Chile has the ideal conditions for organic viticulture with its dry climate and exceptionally low incidence of vine pests and diseases. Professional wine buyers who have taken a particularly keen interest in Chile, notably Steve Daniel who was until recently the chief wine buyer at the innovative British chain Oddbins, have been trying to persuade Chilean wine producers to take advantage of this potential benefit for years. At last December's inaugural Wines of Chile Awards it was an organic wine, VOE's Coyam 2001, that was the clear overall winner.
Alvaro Espinoza, winemaker at VOE (the O standing for Organica), has...