Chile's 2020 and 2021 vintages

Alcohuaz vineyard in Elqui

Unpredictable weather made quality heavily reliant on producers' adaptability. Alcohuaz, in the Elqui Valley (pictured above), excelled. See also Chile finds its wine identity, published yesterday.

When I first entered the wine industry it was a running joke that Chile (and South Africa, Australia, Argentina and parts of the US) didn’t have vintages. But in the last few years, that joke has lost its steam. Farming worldwide is getting harder and these days a perfect vintage is a cause for celebration no matter where you are. On a recent visit to Chile, the differences between the 2020 and 2021...