Enologist Sergio Correa: "New Zealand is no threat to Chile"

Most wine lovers in Chile immediately recognize Sergio Correa’s name. This is partly because he is one of the premier columnists for La Cavmagazine, and partly due to his fame as a world-class sommelier.

The wine expert has become an international authority due to his more than thirty-five years of experience in the field and his wine tasting career on several continents.

Correa is a shoe in as juror at many international competitions. In fact, he served as juror at the premier French wine event, le Challenge International du Vin, organized by Concours des Vins (CDV). There were four thousand entries from around the world. "It's tiring, but you to learn so much… ," says the expert.

As such, we did not want to miss the opportunity to talk with him about the current positioning of Chilean wine in international markets. We were interested to see how Chile compared to other producers, such as Australia and New Zealand. We also wanted to ask about the consequences of global climate change on our national production.

In your February La Cav column, readers learned that weather conditions greatly affect the flavor of Chile’s wine.   In Australia and Europe, the impact was less although conditions are more adverse.  Therefore, how do you view our market position in the ensuing years?  Would we have an advantage over Australia, France and other countries like New Zealand, whose production has been gaining recognition?

We have experienced slightly “suffering” than other countries, especially in those in the northern hemisphere. But I think we are well-positioned, because Chile has learned to produce white wines whose quality keeps improving in leaps and bounds. We know that the grapes used to produce white wines need rather warm climates similar to those in New Zealand. Although their white wine is of very high quality, it does not represent a threat to Chile because their production comparatively small. But to get back to the topic, I know that producers have been taking advantage the climate in southern Chile and in our valleys in order to produce white wines; particularly in the areas which border the coastal zone such as Casablanca and San Antonio.

Is it possible that Chile, especially given the variety of climates we have, will see more southern vineyards in the not too distant future?

I think so. Today we are well-positioned in the world as producers of fine wines. Unfortunately it’s not at the price we all wish, given the fact that the price-quality relationship is a formidable factor for consumers, but not for the producer. I also think that Chile is not going to continue producing wine if demand remains stable or increases. Therefore, if I were an investor, in the long term, I would seek to further explore the southernmost areas. By this I mean south of the Bio-Bio, because there are lots of small valleys suitable for producing good grapes and, consequently, good wine.
 

Regarding climate… According to the scientific studies to which you referred in your column, the central part of our country may become dry and no longer be suitable for wine production?

Well, scientists think that these areas will be drier. But completely arid? I doubt it. Over the past 20 years, temperatures in the central valley have changed, which does not mean the eradication of the vineyards in this area. But I do believe that the rising average temperature in these areas will possibly cause producers to emigrate south, seeking the climate and soil conditions that allow for good white wines; since unlike reds, they require lower temperatures to produce better raw material.

The central valleys continue producing reds. The country hardest hit will be New Zealand, because if global warming continues, they will lose the superb conditions they currently have for producing white wines. Australia will lose its position in the whites and given the possible drought caused by the global warming, its costs would skyrocket.

Are you aware of any innovations among local producers to cope with possible climate changes, as in the case of French producers who bought land with temperatures of 5 º C  and above in England? Put another way, is the issue being addressed in Chile at the government or private enterprise level?

Not at the state or federal level. But in the private sector, yes. There are small producers who have for years, and are now planting several varieties, for both red and white wine. The growers have been monitoring the way in which these varieties are evolving and adapting to the colder weather of the south. They have obtained very good results with varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and even with the dark Pinot Noir. But in this case, I am talking about smaller vineyards.

On the other hand, there are entrepreneurs who are planting slightly larger areas since last year with varieties that do not require much temperature. For example, the vineyard Casa Silva and Córpora, which are doing some great research. Unfortunately, to date, this area of the industry is far too underdeveloped in Chile.