It was Hernán Cortés who ordered, upon the conquest of Mexico, the cultivation of vines in 1524. It gradually extended from Mexico southwards to reach Chile in 1555. During the first 3 centuries of colonization, there was no Only país (misión), a characterless and very productive black grape variety, was cultivated in Chile. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that we saw the introduction of noble varieties, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and, 20 years later, modern winemaking under the leadership of wealthy owners and experts. French that phylloxera in Europe had forced unemployment.
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, 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 paradise for growing grapes. With nearly 300 properties producing bottled wines, Chile fluctuates between 6th and 8th place in the world.
