The name Chile comes from the indigenous Aymara word chili, meaning “where the land ends.”
It was an exciting evening of dinner at Tugu Kunstkring Paleis Jakarta, celebrated by all the important people behind the Chilean wines in the Indonesian market. The event showcased a fascinating taste journey — pairing Chilean wines with Indonesian cuisine. The wines came in various styles and flavours, a testament to Chile’s diverse landscape, which stretches from the Atacama Desert in the north to the glaciers and forests of Patagonia in the south. It sparked my curiosity about this remarkable country.
Chile is a long, narrow nation on the west coast of South America, renowned for its rich geography and vibrant culture. It holds the title of the world’s longest country from north to south, stretching over 4,300 miles. It features seven different climate zones and has a presence on three continents: the Americas, Oceania, and Antarctica. From the driest desert on Earth — the Atacama — to the world’s southernmost city, Chile is a land of extremes.
Known as the world’s sixth-largest wine producer by volume and the fourth-largest wine exporter (Sources: OIV reports 2021–2023), Chile is far more than just a wine country. To gain deeper insight, I spoke with Mr. Patricio Parraguez Bravo, Trade Commissioner of Chile in Indonesia, who focuses on promoting all Chilean trade products, through a lot of activities, including ProWine in Singapore recently. With a background in education as a university professor, a master’s in International Economic Relations, and former commercial director of the ProChile Office in Johannesburg, Los Angeles, and Seoul, Patricio offered an in-depth view of Chile’s wine industry and beyond.
A total of 356 Chilean wineries export their products. Their portfolios include niche wines, signature wines, small-batch wines, as well as natural, organic, and biodynamic selections. Red grape varieties dominate, making up 76% of plantings, with Cabernet Sauvignon as the most widely planted (29%).
Chile’s agricultural diversity extends beyond wine. It exports fresh cherries, plums, grapes, bulbs, onions, tubers, and roots. With 6,435 km of coastline, seafood plays a major role too — including Atlantic salmon, fresh or frozen salmon fillets, mackerel, trout, fish meal, and seaweed. The country’s 2,900 volcanoes enrich the soil, making it fertile and resource-rich in products like wood, pine, potassium nitrate, and iodine. In total, Chile is known for exporting 61 key products.
As our discussion flowed, I sipped on a Pisco Sour, a cocktail made with pisco (Chile’s national spirit), lime juice, and simple syrup. It was sweet and tart, with a signature herbaceous flavour and silky texture on the palate, balanced and refreshing.
May 15 marks National Pisco Day — a celebration of this iconic spirit and its designation of origin (DO), established in 1931. It was the first spirit in the Americas to receive a DO and is the second oldest worldwide. Chilean pisco is produced exclusively in Atacama and Coquimbo, the designated northern regions. Chile accounts for 80% of global pisco production and has earned over 400 international awards in the past decade.
Patricio introduced me to the many styles of Chilean pisco: Transparent: Unaged and pure, offering a pristine flavor, Guarda (Mellow): Aged for 180 days in wood, adding subtle complexity, Envejecido (Aged): Matured for 360 days, delivering rich, developed flavours. Pisco is a grape-based brandy with a flavour profile ranging from smooth and herbal to funky and earthy, often featuring floral, fruity, and citrus notes. An exciting base for cocktails!
After our insightful conversation, we returned to the Chilean wine and Indonesian food pairings. I led a fun pairing activity exploring how these wines complemented local dishes:
- Yellow Curry Sauce: Thick, creamy, slightly sweet from coconut milk with a spicy kick — best paired with the semi-sweet white blend from Gato Negro (Central Valley). Bright and sunny, with lychee, peach, and floral notes, it offered a light body and refreshing finish.
- Red Portuguese Curry: Rich in red chili and creamy body — beautifully matched with Chardonnay Santa Ema Gran Reserva. This fuller-bodied wine with medium acidity harmonised perfectly, reducing the sauce’s heat while complementing its richness.
- Lemon Orange & Brandy Sauce: Paired with Sauvignon Blanc Cono Sur Bicicleta, the acidity of the food and wine transformed the flavor profile, softening the acidity and enhancing body and sweetness.
- Hoisin Sauce: Rich in umami — excellent with Carmenere Escudo Rojo Reserva. Its medium tannins balanced the umami, while the wine brought out hidden herbaceous notes in the dish.
It was an exceptional dinner party, full of flavorful exploration and cultural insight into Chile and its offerings.
What should we pair and explore next?
This article was written by Kertawidyawati, Certified Wine & Spirits Educator, and
Founder of Jaddi Academy // Check out the academy’s exciting programs at jaddiacademy.com
