Grape culture and the manufacture of its products constitutes one of
the principal industrial interests of Chile. In this, as in other
industries, there are no statistics available on which to base
satisfactory calculations concerning the acreage, production of wine,
“aguardiente” and “chicha,” manufactured annually. It is estimated
that there are now about 20,000 acres of producing vineyards, and the
acreage is being annually augmented. The soil is especially adapted to
grape culture. Vines thrive and produce well both on the dry hill lands
and in the irrigated sections. The grape vine was introduced in Chile
by the Spaniards during colonial times, but the cultivation of it has
become a national and profitable industry only in recent years. There
is already a large export trade in wine, which is annually increasing.
On the large estates the French method is employed in the manufacture
of wine, and most of the distilleries are in charge of expert wine-men
from France.
There are few more interesting sights than that of a large estate
devoted to vineyards. The vines, planted in even rows, are carefully
wired and trimmed and gracefully festooned. On the terraces of the
hill farms the vari-tinted foliage presents an artistic appearance,
particularly so when from the vines are suspended millions of amber and
purple clusters ready for the vintage.
The grapes are picked from the vines by women and children, and placed
in baskets. Two-wheeled ox carts, equipped with large tanks made of
animal skins, are used for conveying the grapes to the winery. The
first process consists of passing the fruit through a machine that
mangles the grapes but does not crush the seeds. From these machines
the pulp and juice fall into fermenting vats. If red wine is to be
made the liquid and stems are left to ferment together; if white wine
or chicha, the liquid is drawn off through a strainer. The method of
fermenting, bottling, seasoning, etc., is the same as that employed in
large wineries in other countries.
In the smaller vineyards, different methods are used; there, the
primitive process of making wine by hand is still employed. The vats
for holding the wine, instead of being made of cement or wood, are the
skins of bullocks, removed from the animals with as little opening
as possible. While green these hides are placed upon poles, hammock
fashion, and filled with stones, which stretch them into the desired
form, and in which position they are left to dry. When seasoned these
skins form natural tubs or vats, to which the portion originally
covering the tail forms a faucet, or outlet. In some instances these
primitive wine producers employ the original method of crushing the
grapes, by throwing them into vats, where naked men trample them, often
walking neck deep in the pulpous mass. The wine is fermented in casks,
and when ready for use is stored in large earthen jars, made by hand
and baked in crude kilns.