Chile

Chilean wine these days is much more than just a reliable source of cheap, fruity Merlot, Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc. Those wines, which were so popular in U.K. supermarkets in the 1990s, are now increasingly making way for a wider range of grape varieties and an increasing focus on where a wine comes from, be it a large region or an individual vineyard. Much of the ‘Merlot’ Chile was selling has turned out to be Carmenère, and this has been transformed into something of a strength - a possible rival to Argentina’s Malbec. But the reality is that Chile doesn’t have or need a flagship grape variety - it is perfectly capable, through its wide range of soils and climates, of turning out a great deal of quality wine in a multitude of styles.