Chilean wine

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered the cultivation of vines in 1524 after the conquest of Mexico . It gradually spread from Mexico to the south, reaching Chile in 1555. During the first 3 centuries of colonization, only país was cultivated in Chile, a black grape variety with no character and very productive. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that noble varieties were introduced: mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the impetus of wealthy French landowners and experts who had been forced out of work by phylloxera in Europe.
Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is wedged between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it has ideal conditions for growing warm, intermediate and cool grape varieties, so much so that it is often described as a vineyard paradise. With nearly 300 estates producing bottled wines, Chile ranks between 6th and 8th in the world.