13 best Chilean wines: From chardonnay to pinot noir

There are few places in the world where the vineyards are as spectacularly beautiful as they are in Chile. But then with the Andes and the Pacific Ocean as backdrops that’s not really surprising.

The good news is that the wines from this long and slim South American country are just as arresting as the views.

With ocean breezes and Mediterranean-like climates in many of the chief growing regions and cooler climate areas elsewhere, Chile supports a wide range of excellent wines.

Our round-up includes Chile’s famous whites, including the country’s most popular variety, sauvignon blanc, as well as chardonnay and a moscatel blend.

As far as red wines go it would be hard to ignore carménère, a grape that pops up everywhere either by itself or in blends and one which rarely disappoints.

But as we discovered, there are some outstanding examples of pinot noir, malbec and merlot too. It’s a country which keeps on giving and with a new generation of winemakers emerging, one that looks set to feature on our dinner tables for some time to come.

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