Chile: land of diversity
Chile is surrounded by imposing geological barriers. The country lies between the mighty Andes mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other.
To the south are the frozen expanses of Patagonia, to the north the Atacama desert. These combine with Chile's hot summers and light rainfall to create the ideal conditions for producing world class grapes and wine.
Vines were first planted in Chile by Spanish missionaries in the sixteenth century. They wanted to make wine for use in religious ceremonies.
By the middle of the eighteenth century there were more than 40,000 vines under cultivation and 70 different varieties of grapes being grown. Today Chilean wines are enjoyed all over the world and Chile is recognised as a top winemaking country.
