Chile: Geography and climate

Chile extends nearly 4,300 km/2,670 miles north-south. It is also very narrow (at its narrowest it is barely 95 km/59 miles wide). Squeezed between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes (80% of Chile is mountainous), land suitable for viticulture is limited, although quite varied. In 2012, a total of 128,637 ha/317,800 acres were planted with grapevines, nearly 74% dedicated to red wine grapes. The most widely planted variety was Cabernet Sauvignon with a total of 41,500 ha/102,500 acres, followed by Sauvignon Blanc planted on 14,131 ha/34,920 acres.