It has been six weeks of brutal impact of nature that left Chile and Chileans very beaten and pushed wine to a whole new scenario. I did not suffer directly because I was in Paris and then in London, where I received a 24 hour updates on the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, cities where I learned firsthand how friendly countries and producers of wines of the same hemisphere and callers of the new world offered their wines, arguing that Chile was on the floor and could not supply the large market of our loyal and healthy drink. I found it appalling and throughout my career, of more than 37 years, I had not experienced anything similar.
Well, as I said, it has been three weeks and our exports have been normalized. Our harvests have arrived; Chileans are working, hurt, suffering, in sorrow, but laboring.
We lost 125 million litres of wine, it is true. That the harvest will be more expensive is probable. We have many stainless steel tanks in poor condition, it is true. But we cannot meet our exports is totally false and let me explain.
In January 2009, before the harvest, there was in existence in the warehouses around 800 million litres. The harvest of this year amounted to about one billion litres, ie, this year we have 1,800 million litres. Deducting wine exports and domestic consumption, which amounted to 900 million litres, gives a very attractive result of 900 million litres per January 1, 2010.
With a vintage that will undoubtedly be lower than in 2009, but not less than 750 million litres, leaving us, in theory, with an amount of 1,650 million litres. If this is subtracted from the consumption of wine both domestically and internationally, in my opinion would be again around 900 million litres.
January 1, 2011 would start with a stock of 750 million litres of wine. And this volume will obviously add to the harvest that year, and if nature does not play a trick on us, it would be normal; so Chile is and will be prepared to face, without any problem, the international demand.
On the other hand, from the qualitative point of view, consumers of Chilean wine, still drinking the quality they seek, as the latest crop of grapes, say of the year 2009 was very good. Since there are fewer grapes this year, as we write this article, the current harvest is in excellent condition, maturing slowly with a warm climate.
Another benefit has been the maturity; being slow, it has allowed us to focus all our efforts in order to receive grapes in the wineries..
Go Forward Chile! This is not the first time that we advance in the midst of difficulties that nature occasionally brings!
Sergio Correa
Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit, French Govt.; Brotherhood Saint Emilion.
This article has been translated and forwarded to us by the Trade Office of Prochile in India and has also authorized the publication in the interest of importers including those in India.
For the original article click HERE
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