromatic and intense Sauvignon Blanc from Lo Abarca Valley, 2011 harvest, influenced by the vineyard’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean. It boasts mature citrus aromas including limes and tangerines, which mix with hints of fennel, honey, a subtle earthy tone and a faint scent of gunpowder. The result is a broad and structured wine on the palate, with a sharp acidity and notes of salt, stone, and an underlying minerality, responsible for its enduring taste and character.

For Rafael Urrejola, the vineyard’s enologist responsible for the T.H. line of wines, it’s a great honor: “We were very hopeful going into this expo. The competition was very tough, as there were tremendous wines coming from Brazil, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand. To be chosen as the best white wine is a great honor and an achievement not only for our team at Viña Undurraga, but for Chilean wine in general.”

The international team of judges responsible for choosing the Top 10 included Luis Lopes, the Portuguese founder and director of Wine Magazine, and Andrés Rosberg, president of the Argentine Association of Sommeliers. Brazilian judges included Jorge Carrara (of the Prazeres da Mesa magazine  and Basilico website), José María Santana (Sabor magazine), Gustavo Andrade de Paulo (SP-ABS), and José Luis Borges Alvim (ABS-SP), among others.

(c)MattWilson.cl for Wines of Chile

Leading U.S. bloggers tweet their reactions to eight Chilean whites - five Sauvignon Blancs and three Chardonnays - from coastal valleys around the country.

“What would you do if you got an email inviting you to try eight lovely bottles of white wine?” writes Mellissa on her blog, A Fit and Spicy Life.

Her answer: get hold of some fresh seafood, throw a party and log on to Twitter for a live tasting session.

Mellissa was one of a group of leading North American wine bloggers invited by Wines of Chile to partake in the event last week, which was hosted by New York-based Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer, and included leading winemakers from Chile.

Timed to coincide with the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the event featured five Sauvignon Blancs and three Chardonnays from the coastal valleys of Casablanca, Colchagua, Leyda, and Limari - all but one retailing for under US$25.

The idea? To promote Chile’s leading white wine varietals and just how well they go with the country’s other gourmet specialty: seafood.

And if the resulting blogs, tweets and status updates are anything to go by, it’s a pairing that the online enologists approved of.

“Another thing that makes me happy is sitting in the sun, sipping on a glass of freshly chilled wine, and eating fresh food inspired by summer,” writes Mary Cressler on her blog, Vindulge. “Thus the perfect opportunity arose to make some ceviche and enjoy with an array of zesty wines and daydream of summer.”

The Vindulge article includes an interesting North American take on ceviche, the Chilean raw seafood delicacy, and Cressler’s pick of the wines, topped by the “light bodied and fresh,” “citrus party” of Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc 2011.

Then there was Jameson Fink, who was so fond of the combination that he wrote two articles on two separate blogs about seafood and Chilean white wine; halibut with couscous, carrots and Sauvignon Blanc on Foodista and Chardonnay with salmon burgers on Jameson Fink.

Perhaps the most effusive blogger of the night was BrainWines, impressed right from the start of the event, and ever-more enthusiastic when the wine tasting began.

“Once again, package contents, supplemental info, & food swag one of best in the biz,” he tweeted.

His favorite wines of night were the Cono Sur’s “masterpiece for the price point” Sauvignon Blanc, Visión, “chock-full of yellow fruits, citrus zest, crushed river rocks, steamed crisp hay, green apples, and touches of yeast, toast, and dry earth.”

“Her dancing acids, lime and lemon zest flavors, and deep herbals serve to trigger what I love in a white wine – namely a mouthwatering experience that causes you to reach for the glass over and over,” said BrainWines, giving the wine a mark of “A” for both the “nose” and “taste” categories.

The “round, deep, but somehow still angular and crisp, yellow tropical fruit notes” of Veramonte’s Sauvignon Blanc, Ritual, were likewise a favorite for the blogger.

The first of these picks was backed up by George Perry on The Good Wine Guru who plugged Cono Sur as his top Chilean winery, after various Wines of Chile events.

“Nearly clear in the glass with aromas of peach, flowers, and apple,” writes Perry of Visión. “In the mouth the wine had a softer acid than the previous two with apple, grapefruit, lime, and a hint of minerality.”

Meanwhile William Allen, author of the Simple Hedonisms blog and contributor to the widely-read Palate Press, concurred with the Veramonte endorsement.

“Veramonte - GORGEOUS. rich texture that combines mouthfeel & acidity. Neutral oak fermentation shows. BRAVO,” he tweeted.

And the end of the event, when the last bottle had been emptied, a score of bloggers went home wined and dined, and word about Chilean whites took one more step toward the kind of recognition it deserves.

“I wish every Thursday could be that great!”  tweeted Mellissa (@fitnspicy).

The following wines were featured on the Coastal Chile blogger tasting menu:

• 2011 Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc  (Colchagua Valley)
• 2011 Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley)
• 2011 Cono Sur Visión Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley)
• 2011 Viña Casablanca Nimbus Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley)
• 2011 Veramonte Ritual Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley)
• 2010 Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay (Leyda Valley)
• 2010 De Martino Legado Reserva Chardonnay  (Limari Valley)
• 2009 Concha y Toro Marqués de Casa Concha Chardonnay (Limari Valley)

Photo by (c)MattWilson.cl for Wines of Chile

Under the influence of cool Pacific breezes and thanks to a group of innovative winemakers, two of Chile’s newest wine regions are changing the way Chilean white wines are perceived.

In a country renowned for having the world’s most varied terroir, Chile’s Leyda and Lo Abarca valleys stand out as some of the most remarkable.

Located within the larger San Antonio wine region, Leyda’s vineyards sit at an altitude of around 590 feet, located just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, where natural pasture lands and crops like wheat and barley once reigned.

Cold winds generated along this stretch of the coast by the offshore Humboldt Current, combined with the granite soil and rolling hills of the area, ensure the perfect environment for Pinot Noir grapes, as well as white strains like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Viña Garcés Silva’s chief winemaker, Francisco Ponce, told Departures Magazine that the valley’s combination of granite soil and proximity to the ocean “breaks all the rules.”

Yet in Leyda, at least, rule breaking works. Wine Advocate named the vineyard’s Amayna Chardonnay one of Chile’s best, and neighboring wineries have received similar accolades. Amaral’s 2010 Sauvignon Blanc won gold at the 1st Concours Mondial du Sauvignon Blanc, and Leyda’s Loica Vineyard Pinot Noir Rose 2010 won best rose at the 9th Annual Wines of Chile Awards.

The pioneering spirit that brought a new generation of wine producers to “settle” the region has propelled a renaissance of white wine in Chile, a country traditionally known for its reds.

María Luz Marín, founder of the prize winning Casa Marín vineyard in nearby Lo Abarca, epitomizes this innovative spirit.

The first woman in Chile to found and run a vineyard, Marín broke the taboo which for many years held that Chilean wine, and especially Chilean white wine, had to be cheap to sell in foreign markets.

“When we had the first harvest, in 2003, our first Sauvignon Blanc cost 18,000 Chilean pesos [US$36]. The closest to ours in price was 8,000 Chilean pesos [US$16],” Marín told La Tercera. “It wasn’t easy and, in the beginning, we caused a stir.”

Marín recounted an anecdote from a trade fair in England where she was met with similar reactions.

“They told me I couldn’t offer a wine for more than eight pounds, because nobody would buy it. In the fair, writers and journalists questioned me about the price - the wine we took cost 14 pounds - and looked at me as if I were crazy,” she said.

But the pioneering winemaker was undeterred: “It was hard, but now we sell it for more than 18 pounds.”

Seven years later, the Casa Marín Riesling took the gold medal at the 2010 Sommelier Wine Awards. That same year, Casa Marín’s Sauvignon Blanc topped local producers at the 2010 Concours Mondial de Sauvignon Blanc awards in France to capture the golden trophy.

Thanks to vineyards like Casa Marín, the Leyda and Lo Abarca Valleys are quickly gaining an international reputation as a producer of white wines of perfect acidity, with mineral touches and a crisp, refreshing flavor.

©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 Maule Valley, 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.

Sip by sip, bottle by bottle, Chilean wine is reinventing its image in the world’s largest wine market - the United States.

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.

Juha Berglund, owner of Viini Magazine, together with Jane Nisbet Huseby, Representative for Wines of Chile in the Nordic Countries.

Wines of Chile, an organization committed to promoting the quality and image of Chilean wine throughout the world, participated with a stand at ViiniExpo in Helsinki, the largest wine trade show in Finland, and one of the best places to meet both trade and wine consumers in a country where almost 1 in every 4 wines purchases wine originates from Chile.  During the three-day event (March 14-16, 2012), both wine trade professionals and consumers had the opportunity to taste the wines on display at the Wines of Chile stand as well as participate in 12 themed seminars hosted by Wines of Chile together with the vineyards and their importers.

Held in cooperation with Viini Magazine, the largest wine magazine in Finland and the Nordic countries with 135,000 readers, ViiniExpo is held every other year in Helsinki. The Finnish wine monopoly Alko has the exclusive rights to the retail sale of alcoholic beverages and ViiniExpo brings together wine importers, wine journalists, HoReCa and consumers during this important three-day event. Wines of Chile committed to participating in this event to further strengthen the position of Chilean wines in Finland, where Chile currently has a 22.7% market share (28.7% red wines, 19.8% white wines). Wines of Chile’s core objectives are to promote Chilean wine and support the vineyards and the importers in key markets.

Oliver Puls, Export Manager at MontGras.

ViiniExpo was attended by more than 1,603 visitors during the two trade-only days, with 54.6 % representing the HoReCa trade, and 1,733 consumers on the final day, demonstrating a great interest in wine in Finland. Eight Chilean wineries participated in the Wines of Chile stand, which included high quality wines from a various valleys, cool climate wines and fair-trade wines. Twelve seminars were organized by Wines of Chile on themes such as Chilean climate, Appellations, Viticulture, Sustainability, Fair Trade and Chilean wine/Finnish food pairing. Heikki Remes, one of Finland’s well-known wine and culinary book authors and a beloved supporter of Chilean wines, joined the Wines of Chile stand with his latest book “Maistuu Viinien Kanssa Chilen Viinit” (2011), in addition to participating in the seminar program.

Eduardo Tapia, the Chilean Ambassador to Finland, visited the Wines of Chile stand, commenting, “We are very happy to see Wines of Chile in Finland, and we will do everything we can to further support the wineries in this important market.”

“Chile has a unique market position in Finland which proves the interest and knowledge of Finnish consumers in Chilean wine. It is our duty to reach out to the Finnish consumers and wine trade professionals, to thank them for their support over many years, and to continue to do everything we can to assist the wineries and importers to maintain this position,” stated Jane Nisbet Huseby, representative for Wines of Chile in the Nordic Countries.

“Finnish consumers are very interested in wine, and in these events we can show the quality and diversity of Chilean wines, which is very important in a market like Finland where all retail sales are exclusively sold in the ALKO wine monopoly outlets,” added Juha Metsovaara, Managing Director of Notandum Ltd., importer of Ventisquero wines.

The Wines of Chiles stand at ViiniExpo

Leo Ghysels, Export Manager Vinos Lautaro, representative of Hartwa importers, Andrea Serrat, Miguel Torres.

Cristián Rodríguez of Emiliana, center, with the vineyard's two 2012 Green Awards.

Chile emerged as the big winner this week at the “2012 Green Awards” ceremony held in London by leading wine and spirits magazine The Drinks Business.

The annual event recognizes companies, people and organizations around the world that are changing the business practices of the drinks industry for the better, rewarding the winery which has made the strongest commitment to the environment with the title of “Green Company of the Year.”

This year Chile’s Viña Emiliana took home the prize.

Upon presenting the award, David Mawer, UK Managing Director of JF Hillebrand, commended the Chilean winery for “improving its business practice to better its carbon footprint by improving its own direct impact on the surrounding environment.”

Viña Emiliana was born in 1998 as a project to produce a world-class wine that includes both organic and biodynamic agriculture in its production.

“When we began this project more than a decade ago we were innovators and visionaries,” said José Guilisasti, General Manager of Viña Emiliana. “Today we realize that being 100% organic and sustainable from the social, environmental, and economic perspectives is possible. We are tremendously proud to obtain this award and it motivates us to continue working in the same direction.”

The winery currently has over 2,463 acres (997 hectares) of vineyards in the some of Chile’s most renowned wine growing regions, including the Casablanca, Maipo, Cachapoal, Colchagua, and Bío Bío Valleys. Emiliana’s vineyards are free of pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers. Today it boasts sustainable practices ranging from from energy efficiency programs to Corporate Social Responsibility activities.

In addition to taking out the top award at the ceremony, Viña Emiliana also won the “Sustainability Award,” topping a highly competitive field of wineries from Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Portugal, among others. The Sustainability Award recognizes the company’s efforts to achieve sustainable practices more efficiently and effectively.

Creating an environmentally responsible and sustainable industry has become one of the strategic goals of the Chilean wine industry’s organizing body - Wines of Chile, which was also a sponsor of this year’s Green Awards.

By 2020, Wines of Chile seeks to be the number one producer of premium, sustainable and diverse wines from the New World. This target has been embraced by many vineyards around the county, and by January 2012 Wines of Chile had officially certified 20 wineries with its new Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile seal, after a rigorous assessment and inspection process.

The following wineries have already been certified sustainable: Cremaschi Furlotti, Via Wines, Errazuriz, Caliterra, Arboleda, Montes, Montgras, Ventisquero, Santa Ema, Anakena, Santa Cruz, Santa Rita, Casa Silva, Emiliana, Miguel Torres, Maquis, Perez Cruz, Carmen, Sur Andino, and Nativa.

For a full list of winners and wineries honored at the 2012 Green Awards, click here.

Santiago, March 22, 2012. At a press conference on Thursday, Wines of Chile Vice President Mario Pablo Silva gave the organization’s official response to the news that Brazil plans to apply measures to safeguard wine imports.

Silva said the plan was an arbitrary measure that had been rejected by wine producers, as it would affect international competition and put them at a disadvantage in their fourth largest export market, where Chilean wine has a 32% share of value and 36% share of volume.

The measure was also a form of protectionism, he said, that would impact Brazilian consumers most of all by limiting their opportunity to choose and access wines of a higher price and quality, a sector in which Chile has experienced sustained growth.

The industry spokesperson called on the government to prioritize the issue and said he would not rule out approaching international institutions, including the World Wine Trade Group and the World Trade Organization, if the Brazilian measure is approved.

If approved, Chilean wine producers estimate that the 2.5 million case restriction - 600,000 cases less than were exported in 2011 - would generate losses of US$18 million in the first year alone, reaching US$50 million in annual losses through 2020.

Given what is at stake, Wines of Chile has formed a special committee to review the measure and has hired legal representation in Sao Paulo. It will also request that the government put the issue on the agenda for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s visit to Chile in May, as it poses a threat to trade relations between the countries, which already highly favor Brazil.

The organization added that it has met with relevant players in the Brazilian market, including the Brazilian Association of Food and Beverage Exporters and Importers (A.B.B.A) and local winemakers, who have declared their opposition to the measure.