The business end of Chile

See also Derek Mossman Knapp's more heartening tale of another aspect of the current Chilean wine scene, also published today.

When I visited Chile in 2009, I came back chock-full of enthusiasm for the diversity and quality of wine available – as you can read in Trench warfare in Chile. I tried desperately to remind myself of this as I trudged through the bottom end of Chile's winemaking at this year's generic tasting in London last month.

For here was a sorry selection of el plonko if ever there was one. I am torn between sympathy for the un-glamorous...