Canadian winewriter Rod Phillips was here in Chile in January as one of the judges for this year’s Annual Wines of Chile Awards, where he certainly got a mouthful of the wide range of Chilean wines available.

Here he provides a vinous geography lesson on the the cold Humboldt current that runs up the western coastline of the country and the cooling effects it has on the vineyards and wines. Whether it’s Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from Casablanca and San Antonio or Chardonnay and Syrah from Limarí and Elqui, the cool climate lends fresh acidity and exciting flavors to these and many other Chilean wines that deserve a swirl in your glass!

He also adds a note about some pretty cool off-the-beaten track tourism opportunities in Chile’s northernmost wine regions…

Click here to download Rod Phillip’s full article “Chill Out” from Vines Magazine’s June-July 2010 issue.