WINELETTER #249 MARCH 2019 - SOUTH AMERICA
As the New World charges ever onward into the world of winemaking, Chile and Argentina increasingly position themselves as significant powerhouses with much to offer. In Chile, expertise and skill are at an all-time high, with the newly developed regions and varieties and a new generation of winemakers making a difference. Thanks to the enterprise of outfits like Montes and ErrĂĄzuriz, the message of diversity and quality has spread around the world, with Chile now recognised as a mecca
Just over the Andes is Argentina and the story
for fine wine. The great-value, entry-level wines
is similar, although not quite the same.
are there of course, but so is the top-end, with
Financially, Argentina is less prosperous, with
quality abounding through the various price
local producers struggling, the government not
points.
particularly pro a strong wine industry and the emerging generation turning to craft beer. Malbec is still king here, the big talking point being where it’s grown and how it’s made. Mendoza sits at a pretty high altitude anyway, a desert at the foothills of the Andes. The varietal diversity story continues here, with the grape variety to watch being Cabernet Franc. Here too, fine wines have made a name for themselves and demand attention. Read More..
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