3 Reasons Why Drinking Chilean Wine Is a No-Brainer

We get it. Buying wine can be overwhelming. With so many countries making wine, so many hard-to-pronounce grapes on the labels, and so many shiny labels that scream, “Buy Me Now!”, it’s not a surprise that many consumers reach instead for that six-pack.

We can’t demystify the world of wine in a single blog post, but we can at least try to demystify one slice of it: Chile.

There’s a reason GVI sources most of its wines from Chile. It nails the three things we look for in wines we want to drink: perfect geography, value and an indulgence quotient that’s off the charts. Why do we think these three things matter? Keep reading.

I. Geography

Great wine is not just made; it is grown. Careful farming is critical, but the soil and climate have to be considered first.

The soils can’t be too fertile, because then the vine will go nuts and much more work will have to be done to contain yields. (Containing yields has an impact on flavor concentration.) The best soils will be rocky, austere, and the vines will have to work to find what they need to survive.

It can’t be too hot or too cold. If it’s too hot, the vines will require larger amounts of water to complete their task of ripening the fruit. There’s also a risk of the grapes turning into raisins. If it’s too cold, the grapes won’t get ripe at all. The best wines are most often made in areas with dry, warm days and cool nights.

Chile checks all these boxes. Its climate is warm Mediterranean, and it is so narrow that nearly every part of it benefits from the cooling influence of the Pacific. This is especially true of the Casablanca Valley, a chilly, coastal region where we source a fresh, springy Sauvignon Blanc from Albamar.

Even warmer areas like the Maule Valley, where Gillmore makes world-class, old-vine Carignan, benefit from cooler nights courtesy of the Pacific.

And the soils? Mostly rocky, sandy and volcanic. Perfect.

The bottom line is that Chilean wines brim with character because their growing conditions are so optimal. This is why a $15 Chilean wine is almost always a better buy than a $15 wine from elsewhere.

II. Value

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Chilean wines are renowned for their value. The best Chilean reds can easily stand up to their counterparts to the north, including Napa Valley. Their ratings equal and often exceed those of the established wine glitterati at prices that are jaw-droppingly lower. How is Chile able to rise to such levels of quality so economically?

At the risk of oversimplifying, it comes down to labor and market conditions. Vineyard labor is cheaper in Chile compared to more highly regulated regions such as California. This impacts the bottle’s price tag.

Second, Chile makes vastly more wine than it can possibly consume within its own borders. It has to export. Period. (California does not.) Part of its strategy was to enter foreign markets at the lower end of the price spectrum in an attempt to make their products more desirable. This worked to an extent, but it’s made it more difficult for higher-priced Chilean wines to compete. In addition, most, but certainly not all, exported Chilean wines are made by a handful of companies, which have benefited from economies of scale.

The good news for us is that for now we get to sit back and sip 97-point 2016 Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon for $69.95/bottle. However, as Chilean producers continue to push for higher quality, higher scores will certainly follow, which, over time, will lead to higher prices. The time to drink Chilean wines is yesterday.

III. Indulgence

What’s the real reason we drink wine? Because it’s delicious and helps distract us from the frustrations of life. As far as we’re concerned, Chile has taken a good chunk of the stress out of deciding which wine will do the distracting.

Chileans love life and celebrate it mightily, and wine is usually in the mix. The red wines have to be rich to stand up to the grilled red meats that accompany the asado. The whites and rosé wines have to be brisk and fresh because with a coastline stretching 4,000 miles from north to south, there needs to be plenty of refreshment for those long days on the beach.

There is also a marvelous diversity to Chilean wines which means that you can find a wine for any occasion, at prices that shouldn’t deter you from trying something new.

Geography. Value. Indulgence. That’s why GVI Wines exists.