Chile

Nestled up against the Andes and bathed in bright sunlight throughout the growing season, the vineyards of Chile are a truly beautiful place to be. The industry here grows apace, with new regions and sites being exploited, all fuelled by growing demand, cheap land and labour and plentiful irrigation water from the mountains. The last year has seen Chile grow its share of the UK on-trade market to seven and a half percent, making it the best performing country of all. This however does not paint the whole picture. The growth is based almost entirely on well made cheap varietals, notably Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc and this in turn has made selling the higher quality wines harder, as in the public perception, Chile is now the source for ‘value’. The 2010 harvest in Chile was good but small and came just as last year’s earthquake struck, the end result of which was a major increase in grape prices, especially at the cheaper end of the market. Frey-Leon have been realistic in keeping any increases to a minimum, but a bountiful 2011 harvest is needed if growth is to be sustained.