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Although the United States is still the wine sector’s principal market, accounting for profits of US$34.1 million in the first quarter, the UK market grew eight percent according to figures released by Wines of Chile, a promotional body representing 90 Chilean wineries. Brazil also made its debut in the top ten most important export markets for Chilean wines. In the first quarter of 2006 Brazil provided earnings of US$6.5 million, an increase of 132 percent, to join Holland, Canada, Germany and Denmark as the top seven most important countries for Chile’s wine industry. Ireland, Japan and Belgium complete the top ten. The average case of wine sells for US$25.11 generating a total income of US$168.4 million in the first quarter. The growing importance of Chile’s wine industry coincides with the decision by the World Association Wine & Spirits Writers Journalist (WAWWJ) to place a Chilean vineyard amongst the world’s top 10. The Valdivieso Winery, which won 45 different industry prizes in 2005, was recognized as the sixth best vineyard in the world in the “100 Top Wineries” ranking. Almost 7,000 wines were judged from over 500 different wine “societies,” making up a total of 90 percent of the world’s vineyards. Latin America won 1,939 prizes, and Chile was awarded 1,127 of them. By Cristina Dunn, The Santiago Times
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