Editor's note: The present series on Chilean wines by Maggie Beale continues with some insights into the philosophies behind the increase in the popularity of Chilean wines.

In Chile, older vineyards often have outstanding gardens, some with hundred-year-old trees of the most diverse varieties; chestnut, cedar, olive, almond, orange and lemon. Typical of these glorious properties is Vina Santa Rita in the Maipo Valley which has a 40-hectare park located near the vineyards. Created in 1882 the park has many fl owers and shrubs, some medicinal, and innumerable statues, set around the large and pretty garden. The park is permanently maintained by 15 gardeners.

Renowned worldwide for the quality of its wines, the Santa Rita property also has a 200-year-old national monument that is now the Dona Paula restaurant, a very comfortable Hotel Casa Real and a magnifi cent private chapel complete with hand-painted ceiling. One of Santa Rita's four cellars is at Alto Jahuel and it has also been declared a national monument.

The much younger Montes Winery is a monument to classic good taste and superb winemaking skills. Situated in the Apalta valley, a special microclimate within the Colchagua valley in the shape of a horseshoe where many of Chile's top reds are born, the new multimillion dollar Montes winery has all the attributes a winemaker could wish for - and their Aurelio Montes style of wines are seen by many to be the way of the future for Chilean wines.

Addressing worldwide environmental concerns, Vina Carmen, part of the Claro Group of Wineries, is reducing the packaging weight of all of its varietal bottles.This initiative has resulted in scaling down the average bottle weight from 490 to 420 grams, a 15 percent reduction. Decreasing bottle weight in Carmen wines is expected to result in savings of more than 1,700 tons of CO2 emissions each year - roughly equivalent of the emissions from 500 cars out on the street!

The group is actively combating harmful ways of producing wine, one of the flagship labels, the Nativa range, is totally organically produced. At 14.4 Alc, the Nativa Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is a full bodied wine, rich and powerful with aromas of mint and eucalyptus. On the palate black cherries and blueberries dominate a generous hint of tobacco. Well balanced, the texture is silky, leather and farmyard aromas are enhanced by notes of coconut. (91 points).

Made only from "free-run" grape juice, the Chocalan Carmenere Reserva 2005 undergoes malolactic fermentation in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. It is an intense deep ruby-red and complex wine. The nose displays aromas of spice and ripe fruits with a hint of white pepper. On the palate the wine is elegant with good balance. (92 points).

Also from Chocalan winery, Cabernet Franc is often referred to as the connoisseur's choice, spicy and lightly herbaceous, it is an excellent wine of character and power without heaviness. When it is well made it has vitality and great characteristics, I found all of that in the Chocolan Cabernet Franc - one of the very few wineries making a single varietal Cabernet Franc in Chile - it is appreciated more in some of the grand wines of France such as Cheval Blanc.

Ecologist Sebastian Allingri says: "At Chocalan, Cabernet Franc grows alongside the wine cellar, and it is harvested a little before the Carmenere and after Cabernet Sauvignon because its skin is thicker than other varietals. Our viticulture adviser, Eduardo Silva, decided to plant Cabernet Franc as the (particular) terroir lends itself beautifully to it. One of our advantages is the constant fresh air that comes from the ocean, which cools the grapes and gives them that touch of acidity and liveliness that many Chilean wines lack."

The Chocalan Cabernet Franc Reserva 2006 is a vivacious red, full of subtlety and charm. (93 points).

And speaking of charm, one very hospitable couple, Valeria and Agust in Huneeus, owners of Veramonte winery grow their grapes in both Casablanca and Colchagua valleys with some new plantings sweeping up the nearby hillsides. Which accounts for the quality of the Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (90 points) - one the most outstanding white wines I found in my recent travels through 26 wineries of Chile.

Apart from the massive leap in quality and commitment over the past few years, one outstanding feature of Chilean hospitality is the level of courtesy accorded everywhere. More accustomed to the brusque manners one fi nds in many cities these days, numerous visitors to Chile - including myself, are most impressed by the old-world courtesy one finds, it certainly increases the pleasures of being there.

(HK Edition 12/16/2008 page4)