CHILEAN WINES CONTINUE TO GROW

CHILE IS now the third largest country of import for bottled table wines in the US. Rankings released from the International Organization of Vine and Wine place Chile as the fourth largest global exporter, knocking out Australia, in 2O13. “In the US, our YTD volume through May 2O14 of 2.4 million cases has topped 2O12 performance,” said Marybeth Bentwood, Executive Director of Wines of Chile USA. The growth is a result of a conscious focus on producing wines with regionality. “While the Chilean portfolio consists of varietals that consumers are familiar with, the individual wines themselves are by definition unique and different in very important ways,” said Claudio Cilveti, Managing Director of Wines of Chile in Santiago. “One particular area where we’re seeing significant growth is wine blends versus single varietals. Additionally, Chile is getting a lot more attention and receptivity with the expansion of availability of cool climate varietals such as Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Both categories are driving consumption by the Millennial generation, a 7O million strong age cohort that will be defining wine trends in the next decade,” Cilveti said. Bentwood added, “Young winemakers are exploring and planting in new regions based on improved understanding of microclimates, soils and altitudes, all of which the country is blessed with. Add to that the fact that Chile is essentially Phylloxera-free, means the grapes are produced on natural rootstocks yielding wines of authenticity unavailable anywhere else in the world.”