Wine Industry Report

The Chilean Wine Industry finally launched the new wine association called “Vinos de Chile A.G.” that represents 95 wineries and also 95% of the total exported wine, confirming the high focus and determination to face the worldwide market in better terms of negotiation to improve the market share. Chile exports over 60% of the total wine produced in the country and is determinate to improve their perfomance based on quality and origin denomination strenghts from wine valleys like Leyda, Elqui, Colchagua, Maule and the rising star Bio Bio and Limari, according to the Andes Wines Communications report.

After a closed voting, René Merino, General Manager of Casa Tamaya winery was confirmed as president and Javier Bitar from San Pedro Winery as Vice President. The new Chilean association it is projected as a solid organization that searches under new strategies to improve the performance and results on sales and worldwide positioning.

The new Directory is composed of:

1. Viña Concha y Toro: Rafael Gulisasti
2. Viña Santa Rita: Aníbal Ariztía
3. Viña San Pedro: Javier Bitar
4. Viña Montes: Andrés Turner
5. Viña Undurraga: José Yuraszeck
6. Viña Tarapacá: René Araneda
7. Viña Tamaya: René Merino
8. Viña Matetic: Alfonso Undurraga
9. Viña Veramonte: Recaredo Ossa

For several years, Chilean Wine Industry was divided into two main associations called Viñas de Chile (Big wineries and most important exporters) and Chilevid (Boutique/small wineries), that generated parallel decission on wine fairs and sometimes even promotions, where people could see separated stands from the wineries, creating a big division.

On the other hand, Chile decided to create an international wine platform for business by organizing the 8th Wine Salon in Concepcion -next September 7th and 8th- that is attracting several wineries from Greece, Italy, France and Argentine that are participating in this event. This is creating a new tendency on the wine promotion that is even surprising the wine press, the trade and wine gatekeepers that see how this very focused wine show is contribuiting to create new ways of communicating about wine.

Some of the confirmed wineries are Minos Wines S.A. from Greece, Cuvelier Los Andes, Val de Flores, Monteviejo (Michel Rolland´s Wines in Argentina), Noemia de Patagonia, and Freixenet, from Argentina; Argiano Brunello di Montalcino and Col d’Orcia from Italy; and J&F Lurton, from France, Argentina and Chile. The same as Chilean wineries such as Chillán , Männle, Tierras de Arrau, Casas de Giner, Casanueva, Valle del Itata, and Viñedos Larqui, from Itata Valley, and Viña J. Bouchon and Reserva de Caliboro from Maule Valley.