Regions - The Americas
North America
The days of only being able to buy cheap Californian carafes that
doubled up as an attractive vase are now long gone - world class premium
Californian wines have taken the lead.
When we think of American wine we think of California. Californian wine production accounts for over 90% of total wine output. The best wines are produced in the coastal regions where the Pacific Ocean tempers the hot climate. Further inland out of reach of the cool sea breezes as in the Central Valley, mass produced jug wine flows.
The Pacific North-western states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho are cooler than California and are a great source for cool climate varieties such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris.
South America
Chile
Chilean wines have got the best of both worlds - the ripe fruit flavours
of Australia combined with the depth and complexity of France. Having
had success at the inexpensive end of the market Chile is beginning to
make its mark in the premium sector. It is a country with huge potential
and we can only guess what the future holds with investment from
prestigious overseas producers such as Mondavi in the USA, Châteux
Lafite Rothschild from Bordeaux and Torres in Spain.
A long, thin country, Chile benefits from two important natural barriers. With 3,000 miles of coastline to the west and the Andes to the east, these natural barriers have been key factors in protecting the industry from the root eating aphid phylloxera that devastated Europe's vineyards. Without phylloxera Chile has had no need to graft its vines to resistent American rootstocks and has a heritage of ungrafted vines that can live up to four times longer than their grafted counterparts - sometimes more than 100 years old.
The Central Valley is the most important region in terms of tradition, quantity and quality. Furthermore, it enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers tempered by sea breezes and the proximity of the snow capped Andes. The end result is grapes that are fully ripened whilst still retaining natural balancing acidity.
The Los Vilos label, made by Concha y Toro, offers fruit driven wines with surprising elegance for such a keen price. Cousiño Macul, Chile's second oldest winery and one of Chile's greatest producers makes wines of real class. Cousiño Macul, Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon offers deliciously concentrated pure black currant fruit and hints of fresh mint.
Chilean wines are fantastic food wines. The reds go wonderfully well with lamb and the whites are wonderful with seafood and salmon.
Argentina
Argentina is showing the greatest potential of all South American wine producing countries, but it is only since the 1990s that producers have begun to realise the huge potential of its export markets.
Rainfall is lower than in Chile and Argentinian vineyards must depend on irrigation with water supplied by the melted snow from the Andes. As in Chile, Argentina is investing heavily in its vineyards and wineries, and there is keen interest from America and even its close neighbour Chile.
Mendoza is the most important wine region and represents more than 70% of total production, producing mainly reds with Malbec as the prominent variety. Malbec, used in Bordeaux as a blending grape and the main variety in the Cahors region really comes into its own in Argentina. Argentinian Malbec is rich and dark with black cherry and plum fruit overlaid with hints of liquorice and spice.
These rich red wines make a perfect accompaniment to beef, game or rich Mediterranean dishes.
