Summer may not be officially over just yet, but cooler temperatures, falling leaves, and pumpkin spice ubiquity are looming on the horizon. There’s still time to enjoy afternoon barbeques, al fresco dinners, and sipping wine outdoors with friends, but after a long hot summer of reaching for crisp whites and rosés, the changing of the season is the perfect time to switch up your wine game, especially if you’ve been yearning for red wines with a little more gravitas. Medium-bodied reds are a great solution to bridge the gap between the dog days of summer and chilly fall evenings cozied up by the fire. You’ll find no shortage of worthy “shoulder season” standbys, and Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Grenache, and Cabernet Franc are all strong contenders. But if you’re looking to ease the transition with a wine that offers spicy and savory complexity, easy drinkability, and good value to boot, look no further than Syrah hailing from the cool mountainous and coastal regions of Chile.
Chile probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind when it comes to either cool-climate winemaking or memorable Syrah. The country was once a leading producer of cheap bulk wines – mainly uninspiring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends from its warm and heavily irrigated inland valleys – and misconceptions about the mediocrity of Chilean wine remain stubbornly resilient. But in the last few decades, winemakers willing to sacrifice quantity for quality have capitalized on the country’s diverse geography and begun to explore the potential of its exceptional terroir. Efforts to match grape varieties with the right vineyard site, climate, and soil are paying dividends, and in just a short amount of time, the caliber of cool-climate Chilean wines – not just Syrah, but also Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay – has seen tremendous improvement.
How did a warm, sunny country like Chile become a hotbed (no pun intended) for cool-climate viticulture? Nestled between the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Andes Mountains on the east, Chile boasts three distinct growing environments: the coastal areas, the mountains, and the warm inland valleys in between. The inland valleys – the epicenter of the Chilean winemaking industry for more than a century – are ideal for varieties that need long, warm growing seasons to ripen (think Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carménère). In search of cooler climates and a more terroir-driven approach to winemaking, pioneering producers cast their gaze beyond the fertile valley floors and started fanning out along Chile’s vast coastline and into the foothills of the Andes towards the end of the 20th century. Inspired by their success and buoyed by growing consumer demand for fresher, lighter-bodied, and lower alcohol styles of wine, vintners have continued to broaden Chile’s viticultural horizons ever since, both in terms of vineyard locations (cooler sites at higher elevations and along the coast) and grape varieties (white and red varieties that thrive in cooler climates).
Syrah has an affinity for both cool and warm climates, but the character and expression of cooler styles differ markedly from warmer ones. The Northern Rhône – the grape’s spiritual and literal home – is the benchmark for cool-climate Syrah: elegant, medium-bodied wines with bright acidity and fine-grained tannins, laced with fresh cracked pepper and savory olive tapenade aromas, often with a hint of violets. At the other end of the temperature spectrum, like in the hot, sun-drenched vineyards of South Australia, Syrah takes on a burly, more assertive persona. Roaring with ripe, jammy fruit and bitter dark chocolate, this rich, bold style is commonly known as Shiraz, and packs a fuller body, smoother tannins, and higher alcohol.
Cool-climate Chilean Syrah has established a foothold in the country’s far northerly regions of Coqumibo and Aconcagua. Based on latitude alone, these mountainous coastal regions should be among the warmest in Chile, but cool-climate viticulture thrives here on account of the Humboldt Current, which funnels icy water and cold winds up the coast from Antarctica. Warm air rising from the mainland draws these cold winds inland through gaps in the low coastal mountains, blanketing the vineyards with morning fog and cool afternoon breezes. Vineyards planted at altitude, either on the slopes of the coastal ranges or along the valley hillsides, balance blazing daytime sunshine with plummeting nighttime temperatures. Coastal influences and diurnal temperature swings delay maturation, allowing the grapes to develop complex aromatics and flavors without losing acidity, and resulting in a remarkably fresh, spicy, savory, and distinctly Chilean style of Syrah.
Top examples of cool-climate Chilean Syrah hail from multiple sub-regions of Coquimbo and Aconcagua. From north to south, the Elqui Valley in Coquimbo, more than 300 miles north of Santiago, is Chile’s northernmost commercial winemaking region and home to some of its highest elevation vineyards. Despite the dry, desert-like climate, the vineyards here are among the coldest in Chile. Dew, mist, and a dense fog the locals call la camanchaca roll in from the Pacific Ocean each morning and steady breezes cool the vines throughout the intensely sunny afternoons. Similar conditions exist in the Limarí Valley, about an hour south of Elqui. Both Elqui and Limarí produce a floral, peppery style of Syrah, with refreshing acidity, elegant tannins, and a pronounced savory character reminiscent of the Northern Rhône.
A bit further south, look for examples from the Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley sub-regions of Aconcagua. Less than an hour northwest of Santiago, the Casablanca Valley is Chile’s oldest cool-climate winemaking area, with plantings dating back to the 1980s. Here, the influence of the cold Pacific current is so strong that low-lying vineyards routinely suffer from spring frosts. Chilly ocean breezes also swirl throughout the nearby San Antonio Valley, where vineyards dot the hillsides just miles from the coast. In these Aconcagua sub-regions, Syrah often showcases ripe blackberries and plums, smoked meat, and sweet spices, structured by vibrant acidity and polished tannins.
With fall just around the corner, say goodbye to summer and embrace the autumn vibe by trading in your pumpkin spice latte for some cool-climate Chilean Syrah. Here are a few recommendations across sub-regions, producers, and price points for inspiration:
Elqui Wines, Valle de Elqui D.O. (Chile) Syrah 2017 ($27): Winemaker Steffan Jorgensen and his wife Pamela Nunez source their Elqui Valley Syrah from El Maitén, a single vineyard near the coast with full exposure to the cold winds sweeping in from the Pacific Ocean. The elegant nose radiates with black raspberries, white pepper, smoky bacon, crushed violets, and a sprig of mint. Buzzing with vibrant acidity, the palate brims with succulent black fruit, savory spices, and a long umami finish. 93
Viñedos de Alcohuaz, Valle de Elqui D.O. (Chile) Syrah “Tococo” 2019 ($58): Planted more than 5,800 feet above sea level, the 2019 “Tococo” evokes memories of a Northern Rhône Syrah, with layered aromas of black plums and dark berries that morph into cracked pepper, olive tapenade, wet stone, and leather. A burst of freshness lifts and lightens the otherwise bold and expressive palate, supported by a backbone of fine-grained, chalky tannins. Finishes long with notes of cassis, spice, and a hint of charred wood. 95
Viña San Pedro, Valle de Elqui D.O. (Chile) Syrah “1865 Selected Collection, Desert Valley” 2019 ($34): The 1865 collection from Viña San Pedro takes its name from the year the winery was founded. Smoky grilled meat dominates the nose, with a dash of fresh ground pepper, wild herbs, and a brooding undercurrent of dark fruit. Crackling with mouthwatering acidity, the peppery spice and savory meaty flavors linger throughout the persistent finish. 91
Viña Tabalí, Valle de Limarí D.O. (Chile) Syrah Reserva Especial “Vetas Blancas” 2015 ($22): The name “Vetas Blancas” is a nod to the white veins of limestone that run through the soils of the Limarí Valley, making this an unusual terroir for Chile. With a core of high-toned dark fruit, cassis, pepper, graphite, and charred wood, the wine is still going strong at nine years of age. Brisk linear acidity balances the smooth, round tannins and an herbaceous freshness carries through to the sultry and smoky finish. 92
Casas del Bosque, Valle de Casablanca D.O. (Chile) Syrah Gran Reserva 2021 ($22): 2021 was an exceptionally cool vintage in this already chilly coastal vineyard located at the far western end of the Casablanca Valley. Wild strawberries, raspberries, and plums shine on the nose, alongside spicy pink peppercorns, savory herbs, and charcuterie. The silky and elegant palate showcases vibrant acidity, soft tannins, and an austere finish filled with black olives and leather. 93
Kingston Family Vineyards, Valle de Casablanca D.O. (Chile) Syrah “Lucero” 2020 ($28): Reflecting the warm and sunny 2020 vintage conditions, the nose bursts with blackberries, plums, and cherries mingled with black olive, leather, and charred wood aromas. This is a more fruit-forward, New World style of Syrah, with a soft and round texture, smooth tannins, and a spicy finish. 91
Kingston Family Vineyards, Valle de Casablanca D.O. (Chile) Syrah “Bayo Oscuro” 2018 ($42): Intensely savory and meaty, the 2018 “Bayo Oscuro” is the Kingston Family Vineyard’s top Syrah bottling. The sanguine nose exudes a brooding, almost somber profile, with dark fruit, crushed peppercorns, black olives, leather, iron, soy sauce, dried herbs, and smoke. Chewy tannins frame the medium-bodied earthy palate, which finishes with loads of salinity, black olive, and wet stone minerality. 92
Matetic Vineyards, Valle de San Antonio D.O. (Chile) Syrah “Corralillo” 2022 ($30): One of the pioneers of cool-climate Chilean Syrah, Matetic has been planting coastal vineyards near the Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys since 1999. Layers of ripe blackberries, cherries, fresh cracked pepper, clove, and savory meaty aromas waft from the glass, enveloped by a minty freshness. The palate is a mouthwatering combination of rich fruit and bright acidity, structured by powdery tannins and a bone dry, peppery finish. 95