It’s not only Cork that’s been affected, but it’s a chilly day throughout Ireland with temperatures hovering around the 0°C mark. Getting about this morning was like taking your car onto an ice rink that had just been rained upon. In fact, that’s pretty much what it was.

No matter, there’s another kind of Chilly that will be passing my lips this Christmas. So here’s a quick shot synopsis of the history of my favourite South American wine producing nation for those who are not in the know.

Because Chile’s wines have only arrived in the UK and Ireland in big numbers over the last decade or so, it’s tempting to assume that Chile’s wine industry is a relatively young one. Tempting, but wrong…

Grapes have been grown in Chile since the 1500s when the conquistadors took over cuttings from Spain to grow their sacramental wine. What they were growing wasn’t, frankly, something you’d want to drink unless you had to. But the modern industry began as long ago as 1824, when the first wealthy businessman decided he wanted to grow French grape varieties.

Soon, everyone who was anyone was at it, and expensive wine estates – planted with Bordeaux grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and Burgundy grapes like Chardonnay, were springing up all over the valleys south of the capital.

By the 1980s, the industry had its second re-birth, when producers began to invest in the same sort of new technology that has boosted winemaking standards in places like Australia and California. This, combined with an even-better understanding of just what makes the country’s vineyards tick, has given wines of unrivalled purity of fruit flavours and even more reliability than before. Technology and tradition in perfect harmony: the ongoing story of Chile’s wine industry.

What’s growing down in Chile?

Whites: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Riesling.

Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Carmenere.

Among others of course.

Content courtesy of Wines of Chile UK.