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 In the end, the 2006 harvest left no one indifferent, especially after SAG, Chiles Agriculture and Livestock Service, released the years production figures in July. Total yield was 8,448,778 hectolitres7.1% more than in 2005. On a positive note, most of the increase was seen in the production of quality wines from the individual Denominación, up 13.6% over the previous year to 7,163,042 hectoliters; a drop of 17.8% was registered in bulk wine production.
The phantom of overproduction hovers over most wine producing countries - and Chile is no exception. The 2005 surplus, added to the figures announced for 2006, result in some 250 million hectolitres with no clear market. Chile is clearly out of balance, explains Rafael Guilisasti, the director of Viñas de Chile, the association of the countrys largest wineries. There is an excess in red wine supply, which is nothing to be alarmed about, but simply the product of the excellent 2006 harvest, He adds, prices have been skyrocketing since 2004, which has knocked us out of a number of markets. In my opinion, there is now a solid demand for high-quality Chilean wine, but the situation is more complicated for mass wines.
Another factor to consider is the appreciation of the Chilean peso to the dollar, which has many small and medium-sized wineries treading water in the deep end. Klaus Schröder, the president of the Chilean Enologists Association, says that producers of grapes for bulk wines are becoming desperate because current prices dont even cover their costs.
Everyone does breathe easier, however, when it comes to the overall quality of the 2006 vintage. Sauvignon Blanc and unoaked Chardonnays are already available. They show good fruit, although perhaps not as expressive as it was in the stupendous 2005 vintage. Despite a particularly long, hot summer, 2006 is considered a cold, dry vintage, with a significant delay in phenolic maturation in the grapes. Winemakers are pleased that the red wines display attractive freshness with delicate finishes. Still no one is touting this as the vintage of the century, as they did in 2005. |
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