There is an abundance of well-known South American wines that are capable of long ageing.

These include icons such as Almaviva and Nicolás Catena. However, I want to shine a light on some less well-known bottles I’ve found that you may not have heard of, but are certainly wines for the long haul that can still evolve beautifully over time.

I like to call it relic hunting.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 12 ageworthy South American wines

It’s a game I play every time I go to a wine shop while I’m in South America. Looking beyond the polished bottles on the front row, I rummage in the back aiming for those covered in dust or with tired labels.

In a small mini-market in Argentina’s remote wetlands I found a Terrazas de los Andes Chardonnay 2010 for less than £2… I nabbed that, and later delighted in its oily texture with a plate of cured jabali (wild boar).

In a restaurant near Chile’s Torres del Paine park I once found a Carmen Reserve 1999 and, much to the waiter’s surprise, enjoyed the whole bottle to myself over a dinner of guanaco (a larger version of a llama). It was so old that the label read Grande Vidure, years before it was renamed Carmenère, but the wine was far from old: spicy, energetic and delicious.

In a wine shop in Mendoza two blocks from my house, I found a Mendel Semillon 2013 for a third of its usual price. After popping home to have a quick sample, I came back with a trolley and took all of the 11 bottles left. I still kick myself for drinking those so fast, but the heady notes of lemon peel and honey with piercing acidity were irresistible.

I probably shouldn’t share this information because I’ll be deeply upset when I can’t play relic hunter anymore. But for the meantime, South America’s wines are being sold and served scandalously young – with older vintages wrongly being sent to the back of the shelf.

Without an en primeur system, or fine wine collectors either, there’s little incentive for wineries to hold back their wines and delay often much-needed income. There’s also still a misconception that many of South America’s wines can’t age.

Although the sunny climates in most of Argentina and Chile do make wines approachable in their youth, that does not mean that these wines aren’t ageworthy; in fact, they most certainly can be. And today more than ever, South America’s winemakers are producing wines that are worthy of holding back to taste in their prime of maturity.

Semillon makes a stand

On a visit to Lagarde winery in Luján de Cuyo you won’t leave the cellar without hearing the story of the 1942 Semillon.

By accident, an entire 1,800-litre oak cask was left filled with a 1942 vintage of dry Semillon wine and forgotten about for half a century. On its rediscovery in 1991, it was bottled as a special release and has served as one of the greatest testimonies to the ageability of South American white wines ever since.

The modern-day champion of Semillon in Argentina, though, is undoubtedly Roberto de la Mota. He started out in his winemaking career producing Semillon along with Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay with his father Raúl de la Mota at Bodega Weinert in the late 1980s.

But although the variety had lost favour in Argentina since, dwindling from over 5,500ha to just 600ha today, in 2009 de la Mota took up the mantle again. He has been making Semillon for his Mendel label ever since, waving the flag for this under-appreciated variety.

‘We have many old vines of Semillon in Mendoza, and really excellent-quality Semillon in cooler parts of the Uco Valley,’ explains de la Mota, who makes his wine from 70-year-old vines in Altamira. ‘The cool climate with the limestone soils give us very fresh acidity and strong personality, capable of long ageing.’

Several others have joined the Semillon mission. These include the Michelini family, Nieto Senetiner and Altocedro in Mendoza; Matías Riccitelli, Humberto Canale and Marcelo Miras in Río Negro. In Chile: Carmen and Santa Rita in Apalta; Bouchon and Longaví in Maule; and Roberto Henríquez and Leo Erazo in Itata.

Not only does the high acidity make these wines ageworthy but the concentration found in the old vines adds to the complexity and length of these outstanding wines.

Chardonnay for the long haul

However, it isn’t only old-vine Semillon that is proving its great potential to age.

Chardonnay is also a worthy contender. It was on a mission to make great Chardonnay that US winemaker Paul Hobbs was first brought to Argentina in 1989 by the Catena family, at the eve of Argentina’s quality revolution.

‘Even then I could see there was potential in the Chardonnay fruit – even if the winemaking needed a radical change,’ says Hobbs.

Today he makes several single-vineyard Chardonnay wines at Viña Cobos. ‘There are some extraordinary old vines, such as our 80-year-old Zingaretti estate in the Uco Valley, and great sites to plant new Chardonnay vines as well,’ he adds.

New vines of Chardonnay have, in particular, redefined the calibre of South American white wines in recent years. The combination of identifying great terroir with a modern, sensitive approach in the cellar has led to some of South America’s greatest and most ageworthy wines today.

They include Errazuriz’s Las Pizzaras from Aconcagua, Catena Zapata’s White Bones from Gualtallary and Bodega Chacra’s Chardonnay from Río Negro. While from Limarí the wines of Tabalí, Reta and Amelia will all no doubt still fend for themselves after decades in the cellar.

Following in the footsteps of Chardonnay, there is a great impulse happening across Argentina, Chile and Uruguay to make ageworthy white wines and blends from other key varieties including Chenin Blanc, Albariño, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. The fruits of which I’m sure we’ll enjoy in the years to come.

Reds built to last

Before the 225-litre French barrique became popular in South America in the 1990s, most of the red wines were made in large vats or foudres and aged significantly before release.

Some producers, including Bodegas Weinert, Carmelo Patti and Bodegas López in Mendoza, never stopped making wine this way.

Weinert’s current Cask Selection release is vintage 2012. Carmelo’s current UK release of Cabernet Sauvignon is 2007 and López has re-released its 1983 vintage of Montchenot.

While these are prime examples of a traditional approach still holding great promise for the future, the wines of the ‘modern school’ in South American winemaking are also coming of age now.

Complex and classy Bordeaux blends from top crus in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay – such as Viñedo Chadwick, Almaviva, Don Melchor, Nicolás Catena, Lindaflor, Cheval des Andes, Balasto and Monte Vide Eu – may still be released far too early, but they age gracefully in the cellar for those patient enough to wait.

Tasting these older vintages leaves no doubt of the potential for ageing – both in cask and bottle – that South American red Bordeaux blends have.

Beyond Bordeaux varieties and French barriques, there’s another movement underway seeking to optimise the continent’s Mediterranean varieties and returning to large-format ageing vessels. Marcelo Retamal is one of these returnees.

‘Before French barriques, we used these large old vats made from rauli (a native Chilean tree), so it’s nothing new,’ explains Retamal, who was head winemaker at De Martino from 1996 until 2021. ‘I now prefer larger format foudres and cement because we have less of an oak impact, but great conditions for long ageing of red wines.’

His Mediterranean red blends, including Syrah, Garnacha and Mourvèdre, from Viñedos de Alcohuaz in high-altitude Elqui, spend up to five years in cask or concrete. Bottles such as his Pingo Pingo Carignan, with 2015 as the current release, show the great vivacity that these wines retain and only hint at the long life yet to come.

Old-vine reds

Old vines of Carignan further south, in Maule, are also at the heart of some of the most exciting ageworthy red wines coming from Chile.

The association and quasi-appellation of VIGNO, Vignerons of Carignan, was set up to celebrate these dry-farmed old vines but also with a minimum two-year ageing requirement — one which is often far surpassed.

On a recent tasting of the VIGNO collective’s 2010 vintage, I can assure you these wines are still relative infants, with dense, compact aromas and a tense tannin and acid structure built to last. They are also often a bargain, giving anyone an ample opportunity to build a long-lasting wine collection.

Whether Carignan or Cabernet Sauvignon, there are a host of South American reds that will stand the test of time. As with the white wines, we just need to have the patience as a market to give them time to shine.

Until then, you’ll find me lurking at the back of dusty wine shelves hunting down some of these priceless gems.

See tasting notes and scores for 12 ageworthy South American wines

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Marcelo Retamal: Profiling Chile’s legendary winemaker

Known for its Carmenère vineyards, Colchagua is home to some of Chile’s biggest names in wine. Alistair Cooper MW highlights the rising stars to keep an eye on – plus his top 12 wines to try, available exclusively to Premium members.

The crackle of excitement in the air was palpable amid the sound of popping corks and clinking glasses. In central Santa Cruz, 30 Colchagua-based micro-producers had gathered to showcase their wares.

‘People think that interesting small producers are only found in the south of Chile, in Itata and Maule, and that Colchagua is merely home to the glitzy, big producers,’ says my host and the event organiser, Francisco Zúñiga, a passionate local sommelier.

‘This is not the case. Colchagua is the most exciting region in Chile right now, teeming with innovation and experimentation.’ Following the tasting, and several days visiting producers of all sizes, it’s hard to argue with this claim.

Scroll down for Alistair Cooper MW’s top wines from Colchagua

Colchagua at a glance

Area in production Vineyard plantings have grown from 8,000ha in 1997 to over 30,000ha in 2017. The Rapel Valley (Colchagua and Cachapoal) produces over one-quarter of Chile’s total volume

Climate Mediterranean, with 600mm of annual rainfall between May and August

Capital While San Fernando is the provincial capital, Santa Cruz is the unofficial wine capital and the home of La Ruta del Vino, Chile’s oldest tourist wine route

Red grapes Most widely planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot and Syrah

White grapes Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate white plantings

Best recent vintages 2011, 2013, 2017

The sub-region of Colchagua is 160km or so south of Santiago. Together with Cachapoal to the north, they form the region of Rapel. Like other regions in Chile, Colchagua has a rich, Hispanic-derived wine culture going back to the 17th century, when País, Moscatel and Torontel vines were first planted in coastal Colchagua. Wine production was consolidated under a wave of immigration from the Basque Country in the 18th century, with vines planted in Peralillo, Colchagua’s heartland. It was here that the Domaines Barons de Rothschild estate, Los Vascos (meaning ‘The Basques’), would later be established in 1988.

French varieties, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Semillon, arrived at the turn of the 20th century and built a good reputation. Land reforms in the 1960s and 1970s slowed regional growth, and Colchagua’s extraordinary boom has only occurred over the past 20 to 30 years, led by many of Chile’s most illustrious names, including: Lapostolle, Los Vascos, Montes, Ventisquero, Casa Silva and Viu Manent.

With its Mediterranean climate and 600mm annual rainfall, Colchagua is fundamentally a red wine region. Typically, the wines have been fleshy, ripe and opulent with rounded tannins and moderate acidity – at times a little flabby and over-extracted. Encouragingly, a host of producers have been focusing on freshness and drinkability in recent years.

Colchagua, along with Cachapoal, is the traditional heartland of Carmenère. Undoubtedly, the region is capable of producing some of Chile’s finest examples of this late-ripening variety. ‘Site is key for Carmenère. While you need warm areas to achieve phenolic ripeness, moderating influences help retain freshness and purity, and prevent over-ripening and overly alcoholic, jammy wines,’ explains Arnaud Frennet, commercial director of Casa Silva, whose estate is planted in the Andean foothills near San Fernando. ‘This may be diurnal temperature difference, or as we have in our Los Lingues estate, a cooling mountain breeze from the Andes. This means we can achieve ripe, spicy Carmenères with a beautiful freshness behind them.’

Spotlight on Apalta

Colchagua’s most famous terroir is undoubtedly Apalta. This stunning horseshoe-shaped valley rises with steep hills in the east, west and north, and flatter land sloping towards the Tinguiririca River. ‘Apalta is unique, with its south and southeastern hillside exposure key to quality. The vines are protected from several hours of afternoon sunlight, creating fresher conditions for the vines,’ says Andrea León, technical director and winemaker of Lapostolle.

The soils in the majestic amphitheatre of Apalta are generally well drained and a mixture of volcanic, decomposed granite and silex. This mosaic of soils has seen a host of grape varieties show superb results, as Felipe Tosso, chief winemaker of Viña Ventisquero explains. ‘While Apalta started with Cabernet, the development of warmer varieties like Petit Verdot, Mourvèdre and Grenache is notable. Also, for us, Syrah and Carmenère from our highest Apalta vineyards produce our top wines Vertice and Pangea.’

Vineyards in Apalta are among the most expensive in Chile and produce many of the country’s iconic wines including Clos Apalta, Montes Alpha M, Montes Folly and Ventisquero’s Pangea. Yet there is more to Colchagua than just icon wines – a host of small producers experimenting with new techniques, grape varieties and new areas are beginning to make waves.

The innovators

The area of Marchigüe, 38km from the Pacific Ocean, was first planted in the mid-1990s, and its cooler, coastal-influenced site has produced superb Syrah and Carmenère over the years. Nearby in Santa Ana, one of Colchagua’s most vibrant, eclectic and quirky winemaking communities is starting to surface. ‘We’re one of five small-scale wine producers, all located 500m away from each other. Within four years there will be at least another four, maybe five,’ explains Matt Ridgway of La Despensa winery.

‘I’m English, and we have Bolivians, Malaysians, Spanish, Americans, Italians, Chileans, Portuguese and more. It’s a community of friends, all working towards high-quality, small-production organic wines,’ he adds. La Despensa currently focuses on Rhône varieties, producing a juicy Syrah-Grenache blend, with Roussanne and Cinsault on the way. Two noteworthy neighbours already producing sublime wines include Clos Santa Ana and Beso Negro.

The development of coastal vineyards in Chile has been a significant feature in recent years. The quest for freshness and cool-climate sites in Colchagua has seen Paredones prosper. Just 6km from the coast, on rolling hills of decomposed granite with a high quartz content, these deep soils are producing some of Chile’s finest Sauvignon Blancs.

The best examples are from Estampa, Koyle (Costa Cuarzo Sauvignon Blanc) and Casa Silva (Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc). Syrah and Pinot Noir plantings also show promise. One of the most exciting wines from Paredones is Semillon 1928 Vines by Maturana Wines. Sourced from vineyards planted in 1928 and boasting six months’ skin contact, this shows just how good Chilean Semillon can be.

Problems and promotion

When discussing problems facing Colchagua, a common theme arises. ‘By far the biggest weakness is water,’ says Ventisquero’s Tosso. ‘The Tinguiririca River is an important resource. However, there are areas far away with no river access.’ Montes has reduced water consumption by 65% on its Apalta estate by switching to sustainable dry-farming.

Export manager Dennis Murray explains: ‘We irrigate minimally, only when required. Covering rows with wood bark has seen a 19% water saving, and the use of a shorter canopy a further 13% reduction in water usage.’

Tourism has played an important part in Colchagua’s development, being the first Chilean region to develop a tourist route with La Ruta del Vino in 1996. Some of Chile’s great boutique hotels – such as Viña Vik and Clos Apalta Residence – are found here, and the region’s gastronomic offerings are rapidly improving. Santa Cruz, with its wine museum, wine festival and casino, has long attracted visitors. Alongside this, Chile’s premier surf spot, Pichilemu, attracts vast numbers of both domestic and international tourists, offering a captive market for producers to exploit.

Yet, in a historically introspective society, perhaps the greatest development is that of camaraderie; the sharing of knowledge and cooperation among winemakers, both new and established. ‘We winemakers are good friends, we share what we’re doing,’ says Lapostolle’s León. ‘We taste together, discuss together – and being not so close to Santiago

we are more connected to nature. That is key to making interesting wines.’ The welcome addition of a vibrant cohort of young producers to complement Colchagua’s existing order has truly transformed the region, and I expect great things to come over the next decade.

Colchagua: six names to watch

Beso Negro

A venture between Kiwi winemaker Grant Phelps (ex-Viu Manent and Casas del Bosque), Princess Tunku Soraya Dakhlah of Malaysia and her husband Sharif Majid (who bought land here a decade ago), plus business partners. Two wines are currently made from differing blends of Carmenère, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah: El Libertino and El Decadente. They are full-bodied and powerful yet with real elegance.

Clos Santa Ana

Luiz Allegretti and Roberto Ibarra’s young organic project is already producing stunning wines. The talented duo of Luca Hodgkinson and José Miguel Sotomayor (‘the Wildmakers’) are consultants, with three wines currently produced. Old foudres made of raulí (a type of beech wood) and amphorae are used for fermentation and the wines are unfiltered. The flagship is Aralez, a blend of Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec; while Velo is a flor-aged, old-vine blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.

Fanoa

Raúl Narvaéz and Angeles Ovalle bought 11ha in 2009 in Palmilla, 8km north of Santa Cruz, but didn’t plant until three years later so they could get biodynamic certification. Just 2.3ha are under vine – mainly Malbec and Carmenère – yet they are experimenting with Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache and Carignan among others. Fanoa’s aim is to produce fresher styles, with little or no oak used in the winemaking. Currently it produces the Seis Tintos blend, plus a Sangiovese and Malbec – all show great promise.

Koyle

Founded in 2006 by the Undurraga family in Los Lingues, in the Andean foothills. Thanks to head winemaker Cristóbal Undurraga, great purity shines throughout the range, and the coastal project in Paredones is producing compelling Sauvignon Blancs under the Costa label. Koyle makes excellent-value Syrah, while the premium Auma is a muscular blend of Carmenère, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It also has an excellent Muscat and Cinsault from Itata under the Don Cande range.

OWM

Own Wine Makers was founded in 2009 by cousins Jaime Núñez (viticulturist) and José Antonio Bravo (winemaker). Today they make five wines – a total of 20,000 bottles. Carmenère, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon are the main focus. The wines are classically Colchagua: ripe, succulent, deep and brooding but with great focus and acidity.

Viu Manent

Under head winemaker Patricio Celedón, Viu Manent has pushed towards lighter styles over the past five years, picking earlier and using older foudres and less new oak. It owns 254ha over three sites in Colchagua, and Malbec is a focus, though the ViBo Punta del Viento GSM blend is worth seeking out.

Alistair Cooper MW’s top wines from Colchagua

Alistair Cooper MW spent years working for wineries in Argentina and Chile. He is a regular Decanter contributor and judge, and the resident wine expert for BBC Radio Oxford

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South America 2008 : Drink soon

Long, dry season produced very good if not classic wines in Chile: ripe and elegant (nudging 4 stars). Cooler and more challenging vintage in Argentina: success relied heavily on the skill of growers.

3/5

Weather Conditions

Cold, dry Chilean winter persisted into spring, delaying budbreak up to 20 days in places. Buds were prolific though; some growers controlled yield by extensively de-budding, but millerandage (marred berry development), and smaller clusters and berries generally, cut yield 15-20% on 2007. A hot, arid summer followed (cooler-than-normal Pacific waters minimised rainfall) and growers could wait to pick at optimum concentration.

Argentina had a severe winter, frosty spring, and suffered hail in Mendoza mid-summer and strong winds in Patagonia. Veraison (when berries start changing colour) was 7-10 days later than expected. Dreary, wet, unstable early-harvest weather upset white varietals mostly, while drier, balmier weather later saw red fruit achieve good ripeness. As Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec were reaching peak condition, a sharp frost abruptly wrapped up the harvest. Overall yield: 25% down on last year.

Best Appellations

Across Chile, a cool start and long, dry maturing period produced grapes with high natural acidity and good aromatic potential at lower than usual alcohol levels. Berries were small, and best wines have huge concentration and intensity, with refreshing acidity and good durability. Cabernet Sauvignon is supported by firm, ripe tannins, while Syrah and Carmenère tannins tend to softness and elegance. Casablanca Pinot Noirs are notably rich and expressive. Merlot struggled most with the arid conditions.

For Argentina, achieving all-round ripeness wasn’t a given, but where growers allied hard work and experience Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec have impressive concentration and complexity. There’s a juiciness to best examples, with muscular tannins, deep colour, vibrant acidity (extreme day/night temperature variations drove acid levels higher than usual). Uco Valley’s best have great finesse and elegance.

Best Producers

CHILE: Maipo Valley – Casa Rivas, Tarapacá, Cono Sur, Antiyal; San Antonio – Matetic Vineyards; Casablanca Valley – Cono Sur, Kingston Family Vineyards, Loma Larga Vineyards, Casas del Bosque, William Cole Vineyards; Maule Valley – Undurraga, San Pedro; Colchagua Valley – Cono Sur, Santa Camila, Terranoble, Agricola La Viña, Bisquertt, Montes; Aconcagua Valley – Errazuriz; Central Valley – Sur Andino, Maipo; Curicó Valley- Apaltagua; Rapel Valley – Canepa, Concha y Toro; Elqui Valley – Falernia

ARGENTINA: Patagonia – Domaine Vistalba, Bodega Noemia De Patagonia, Bodega Chacra; Mendoza – Archával Ferrer, Bodega Renacer, Bodega Tamarí, Andean Vineyards, Domaine Jean Bousquet, Finca Flichman, Fincas Patagónicas, Dominio Del Plata; Uco Valley – Bodegas Salentein, Luca; Luján de Cuyo – Domaine Vistalba, Nieto Senetiner; San Juan – Bodegas Graffigna.

South America 2007 : Keep

Chile has the edge with well flavoured, vibrant wines, fresh and elegant yet rich too, with good ageing potential. Good to very good fresh, well-flavoured, lower alochol reds from Argentina.

4/5

Weather Conditions

After a wet winter, budbreak was up to two weeks early in Chile, though heavy rainfall in October disrupted grape set and reduced yields by 15-35% on 2006. A mild, dry growing season followed, permitting slow, steady maturation, while calm weather March/April allowed for extra hang time in cooler regions and of later-ripening varieties. Generally, harvesting was around two weeks later than usual.

Summer temperatures and rainfall varied more widely in Argentina, while hailstorms mid-summer damaged some top sites in southern Mendoza. Uco Valley’s rainy February and wet March delayed both ripening and picking, as did rains in San Juan. Mendoza, too, saw a tricky and prolonged harvest, well into April, when a stretch of dry, warm weather repaid more patient growers. Patagonia fared better: summer was long, cool and dry, though early frost affected the Cabernet Sauvignon. Overall yield was 75% that of 2006.

Best Appellations

Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère all fared well in Chile. The wines are rich, fine-textured, well-structured, with lower alcohol, lots of fresh natural acidity and soft tannins. They’re approachable young, though the best will age well for up to 12 years. Warmer sites like Apalta have produced well-balanced reds, while Maipo’s Cabernets combine and concentration.

Argentina’s sunny spell in late March helped boost flavour development and the best wines have an impressive concentration of tastes and aromas, as well as lower alcohol. La Rioja’s higher sited Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot stand out, as do Salta’s Tannat, Malbec and Syrah (lots of complexity). Merlot, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Syrah and Bonarda are stars of northern Mendoza, while Merlot stands out in the south; Cabernet Sauvignon is close behind. Uco’s Malbec is ripe, concentrated and spicy, while Cabernet Franc shows exceptional ripeness. Patagonia’s Pinot Noir,

Merlot, Malbec, Syrah are worth looking out for.

Best Producers

CHILE: Kingston Family Vineyards, Viña Casablanca (Casablanca Valley), Concha y Toro (Rapel & Casablanca Valleys), Emiliana, (Rapel Valley), O’Fournier, Castillo de Molina, Palo Alto (Maule Valley), Viña Casa Tamaya, Maycas del Limari, Tabali (Limari Valley), Chocolan, Viña Perez Cruz (Maipo Valley), Errazuriz, Augustinos (Aconcagua Valley), Viña Leyda (Leyda Valley), Luis Felipe Edwards, Viu Manent, Calitera, Viña Bisquertt (Colchagua Valley), San Pedro (Cachapoal), Casa Lapostolle, Viña Montes (Apalta), Mayu (Elqui Valley), Korta (Lontué Valley).

ARGENTINA Achaval-Ferrer, Dominio Del Plata, Alta Vista, Ojo de Vino, Bodega Goulart, Argento (Mendoza); Bodega Colomé (Calchaqui Valley); Luca (Uco Valley); Bodega Noemia de Patagonia; Andean Vineyards (San Juan).

South America 2006: Drink soon

Outstanding harvest for Argentina, producing really fresh, mouth-filling and perfectly ripe wines. More challenging for Chile, though wines are fresh, rich and well-balanced, if a little less intensely flavoured than 2005.

4/5

Weather Conditions

A cool, snowy, wet Argentinian winter delayed budbreak, while a cool, dry growing season – much less hot than previous years – extended ripening by 10-20 days, boosting flavours and retaining great natural acidity. The harvest was late and long with a dry March permitting growers to choose the perfect picking moment.

Similar pattern in Chile: a long, dry growing season with warm days and cool nights, followed by a protracted harvest – one to three weeks later than usual, with the rains finally arriving in April. Spring frosts affected Pinot Noir budding, while late spring rains tended to reduce budset and increase berry size – generally wines are less concentrated than the 2005s. Mostly, though, growers were able to able to pick at optimum ripeness.

Best Appellations

Argentina’s Mendoza has achieved good levels of ripeness across all the reds, while at the same time retaining great freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec are the stand outs this vintage.

Good colours and round, balanced tannins are key features for Chilean wines, which tend to be less concentrated than the dense 2005s. Syrah from Elqui and San Antonio Valleys is particularly fine, as is Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir. Cabernet Sauvignon has wonderful natural acidity, length and elegance from throughout the Central Valley.

Best Producers

ARGENTINA, Mendoza: Achaval Ferrer; Alta Vista; Domaine Vistalba; Finca Sophenia; Pascual Toso. CHILE: Montes (Colchagua Valley); Casa Marin (San Antonio Valley); Matetic (San Antonio Valley); Cono Sur (Casablanca Valley); Kingston Family Vineyards (Casablanca Valley); Mayu (Elqui Valley); Vina Falnerina (Elqui Valley); Vina Valdivies (Lontue Valley); Amayna (Leyda Valley); Maycas del Limari (Limari Valley); Haras de Pirque (Maipo Valley).

South America 2005 : Drink soon

Chilean wines show very good colour, body, and a particular lively fruitness

4/5

Weather Conditions

In Chile the 2004-2005 season started with spring a little colder than usual in most parts of the country. According to some reports, valleys in the central area were experiencing lower temperatures than in 2003-2004. There were some low rains in spring which affected low temperatures.

During spring there also were frosts in the Casablanca Valley, which caused damage to vines in some of the colder areas of the valley. Frost also appeared between Curicó and Molina, towards the coast, and in Romeral. The summer also proved to be slightly cooler than average, which delayed the ripening process.

Three major rains fell in the season but thanks to their distribution, they were of no great concern for growers. In most part of the country heavy rains fell on March 11 but the damage was minimal and had no effect on red grapes. Around 60mm fell on May 4, drenching plots of unpicked Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere. However, the low temperatures of the month and the atmospheric dryness did not encourage the development of rots and the grape was harvested in good condition. The last rain was on May 9 – by which time nearly all the grapes had been harvested.

This season in South America , the slow ripening process under the warm summer temperatures helped producers to harvest grapes with a very good sugar/acidity balance, obtaining red wines with consistent fruit and good phenolic ripeness. And the overall cold weather conditions this year lead to grapes ripening slowly.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

South America : Drink soon

Classic wines of powerful fruit intensity and good structure from Chile as well as Argentina

4/5

Weather Conditions

Chile

Generally speaking, the weather has been well behaved although this year’s summer in Chile was very hot and dry. The grapes ripened quickly and with smaller, thick-skinned fruit, concentrated flavour and fruitiness in the wines should be higher than usual, even if volume is down. Harvesting began two to three weeks early this year with some regions starting the picking as early as February.

Initial reports on the harvest place the 2004 production at between 550m and 580m litres – down on last year’s production total of around 600m litres in 2003. Industry figures such as Herman Amenabar, head of the Oenologists’ Association of Chile, are talking of a 15% to 30% drop in expected production but calling this a ‘very good sign of quality’.

‘We have high expectations for this year because the grapes have reached maturity very quickly. But despite that there is a combination of fruitiness and high concentration in the grape that is very rare to find,’ Ricardo Rodriguez of Santa Rita winery told Reuters.

Argentina

A dry, harsh winter followed by a hot spring and summer lead many to believe the 2004 Argentina harvest was going to ripen early and be picked early. On the whole, bunch formation went well although the Zonda (warm wind) did cause a few headaches in early spring. Summer temperatures occasionally passed the 40C mark. Since very early in the season, comparisons were being made to the very hot 2002/2003 season in Argentina and wineries that have been proactive should have had no problems dealing with the heat. Then the rains came at the end of January followed by a drop in temperature in February continuing into March. This pushed the harvest back a little.

An interesting vintage for the South American country as very dry and hot conditions through the season were contrasted by a last minute rainfall and a drop in temperature. Due to the changeable climactic conditions, the red wines should have good ageing potential.

Harvesting began just over a week later than normal and despite pre-picking worries that the weather might have reduced the crop, the quantative results were impressive. The overall yeild was declared at just under 14.6m hectolitres, an increase of over 10% on 2003.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

South America : Drink soon

Chilean wines are superb with balance and elegance; those from Argentina show intense colour, powerful fruity aromas, complexity and smooth, round tannins

4/5

Weather Conditions

Chile

A wet winter in 2002 with 30% higher rainfall than average was followed by a cool spring which delayed shooting and budding and caused some problems with fruit set in Carmenère in particular.

From then on, the vintage escaped the highs and lows in temperature of the previous two years, particularly later on in the season when it turned endlessly sunny and warm. Of the last three vintages, Nov 2002-Mar 2003 had the fewest number of hours with temperatures above 30°C but the most hours exceeding 12°C. Only January bucked the trend which was hotter this year than in 2002 and 2001.

After March, virtually the whole of Chile enjoyed Indian Summer-like conditions – dry and bright with only two rains in the whole period. The mild, dry weather allowed every red variety to be harvested at just the right moment, though winemakers had to nervously weigh up the risks of hanging on another day and achieving full maturity against the rains arriving. Fortunately, April was rain free. Generally, every variety ripened late – in the Maipo Valley Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested three weeks later than normal.

A long, slow and nerve-racking harvest, but those winemakers who patiently waited for their grapes to eventually reach maturity were rewarded with ripe, superbly balanced fruit and the promise of full-flavoured elegant red wines.

Harvesting the red grapes proved particularly fraught as each extra day on the vine would mean greater maturity and softer grained tannins, though rain would have ruined everything thing. Pickers were on constant standby, but fortunately April remained dry and mild and the wines are showing great suppleness and character.

Argentina

A cold and dry winter with abundant snow on mountains was followed by a cool, sunny and dry spring. The result was a reduction in fruit set and thus sparser bunches with fewer grapes in each one – a sort of natural selective thinning with good consequences for fruit quality.

A warm, dry summer led in some areas to early ripening and a generally disease-free harvest. Autumn was also sunny and warm, which allowed producers to wait for the grapes to become fully ripe before picking them, so ensuring finer-grained tannins in the skin and pulp.

‘A high quantity of excellent and competitive wines’ is the word coming out of Argentina concerning the 2003 harvest, with many rating it better than 2000 and 2001 though not as good as 2002. Many producers picked later than usual, especially the Cabernet Sauvignon which was able to develop full maturity during an extended spell of warm, dry weather in April. The country’s principal grape, Malbec, is reckoned to have done particularly well.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

South America: Drink soon

3/5

Weather Conditions

Best Appellations

In Chile, the Aconcagua, Casablanca and Maipo Valleys

Best Producers

South America 2001: Keep

An early and smaller than average sized vintage producing reds of impressive concentration.

4/5

Weather Conditions

Best Appellations

Best Producers

South America 2000: Keep

A challenging vintage with variable results, though there are some stars among them

3/5

Weather Conditions

Best Appellations

Best Producers

South America 1999: Keep

Ripe, dense, flavourful wines with firm tannins and good structure – especially from Chile. Just has the edge on the 1997 vintage.

4/5

Weather Conditions

The vintage featured drought conditions, with a hot growing season that led to harvesting super-ripe grapes under ideal weather conditions. Early picking went to plan, though late picking in Argentina was hit by drizzle, then rain. Some growers saw mildew in Chile for what seemed like the first time ever.

Best Appellations

Chilean producers from the southern valleys felt more comfortable this year. Lontue, Bio-Bio and Maule all looked happier and more prosperous than their northern counterparts. In Argentina, the Uco Valley, with its Tupungato and Tunuyn sub-regions, fared well.

Best Producers

Valdivieso, Errazuriz (with its joint ventures included) Casa Lapostolle (now a must, especially with the appearance of the magical Clos Apalta), Montes Alpha, Torres (try the Maquehua), Rothschild, Concha y Toro, Finis Terrae, Catena, Norton, La Agricola, Etchart.

South America: Drink now

A difficult and wet vintage, especially in Argentina. Largely mediocre and often weak wines.

2/5

Weather Conditions

El Niño unleashed its worst. Whole sections of vineyard were washed away, and others had to harvest in terrible conditions. Some tractors got bogged down in the mud. Generally speaking this is not a good year for the wines from South America wines. Chile leads the way with what there is. In Argentina it took real brave hearts to overcome the weather, but some managed, especially with Chardonnay. Much of the red is weak.

Best Appellations

Best Producers

Valdiveiso is certainly worth a look, with the Caballo Loco range a real must. In Argentina, it was José Alberto Zuccardi’s La Agrìcola that really showed its mettle under such difficult conditions. La Agrìcola earned the respect of everyone, and has made some remarkably good wines

considering the circumstances. Always good value, La Agrìcola passes on to make better wines from this point on. Try the Q (for quality) range. The oak-aged Tempranillo is very interesting. In Chile you can risk just about any producer, but better years will no doubt come.

South America: Keep

Rich, fruity wines with good ageing potential. Chile just has the edge over Argentina in terms of quality, though the wines may well be ready to drink sooner.

4/5

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions that presage the disaster of El Niño and La Niña. Still, it is technology that leads the way. There is disquiet at how dry the Andes look, and how deep the bore holes have to be to hit water. Dry conditions lead to reasonably high concentration of fruit.

Best Appellations

Concentrate on Chile. Argentina is beginning to show greater depth in its offerings, with Cafayate Valley (Salta), Famatina Valley (La Rioja), the Uco Valley (Mendoza) and the Rìo Negro Valley (Patagonia) all attracting attention. Brazil is still harvesting in pouring rain, bless them. Uruguay continues to improve, with some fine Tannat available from Stagniari and Los Cerros de San Juan.

Best Producers

Valdiveiso is certainly worth a look, with the Caballo Loco range a real must. Santa Rita is continuing to explore interesting blends, such as ‘Triple C’ (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère), and Miguel Torres begins to hit out with some mighty impressive wines. In Argentina Catena leads the way, and his second big winery, La Rural, is producing Chardonnay of great stature under the Rutini label.

South America 1996: Keep

5/5

Weather Conditions

Climatically we are still in the same situation. It is the vineyard and winery changes that lead the way. Steam is now widely available instead of hot water, and stainless steel technology is fully underway, as is the use of selected yeasts and greater care in vineyard training in Chile.

Best Appellations

It is not really possible to pinpoint precise regional differences mainly because fruit from all Chilean regions arrives by lorry at wineries throughout Chile. The success of Casablanca as a white grape producing region has led to experiments with cold weather red varietals, such as Pinot Noir. The big news is that Carmenère is accepted as being Chile’s unique contribution to match Uruguay‘s Tannat and Argentina’s Malbec.

Best Producers

It is certainly worth tracking down wines made by Aurelio Montes. The collaboration of Mondavi with the Chadwick family will lead to great things in the Seña project. Lurton and Cousiño Macul aim for a mature style with the Finis Terrae project. Rothschild works on its own premium wines and looks set to produce great, if hardly precocious, wines. In Uruguay, rival wineries fight it out, with Carrau coming out as the favourite. Some fine Tannat is produced in Canelones region, with Stagniari’s old-style Tannat worthy of attention. Catena wines dominate Argentina. Not only is the Catena Alta Chardonnay a stunning wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Malbec are real powerhouses. Norton wines begin to show the value of Swarowski’s massive investment. Humberto Canale in Patagonia is just about able to attract attention, and in Salta, the Cabernet Sauvignon-Tannat blend of Arnaldo B Etchart is proving attractive to those who like a mature style.

South America 1995: Drink soon

Very good vintage in Chile for drinking now or soon. Argentina superior, with some excellent wines that have still to reach their peak.

4/5

Weather Conditions

Global warming is seen as a possible issue for the future, with less water available from the melting snows of the Andes. Underground aquifers are also having to be perforated to greater depths to reach the water table in many regions of South America. This effect is most marked in Mendoza, where talk about building another dam is under way. Dry conditions lead to healthy grapes.

Best Appellations

Some regions, like La Rioja in Argentina are attracting the attention of certain European importers, who have spotted a business opportunity due to the name. Needless to say, it all ends in tears further down the road. Spain won’t allow fast and loose playing like that. Mendoza is now fully into its investment programme, and it is some programme. Don’t forget, this is the world’s fourth largest wine industry beginning to restructure itself. The best wines still come from Mendoza, albeit some interest in the white grape Torrontès from Salta (although it originally hails from La Rioja, further south) highlights the work done by Bodegas Etchart in the beautiful Cafayate Valley.

Best Producers

Look for new names along with the old-established firms. Casa Lapostolle will make great wines, no mistake. Concha y Toro is still hard to beat for sheer value and fruit purity. Merlot is causing furore, especially in the US. The only damper on the issue is that much of it now appears not to be Merlot. While on a routine visit to the Don Maximiano vineyard in Panquehue, some French ampelographers were surprised to identify a sight rare in its own native Bordeaux, Carmenère Even more surprised, though, were the Chileans who realised that a slip-up many years ago in purchasing from a French nursery must have given them an error of identification.

South America 1994: Drink now

4/5

Weather Conditions

Once again it is technology instead of weather that leads the way here. The rapid change that is overrunning just about every aspect of the business is seen everywhere in Chile. It is clear that Chile will be the regional leader for a long time to come. Not only is it protected from phylloxera, but also almost ideally situated for growing Vitis vinifera. The Andes Mountains act as a weather break, stopping the scorching continental climates that might dominate otherwise, and the coastal hill range, perforated as it is by many river valleys disgorging from the Andes, provides refreshingly cool temperatures from the Pacific Ocean (in turn cooled down by the freezing Humboldt current from Antarctica).

Best Appellations

As before, good fruit is arriving at wineries from just about every region. It is down to individual wineries to make the best of it all. Also, most wineries take in fruit from all Chilean regions, making it pretty well impossible to claim any regional preferences, as there is no distinction made at the winery door as to where the fruit comes from at harvest time. Chile leads the way, all the way, but Argentina and Uruguay are beginning to pick up a head of steam. Tannat in Uruguay and Malbec in Argentina show promise for the future.

Best Producers

There is no real change in status in Chile, and Argentina is witnessing the emergence of Norton as a good-value hitter with its red wines, especially the Norton Privada. Interestingly, Chardonnay is seen to be doing remarkably well in Mendoza, Argentina. The citrus depth and the great balance it achieves attracts the attention of Nicolas Catena who hires Paul Hobbs to help make a top-class Chardonnay, and the Catena Alta range begins its life with work at the Agrelo vineyard.

South America 1993: Drink now

4/5

Weather Conditions

Once again, not much to report on the weather front. Most of the action continues to centre on wineries, especially in Chile, where hot water is being introduced to replace simple running water in many wineries. The steady march of stainless steel and temperature controlled fermentation, using selected yeasts, continues apace. Stainless steel technology is now the big issue in Chile, although it has yet to really take hold in Argentina, where big producers fear the size of the investment needed for the change-over.

Best Appellations

There was no change in the regions producing the best wines between 1992 and 1993. Maipo, Lontue and Casablanca continued to be the primary Chilean regions. Similarly Mendoza in Agrentina was able to rest on its laurels.

Best Producers

South America 1992: Drink now

3/5

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions are stable and typical throughout the regions. Global warming is showing a minimal effect in reducing the size of the snow-cap and glacier size in the high Andes. In the south, in Patagonia, Argentina, Rìo Negro is warming slightly also. Humberto Canale is the only producer of wine still holding out against the pressure to convert to fruit farming.

Best Appellations

Other than an expansion in Chile, with more vineyards being planted, nothing much has changed. The best regions in Chile are Maipo, Lontue and Casablanca, but in truth most were able to produce reasonable quality fruit. It is the winemaking facilities that make all the difference here. The same can be said in Argentina, where all the big money rests in Mendoza. The old heartland of Mendoza has seen, by this stage, a large-scale demise of vineyards in the hail-stone prone areas of San Rafael, and a concentration in the areas around Mendoza proper. Some people are beginning to sniff around the Uco Valley to the west. In Uruguay it is Canelones that makes the best wines.

Best Producers

There is much greater variety to choose from in Chile. Good winemakers like Aurelio Montes are making their mark. Miguel Torres continues to study his plants and the conditions. You can tell that much thought is going into the whole of the Chilean wine scene. Large-scale investments are changing the very fabric of a centuries-old industry. Money is now pouring into Chile from important wine institutions from around the world.

South America 1991: Drink now

3/5

Weather Conditions

Climatically it is very difficult to differentiate this year from others here. Regional differences may have played a part, but what really makes the difference is the development made in vineyard and winery technology. For the first time, winery hygiene is a big issue in Chile, and water on tap has started to become the norm rather than the exception.

Best Appellations

Chile’s best regions begin to show greater diversification. Casablanca becomes more established, and the regions to the south of Maipo start to show greater potential. Sauvignon Blanc continues its triumphal march, attracting attention from buyers and consumers, and the first indications that Merlot could be big in Chile are seen. In Argentina, Mendoza and Salta are the only regions worthy of consideration.

Best Producers

As in the previous year, old money still predominates over the young and coming. Errazuriz shows promise with its red wines, particularly the Merlot. In Argentina, foreign investors are still not as attracted to Mendoza as they are to Chile. The big money is all going to Chile.

South America 1990: Drink now

4/5

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions for this year varied very little from the norm. It was generally regarded as a dryish year, with good solar radiation available in most important wine regions. Uruguay had rainfall in the northern regions during harvest time, and it rained in Brazil, as always.

Best Appellations

Sauvignon Blanc was the hot new variety in Chile, especially in Casablanca. In Argentina, Bernardo Weinert was showing that low yields could make concentrated wines. Nicolas Catena was already consolidating his hold on 25 per cent of all of Argentina’s quality vineyards.

Best Producers

Red wine predominates here, and of those it is the Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends that have survived the best. Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, Cousiño Macul stand out in Chile. Weinert and Catena (Zapata) in Argentina.