Climate Changed
To Save Chilean Wine, Producers Head South
Climate change is adjusting the terroir of the country's beloved grapes.
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Faced with increasingly inhospitable growing conditions, the Chilean wine industry is moving south and experimenting with new vines.
Deep in Chile's rain-soaked forest of La Union, 490 miles south of Santiago and accessible only by 4x4 vehicles, is a rather unusual vineyard. Vina Trapi produces chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, and riesling from vines planted in the muddy hills. The region sees an average of 1.33 meters of rainfall a year, compared with just 37 centimeters in the Valparaiso region, where most Chilean vineyards are located.