Wine from Chile is particularly characterized by an elegant and silky character, which is precisely due to the proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. Due to the high altitudes and the cooling sea wind, the grapes slowly ripen to exceptional quality. With about 500 million liters of wine annually, Chile holds the fifth place among wine exporting countries worldwide.
The most famous Chilean wine regions are the Valle Central and the Maipo Valley. The velvety red wines and flowery white wines are clearly the rising stars overseas.
Main grape varieties (WHITE):
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay Fruity, floral yet mild, this is the best way to describe the character of Chilean white wines.
Most important grape varieties (RED)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere
If there is one variety that emphatically underlines the uniqueness of Chilean wine, it is the old French grape variety Carménère, originally from Bordeaux.
Main regions
Central Valle with the subregions of Maule and Maipo
Despite largely stable prices, with a hectolitre of Chilean wine costing 143 euros (December 2022 to November 2023), Chile was unable to maintain its import level. Imports to Germany fell by 14.4% in volume and by as much as 18.1% in value. Interestingly, the volume of white wine fell more sharply, by 19.3%, than that of red wine, by 16.3%, although there is a trend towards white wine. The ratio of white to red wine imports shifted in favor of white wine from 67 percent to 66 percent in 2022. The proportion of cask wine in German imports from Chile was 83 percent.
