MM: Over the last five years, we see Chileans moving up the hills with their grape planting, and quality and price-for-value has just been stunning. Do you see parallels between how Chile is emerging on the world market and what Australia went through over the last 20 years? Do you see that same sort of powerful force, that upward trajectory, in Chile marketing and branding as a whole?
JD: Certainly, there are a lot of differences between the success that Australia has had globally compared to where Chile is, but one of the things I have noticed is that there has been a tremendous effort put into the vineyards in Chile. Obviously, there is an abundance of land, so I think that, for the premium wines, there’ s a lot of emphasis on the vineyard. The other thing that I’ ve really noticed is the product differentiation. You’ re probably right that a few years back Chile had a reputation for making more commercial wines, but now I’ m seeing a ladder of quality. Five years ago, when I first started going to Chile, I could probably count on two hands the number of wines between $ 30 and $ 40. Now there’ s a proliferation of flagship wines from many companies.
MM: There seems to be a focus on vineyard potential. I know they’ re using a lot of technology, like satellite and drainage readings, to try and sort out exactly where they need to be focusing their grape planting. The technology is quite exciting.
JD: It is. At Ventisquero’ s Apalta vineyards, Felipe and I have been studying the conductivity measurements of riding a motorbike up and down rows because conductivity is a measure of higher clay content. Working out in the weathered old granitic soils, the slightly high clay content seems to be the areas best suited to the Pangea style of Syrah, and when you overlay that with satellite vigour mapping, it gives you quite powerful information.
MM: You and Felipe seem to learn from each other. Do you find you have a shared openness to try new things, find new techniques, to make the best wine possible for Ventisquero?
JD: That partnership is important because Felipe is my eyes and ears in learning, fast-tracking, in Chile. I’ ll be the first to admit I don’ t know everything there was to know down there. I’ m still learning about the Barossa Valley!
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