Chilean wine

Chile has a long history in the production of wine, with roots dating back to the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors introduced Vitis vinifera vines to the region. In the mid-19th century, French wine varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère, and Franc were introduced. During the early 1980s, the Chilean wine industry underwent a renaissance with the introduction of stainless steel fermentation tanks and the use of oak barrels for aging. This led to a rapid growth in exports as quality wine production increased. The number of wineries in Chile rose from 12 in 1995 to over 70 in 2005. The late 20th century saw a large number of French immigrants settling in Chile, bringing with them extensive viticultural knowledge. Today, Chile stands as the fifth largest exporter of wine globally and the seventh largest producer. The climate in Chile has been described as a fusion of the climates in California and France. The most commonly grown grape variety in the country are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère. Chile is also fortunate to remain free of the phylloxera louse, which means that its grapevines do not require grafting with phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. The introduction of Vitis vinifera vines to Chile dates back to the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadors and missionaries brought the European vines to the region in 1554. According to local legend, the first vines were planted by conquistador Francisco de Aguirre himself. The vines may have originated from established Spanish vineyards in Peru and likely included the "common black grape", which Hernán Cortés brought to Mexico in 1520. This grape variety became the ancestor of the widely planted Pais grape, which was the most widely planted Chilean grape until the 21st century. Jesuit priests were responsible for cultivating these early vineyards and used the wine produced for the celebration of the Eucharist. By the late 16th century, Chilean historian Alonso de Ovalle noted widespread plantings of "the common black grape", as well as Muscatel, Torontel, Albilho, and Mollar.