W Hotels Worldwide just unveiled its first ever hotel in South America, W Santiago and The Residences at W Santiago in Chile. The W brand's 33rd hotel, W Santiago is the cornerstone of a larger, mixed-use complex, Isidora 3000, which includes a convention center, boutique office space, and high-end retail shops in addition to the W Hotel and W-branded residences. Developed by the Territoria Group, W Santiago is located in the heart of the fashionable El Golf district of the Chilean capital city and surrounded by the magnificent peaks of the Andes. Renowned New York designer Tony Chi partnered with native Chilean designer Sergio Echeverria to create cutting edge interiors for the hotel and residences that are a cool, contemporary take on the varied Chilean landscape. The property features several restaurants and bars as well as a rooftop pool overlooking the city lights (above).

Click Wine Group, the privately held, Seattle-based company that owns and imports wine from around the world, has a standout collection of vintages in $10 - $13 range, starring Root: 1 from Chile and the indefatigable Fat Bastard. Their Global Wine Collection consists of signature varietals from world-class appellations with easy to pronounce (and sometimes amusing) names and appealing, consumer friendly packaging aimed at taking the intimidation out of wine. They have something for virtually every palate and autumnal occasion. To meet growing consumer demand, Root: 1 recently added two new varietals to its lineup: a smooth, richly flavored Carmenere and a crisp, fresh Chardonnay. Carmenere is Chile's signature varietal, a deep colored, full-bodied wine that offers the charm of Merlot and the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Produced in Colchaugua Valley, Root: 1 Carmenere is deep red in color with gentle tannins and rich flavors of plum, blackberry and spice. Root: 1 Chardonnay is not the heavily oaked kind that has become a wine snob's cliché, but rather a fine balance of fruit and acidity. Grown in the cool, coastal Casablanca Valley, renowned for producing the best white wines in South America, Root:1 Chardonnay is fresh, expressive and balanced with melon, honey and toasted hazelnut flavors. Also well worth trying is the Root 1: Sauvingnon Blanc, a crisp wine with citrus notes and a fresh, clean finish. The ungrafted rootstock produces a bright, tropical fruit flavor that pairs perfectly with salads, seafood and creamy pasta sauces.

Click Wine Group, a privately held, Seattle-based company that owns and imports wine from around the world, features a great selection of recession-friendly vintages with average prices of between $10 - $13. Their Global Wine Collection consists of signature varietals from world-class appellations with easy to pronounce (and sometimes amusing) names and appealing, consumer friendly packaging aimed at taking the intimidation out of wine. They have something for virtually every palate and summertime occasion.

Fat Bastard Chardonnay:

To craft Fat Bastard Chardonnay, grapes are sourced from all over France's Languedoc-Roussillon region. The golden yellow wine with pale-green tints has expressive stone-fruit aromas with soft floral undertones and well-balanced citrus and acacia notes. Soft oak gives warmth and balance to the palate. Serve with fresh crab or shrimp, or with a roasted pork tenderloin and vegetables. Try also: Rosé.

2 Up Shiraz:

Named for a popular game of chance in Australia, 2 Up is an elegant, intense and exceptional quality Shiraz that is hand-crafted from a blend of grapes carefully selected from highly prized local vineyards. According to Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate, 2 Up represents "the type of wine value that simply can't be found in California." Goes well with Italian dishes, ribs, and grilled meats such as aged beef and lamb.

Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon:

Chile is one of the very few grape growing regions in the world where original European rootstocks have survived, producing the intense fruit flavor and authentic varietal character of Root: 1 wines. Rich ruby color with aromas of ripe berries and soft plum are followed by tastes of black cherry, soft vanilla and dark chocolate characterize their Cabernet. Artfully accompanies grilled meats, ripe cheeses, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and chocolate. Try also: Chardonnay.

Argentina and Australia have both widened our national palates and expanded our wine vocabulary. As they have grown in prestige and density the U.S. has embraced their unique qualities and beamed with pride at the continued diversity of personal wine knowledge.

Another country home to the Southern Hemisphere is also prompting increased interest among oenophiles -- Chile. Although known for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends exports for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere and Syrah have increased in spite of the American recession. To capitalize on consumers' continued interest in the range of wines from Chile the 'Wines of Chile' is to open a new U.S. office in NYC.

If you're unfamiliar with Chilean wines I suggest you start with the Carmenere -- typically they are full-bodied and hold a deeply colored essence plus it sounds sensual when it rolls of the tongue.

Certainly in the last few years wine lovers have known to look to Chile for excellent wines that rival the Napa Valley but at bargain prices. It seems the same could be said for wine real estate. Vina La Playa is a boutique resort located in the Colchagua Valley an area considered to be the Chilean Napa Valley. The area is experiencing a tourist surge and has museums, a wine train, a casino and a beach that attracts windsurfers. The Chilean style hacienda has 11 bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, staff quarters and more. The lot is 22 acres with seven acres of of that devoted to vineyards. This property is listed at $1.7 million.

It could be argued that watching the moves of wine tycoon Bernard Magrez is a good way to chart what is happening in the world of wine on a global level. Decanter reports that the French winemaker has bought 200 hectares in Chile and sold three Bordeaux AOC estates. The move is part of Magrez's strategy to concentrate on high-end wines. Magrez intends to produce between 100,000 and 150,000 bottles per year from his new estate in the Colchagua Valley, located around an hour south of the capital Santiago. There are no vineyards on the estate yet but vines planted will include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenere. The wine from the estate will be called Hacienda de la Serenidad, the name of an existing estate in the area owned by Magrez.

A couple of years ago the words high-end wine and Chile might have sounded laughable but as a recent article by Laura Daniel proves, the pricier end of the Chilean wine market is booming. Big bold Chileans reds are commanding attention and winning rave reviews.

In France, Magrez is selling off a trio of AOC Bordeaux estates. It's not that he's given up on France (of his 32 estates, 18 are in Bordeaux and six are in Languedoc Roussillon) but the move does bring increased credibility to the already booming area of South American wine. It seems to be part of a global shift where China and Russia are picking up older estates in Bordeaux while French winemakers are bringing their expertise to areas with less vineyards (and lower land prices).

Love fishing? Book yourself a spot on the luxury ship Atmosphere for a fly fishing trip along the Chilean wilderness coast. Priced at $15,000 - $25,000, it's the most expensive fishing trip in the world and has plenty of fun luxuries to make that price tag worthwhile. Covering Patagonia by air, land, and water, several different kinds of boats and even a helicopter equipped with all the toys will whisk you away to remote rivers and lakes for dream fishing excursions -- or if you're not in the mood for that you can stay on the ship for awesome food, a massage, and maybe a whale watching excursion instead.

Via Gadling

The drive to go carbon neutral has hit wineries outside the United States. Decanter reports that the Chilean winery Cono Sur has announced a carbon offsetting project and an aid package for indigenous people. The Cono Sur and Isla Negra wines will bear the CarbonNeutral trademark. The winery has chosen The CarbonNeutral Company to help them offset carbon emissions created by sending the wines to market. As the article in Decanter points out, it's partly a strategic move, carbon neutral products are becoming more important to consumers around the globe.

Other ways to drink carbon neutral include:
Scotland's plans for a carbon neutral distillery
Parducci winery goes carbon neutral

If you are looking for a remote eco-hotel adventure, a new resort Ulaa, just might be your place. It is located in the X region of Chile, an area famed for its rivers, mountains and scenic natural beauty especially this time of year when spring is giving way to summer in the Southern hemisphere. There are no real roads around the property and the main for of transportation is buy horse. There are no in-room televisions or telephones (although there is wireless internet in the main lodge). The resort has seven cabins which are rustic but also comfortable. There is also a spa that offers a variety of massages and sweat lodge treatments. Other activities include horseback riding, canoeing, farming in the organic gardens and cooking lessons. Cabins range from $125 to $240 per night during high season. If you need to be surrounded by marble and infinity pools this isn't your place but if you would just like to go where no one can reach you, watch the stars at night, eat simple and wholesome food and reconnect with nature and yourself this could be your new escape.

More bad news for the Australian wine industries, they are experiencing a major grape glut. Grape growers located in South Australia's Riverland may lose millions of dollars in direct income which could amount in several hundred million dollars of loss for the local economy. The wine growers are dumping their grapes on the ground because they cannot sell them for a decent return.The prices offered are below the cost of production. Wine growers are upset and the Winegrape Growers Association is staging a rally later this month. The situation mirrors one that we heard about occurring in Chile last month.

In the last few years, French winemakers have protested in the streets seeking government help for the floundering wine industry. Now, wine protests are breaking out in one of the world's fastest growing wine regions, Chile. Decanter reports that Chilean winemakers are angry over low grape prices offered by the country's big wineries. The growers took their dissent to the annual harvest festival in the town of Curicó last weekend. The protest was a bit smaller than many of the French protests, only around 50 people were part of the group of disgruntled winemakers. The Chilean grape harvest is currently underway and some growers aren't signing contracts, preferring to let the fruit rot on the vine. According to the article the problem is currency fluctuations as the Chilean peso's value in relation to the dollar (which is used for the export-focused wine industry) has risen.

Would you trust the business of tasting wine to a computer? CNN has an article on how computer models may may help identify good wine and help winemakers create better vintages. Lorenz Biegler, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University has been working with industry scientists in Chile to create mathematical formulas that could automate the fermentation process. By figuring out how the yeast cell behaves they can determine how to replicate the process.The goal is to make winemaking more efficient and of course profitable. So far the research has been on white wines only. Reds are more complex and therefore difficult to analyze. Similar computerized systems are used at chemical plants, oil refineries and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities but winemaking has always been seen as more of an art of craft than a science. It doesn't seem like a computer is going to take the place of a master vinter anytime soon but technology may have a greater role in winemaking in the future.

[via Slashdot]