What makes Chilean wines great

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Chilean wines are making a comeback, in a major way.

Decanter magazine, arguably the most credible of the major wine publications, just declared Chile the New World's most exciting wine country -- no small statement when you consider Argentina, California and New Zealand.

But Chile has more than doubled its production of wine since 1996 and recent vintages reflect a dramatic rise in quality. This comes at a cost, of course; gone are the days when Chile could turn out some fairly serious wines for under $15. There are still drinkable wines in the under-$15 category, but most tend to be simple, everyday quaffers.

Chile enjoys an almost idyllic environment for producing wine: warm and dry throughout the growing season with enough rain in winter to satisfy summer irrigation needs. The vineyards are virtually disease- and pest-free and labour is relatively cheap.

Even the large players in Chile, such as Cono Sur, remain family owned, refreshing if one considers the mass amalgamation of wine companies these days.

Cono Sur is one of Chile's largest producers and it tends to get things right more often than not, producing a fairly large range of wines that offer exceptional value. Adolfo Hurtado, the winery's chief winemaker, was in town a few weeks back to conduct a portfolio tasting at Open Range restaurant.

I was particularly impressed with his organic line, which includes a Cabernet/Carmenere blend, a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Chardonnay ($14) was a particular standout, a nicely balanced wine with vibrant white fruits and a touch of minerality.

Santa Rita is another of Chile's large family-owned producers; the winery is mourning the loss of owner Ricardo Claro, who died last week at the age of 74. His Grupo Claro holdings include other star Chilean producers Carmen (a great value line), Los Vascos and Sur Andino, and Argentina's Dona Paula. He was instrumental in the worldwide success of Chilean wines and he will be missed.

Established in 1856, Cousino-Macul is one of Chile's oldest producers, and the winery's Antiguas Reserva ($18) is one of the best deals anywhere for a Cabernet Sauvignon of this calibre.

Two weeks ago, those of us in the wine business in Calgary had the opportunity to taste numerous vintages of this wine going back to 1978, and the results were surprising. Keeping in mind that the 1978 sold for well under $10 when it was released, it had aged more like fine Bordeaux. I bet the current release, the 2005 vintage, will age as gracefully, if not more so. Cheers!

Geoff Last is a long-time Calgary wine merchant and writer and regular contributor to City Palate and other publications. He instructs on food and wine at the Cookbook Company Cooks.