Chilean wine regions, appellations and producers. Catalog-reference book of Chile wines with reviews and ratings.
About the country
Capital: Santiago
The territory of Chile is a narrow strip of land with a length of more than 4300 km and a width of about 177 km in the west of South America, located between the Andean mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. It is famous for its geographical and climatic diversity: the world's driest Atacama desert, the fertile Central Valley, the Lakes region, the virgin beauty of Patagonia and the spectacular glaciers and fjords of Antarctica and the South Pacific.
Accordingly, the country is divided into five distinct geographical and climatic zones: the Northern region, influenced by the Atacama Desert; Santiago and the Central Valley with a pronounced Mediterranean climate; land of rivers, lakes and volcanoes, located in south of Santiago; Patagonia and Antarctic Territory; the island part, where the largest are Easter Island, Robinson Crusoe Island and Chiloe Island.
Several decades of sustainable development have allowed Chile to create a developed economy based on mining, forestry, fishing, agriculture, and of course, tourism and winemaking. Annual growth is 3%, inflation 2-3% for the last 30 years.
Where to visit, what to see, sights
Choose the direction of travel: where to visit in Chile, what to see, which wineries to visit, where else to go or go, what interesting places are worth seeing on your own or on an excursion. The country can offer a huge variety of tourist destinations and attractions, as it is located on three continents, having its own territories in America, Oceania and Antarctica. 20% of the territory, 14 million hectares, are occupied by national parks.
No one will be indifferent to visiting the Atacama Desert, which captivates tourists with mountain landscapes combined with desert landscapes.
The Chilean capital of Santiago deserves great attention with its wide selection of excursion routes passing through the picturesque areas of the city.
The ski resorts located on the slopes of the Andes are magnificent - they are considered the best in South America. Every year they attract tourists who, in addition to sports, have the opportunity to taste the fine wines of the Central Valley, located a few kilometers from the ski centers.
The south of Chile is distinguished by the special beauty of natural landscapes. The humid, rainy climate ensures biodiversity and is rich in cultural and historical heritage. In the Chilean Patagonia of the Antarctic zone, there are such secluded corners of virgin nature, where you really feel like you are at the end of the world.
The romantic dream of all tourists, Easter Island with its mysterious idols, is also Chilean. It can only be reached from the mainland and only by one airline, so all roads lead to Chile! It has developed domestic tourism and infrastructure. Many regions can be visited from Santiago in one day. In more remote places, the trip will take more time, but there will be no particular difficulties.
Chile winemaking and wine tourism
The first vine was brought to the country in the early 16th century by Spanish missionaries. Despite five centuries of history, the wine industry continues to evolve. This is a dynamic, flexible and receptive industry that is constantly evolving and has a strong place among the wine-producing countries of the New World and has a high reputation in the wine markets of the world.
There are five wine-growing regions in which about one and a half valleys have been developed, new areas are constantly being developed and new styles of wines are emerging.
Gastronomy and culture
When they talk about Chilean cuisine, they mean the original combination of the culinary traditions of the indigenous Indians and the latest trends in European cuisine, especially Spanish, which is characterized by simplicity and naturalness of products. A very large contribution is made by the Pacific coast - the source of a huge variety of fish and seafood, which are used in the cuisine of the whole country, from north to south. There are many interesting Chilean recipes with them, for example, “curanto”, a traditional Chiloe dish of stewed clams, which is cooked on hot stones.