SOUTH AMERICA’S NEXT ICONS

The South American wine industry is riding a swelling tide; as momentum grows, the excitement is palpable. What started as a quiet, underground revolution driven by a select band of passionate winemakers is now capturing the attention of consumers and wine professionals all over the globe. The self-belief and direction that winemakers are showing, alongside the sense of comradeship and community, have been fundamental in achieving this.

Yet there are other factors that have been, and continue to be, crucial for the long-term success and prosperity of the industry: innovation and experimentation. Innovation is fundamental in driving change as well as mindset. The vast, diverse landscape of this continent has for years remained an untapped playground for winemakers. The past decade has seen a pioneering and explorative movement pushing the geographical frontiers of viticulture. Partly driven by climate change, partly by curiosity, South America’s vinous landscape is changing and redefining what is possible. Exploration of the deep south of the Southern Cone, an expansion in cooler coastal vineyards and an escalation of plantings at altitude have been key.

Experimentation in both vineyard and winery is yielding some fascinating results. Traditionally, many winemakers here have been guilty of parochialism, more through geographical isolation and lack of exposure than innate stubbornness. Yet today’s younger generation of winemakers is globally savvy, well-travelled and has greater knowledge and context of global trends and styles as well as heritage. This, coupled with the intrepid spirit of innovation, is reshaping the future of South America’s wine scene.

‘Partly driven by climate change, partly by curiosity, South America’s vinous landscape is changing and redefining what is possible’

So, what constitutes an icon wine? There will be differing opinions on this – factors such as price, proven pedigree, scarcity and critical acclaim all come into play. Yet in this article the term ‘icon’ is used broadly and perhaps interchangeably with ‘pioneering’ or ‘groundbreaking’. Also of great importance is the word ‘upcoming’ – all the wines I have chosen are exactly that: wines that are relatively new on the scene; in some cases only one or two vintages have been made.

Largely these are not wines that have been