Master of Wine pair Susie Barrie MW and Peter Richards MW have unveiled a groundbreaking initiative celebrating the finest Chilean wines of 2024. Fresh off their success at the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards for their "Wine Blast" podcast, the husband-and-wife duo launched their “Chile Wines of the Year 2024” on September 13th through a dedicated podcast episode and an in-depth written report available on their website. This project showcases over 100 wines, selected after an extensive tasting session in June, carried out in collaboration with Wines of Chile.

The duo’s motivation stems from their shared frustration over the lack of exposure for innovative Chilean wine producers outside of Chile. Peter Richards noted, “We felt frustrated that, whenever we go to Chile, we see a range of producers and wines that are funky, fun, and increasingly fine – and yet in a major market like the UK, we rarely get to see or taste that reality. With this initiative, we want to showcase the modern diversity and excitement of Chilean wine to try to change this.”

The report’s selections were carefully curated, reflecting Chile's growing reputation for diversity in winemaking. The initiative brings to light Chile's transformation, particularly in the realm of white wines, which Richards and Barrie argue are currently outperforming the nation’s reds—a striking statement, given that Chile’s vineyards are predominantly planted with red varietals. The report doesn’t shy away from controversies, criticizing some producers for their use of heavyweight bottles, a topic of increasing debate in the industry.

Stand-out Chilean Wines of 2024

Among the awards announced, Cono Sur was crowned Best Producer of 2024, a testament to their consistent excellence and innovative spirit. Felipe Marin of Casa Marin earned the title of Best Winemaker 2024, while Errázuriz secured the Top Red Wine award for Don Maximiano 2021, a wine renowned for its depth and elegance. The Aristos Duquesa d’A Chardonnay 2016 took home the award for Top White Wine, further cementing Chile’s growing reputation for exceptional white varietals.

Image Title & Source: Errázuriz Don Maximiano 2021

Smaller producers were also prominently featured in this year’s awards. Atacalco won Best Rosé for their Cárabe de Casablanca Pinot Gris 2021, a wine inspired by the famed orange wines of Friuli. Ana María Cumsille garnered the White Discovery award for her unique blend of Pellines Moscatel-Semillon-Torontel 2018 from the Itata Valley. In the innovation categories, Roberto Henríquez’s País Franco 2022 secured the Red Innovation award, while Carmen’s Florillón #6 was recognized for its flor-aged Chardonnay, taking home the White Innovation award.

What Entails This Initiative?

As part of the initiative, Barrie and Richards will also host a trade tasting and masterclass in London on November 6th, where their top selections and the winemakers behind them will be featured. This event is expected to draw significant attention from industry professionals eager to explore the modern landscape of Chilean winemaking.

While the project includes rankings and scores, the duo emphasized that their primary aim is to share their discoveries. “Yes, we use scores, but our main aim is to share our discoveries, which are the direct result of huge amounts of tasting, travel, and research,” Barrie explained. “Every wine featured in our Chile Wines of the Year has earned this recognition the hard way – and we highly recommend each and every one of them to you.”

Richards, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on Chilean wines, has authored two books and a Master of Wine dissertation on the subject. His expertise has earned him high praise, including being called “the most knowledgeable foreign expert on Chilean wines” by Capital, and “the world’s leading commentator on Chilean wine” by The Drinks Business.

For those eager to learn more about these award-winning Chilean wines, the podcast and full report are available at www.susieandpeter.com.

Chile Wines of the Year 2024 – Top Awards:

• Best Producer: Cono Sur
• Best Winemaker: Felipe Marin, Casa Marin
• Top Red Wine: Errázuriz Don Maximiano 2021
• Top White Wine: Aristos Duquesa d’A Chardonnay 2016
• Top Rosé Wine: Atacalco Cárabe de Casablanca Pinot Gris 2021
• Best Value Red: Errázuriz Estate Reserva Pinot Noir 2023
• Best Value White: Morandé Terrarum Patrimonial Semillon 2023
• Red Discovery: Carter Mollenhauer Ciénaga de Name Carignan 2022
• White Discovery: Ana María Cumsille Pellines Itata Moscatel-Semillon-Torontel 2018
• Red Innovation: Roberto Henríquez País Franco 2022
• White Innovation: Carmen Florillón #6

Header image sourced from susieandpeter.com. Photographed by Sam Gavins Photography.

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