Chile is very deserving of the many accolades found on these pages. Their winemaking has steadily become more sophisticated over the years, while their commitment to organic/sustainable farming is evident in the honesty of the wines. What's more impressive is that they've managed to mostly hold steady as US producers' seemingly relentless march towards ever higher prices.
One example of the many Chilean wines I've enjoyed is the pinot noir from Clos des Fous. The 2022 vintage is perhaps the best they've made, earning comparisons to Burgundy in this review from December. But wine is an agricultural product, ever changing and subject to each year's climate. Unfortunately, the climate now includes wild fires.
Opening the 2023 vintage of that same wine last night, we were greeted by a nose of prominent smoky funk that only amplified on the palate. Far from subtle, the experience led me to Google "Chile fires 2023 vines." The first hit is an article by Jedsica Vargas on Andes Uncorke titled, 'Deadly wildfires devastate vineyards in Chile’s Central Valley and Southern wine regions' and dated March 16, 2023. The piece covers the destruction, which likely explains the campfire-like taste.
Certainly not all of Chile, which has a huge north-south winegrowing swath, was affected this way, but it's worth being aware of. It's also worth grabbing whatever is left on the shelves of the 2022.
