Chile

Winning 13 gold medals at this year's International Wine Challenge was no stroke of luck for Chile. Once regarded as a bulk producing wine country, a move to the premium wine market is not before time. Proof of Chile's success was demonstrated by sales of Chilean wine exceeding those of Spain in the UK in 2006. With nearly 7% of the UK market under its wings, Chile is in pole position to become established as a leading global wine producer.

The excitement surrounding the growth of the Chilean wine industry is not limited to the country itself. A recent press comment has expressed an enthusiasm for the future: 'it has so much buzz about it: the wines are interesting and the producers are all so optimistic and keen to get on.' Injecting such South American passion into their work can only spur the consumer on to sampling these great wines. With grape varieties including the Bordeaux blends (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon), it is not surprising that Chile is known as the Bordeaux of the south. Yet Syrah, Pinot Noir and its particular speciality Carmenere all produce wine to suit many palates.

Jeroboams offers a range of wines from Chile's oldest winery, Carmen. Producing wines from a range of grapes varieties means that you can sample all delights of this country. Recent new additions from the Alameda winery offer quality and value - a great introduction to this diverse region. New vineyard regions recently established in cooler coastal areas of Casablanca, Leyda and on hillside/mountain slopes have contributed to the development of more elegance in the finished wines.