Origins of Chilean Wine

Alejandro Hernandez

272pp., color illustrations, 2011

The Cuircó, Maule, Itala, and Bío Valleys are the center of gravity of Chilean wine and due to their particularly favorable geographic characteristics, this area has led the national production since the arrival of the first vines during colonial times. The wide range of soils and climatic diversity make it possible to create extraordinarily high-quality wines, which have placed Chile among the greatest wine producing regions of the world. The wine industry in these valleys is very important for the regional economy and is an essential element in the traditions and social life of the people who live there. Just as the wineries are a key characteristic of the local landscape, they also play an integral role in defining regional identity. Author Alejandro Hernandez brings this mixed and beautiful world of old treasures and modern developments to life, alongside stirring photography of the Chilean landscape and its people in this bilingual guidebook.