Chile

The legal definition

Chile's wine law (Ley 18.455) is implemented by Decreto 78 of 31 July 1986, amended several times; the text used here is the compilation published by the agricultural service SAG in 2015, with the decree's last amendment of June 2013.¹

Article 20 defines vino espumante or espumoso as wine that finishes its elaboration in a closed container, whose carbon dioxide has developed naturally through a second fermentation of sugars, at a pressure of not less than 3 atmospheres at 20 °C.¹ Two methods are authorised: fermentation in bottle and the Charmat or cuba cerrada method. In both cases a liqueur d'expédition of sugar, wine and aguardiente or brandy may be added.¹ The minimum alcohol for vino espumante is 11.5% (grado real).¹

Sugar classes

Only one class may appear on the label, and an analytical tolerance of up to 3 g/L either way is accepted.¹ The terms "Blanc de Blancs" and "Blanc de Noirs" are reserved for wines made exclusively from white or from red varieties.¹ Compare the EU sugar scale.

Related categories

• Vino gasificado: finished wine into which carbon dioxide is added mechanically, also with at least 3 atmospheres at 20 °C (art. 19 b).¹
• Espumante de baja graduación: made from wine from a partial alcoholic fermentation, with naturally generated carbon dioxide of at least 3 atmospheres (art. 19 h).¹

On the label, the phrase "fermentado en botella" may be replaced by "método tradicional", "método clásico" or "método clásico tradicional".¹

Production

Chile produced 930 653 773 litres of wine in 2024. The SAG report does not give a separate figure for sparkling wine.²