FOCUS ON FEBRERO 2005 (ING)

FOCUS ON NUMBER 6 / FEBRUARY 2005

Casillero del Diablo achieves new sales record

With the million and a half Casillero del Diablo cases sold in 2004, Concha y Toro brings to a grand closure a success-filled year, with outstanding achievements for its whole portfolio of wines and as a company. Special notice should be given to the New World Winery of the Year 2004 title, conferred by Wine Enthusiast.

Terrunyo Carmenere 2002, Chileʼs best Carmenere.

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Don Melchor 2000 makes Wine Spectatorʼs Top 100 list.

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TRIO tours Latin America.

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A new secret lures consumers

Casillero del Diablo: 1.5 million cases sold in 2004

CASILLERO DEL DIABLO’S brand new advertising campaign promises to further boost this brand, which has already achieved remarkable sales growth during these past years.

Its main goal is to update the Casillero del Diablo’s message, always centering on the “wine legend” statement. The new campaign is very attractive and will surely keep surprising and seducing Casillero del Diablo consumers worldwide. The print ad follows this brand’s option of breaking free from the industry’s usual language and imagery, as has been the case since the inception of Casillero’s first global campaign, back in 2001.

“This campaign seeks to refresh our range’s claim and positioning, along the main lines of the spirit and values of the brand. It also fulfills our desire to be universal and to craft a message that a wide and diverse audience will relate to; since we have to keep in mind the 114 countries we service,” as Cristóbal Goycoolea, marketing manager for Casillero del Diablo, explains.

CASILLERO DEL DIABLO has added a new milestone to its successful track record. In 2004 sales grew 47% to reach the impressive number of 1,484,000 cases sold to over 114 countries.

The success of Casillero del Diablo is backed by the wine’s excellent quality and the critics’ acclaim, -this year it was chosen Chile’s best value wine- all in a wide range of wine grape varieties.

“In 2000 Concha y Toro decided to focus on Casillero del Diablo.

Since then we have worked very hard so that everyone involved with Casillero del Diablo, from the

production end down to distributors and consumers, is seduced by the wine and make it their own.

In this way, outstanding results are obtained at every stage,” says Giancarlo Bianchetti, Concha y Toro International Marketing Director for Global Brands.

A solid brand image has been developed with clear, attractive and universal messages that are transmitted through efficient media, such as a graphic campaign, television advertising campaign and a novel web site, among others.

According to the press:

Chileʼs Best Value

Blame it on Sao Paulo THE BRAND’S new distributor in Brazil, Allied Domecq Braz il, was presented with a specialized tasting and a party. The event was held in the Sao Paulo Teatro Municipal in October 2004 with a tasting led by Concha y Toro winemaker Marcelo Papa for 40 Brazilian clients. Later, the center of atten-

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tion was the theatre’s underground cellars, very similar to the original Casillero del Diablo cellars in Chile.

Wonderful music and special lighting effects filled the cellars and helped produce a memorable party, attended by over 300 enthusiastic Brazilians who toasted with Casillero del Diablo.

PRESS REVIEWS have been unanimous in backing Casillero del Diablo’s top quality. During 2004 the brand was also described with as much ubiquity as being an excellent buy, a second strong purchase argument.

Casillero del Diablo Merlot 2003 performed outstandingly well in Wine & Spirits, where it merited 89 points and was included in the magazine’s Top 100 best values of the year.

Also in the US, Wine Spectator fell for Carmenere 2003, which it included in its Best Buys selection -86 points, January 31February 28 2005 issue-.

At the UK, in turn, Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 warranted the highest score among the Concha y Toro wines included in The Wine List, Matthew Juke’s guide, where it’s described as the “planet’s best value”. “A spectacular creation with brooding plum, blackcurrant and leather notes and it is thankfully on virtually every supermarket shelf. If you are in a rush and you need a fail-safe wine for dinner, this is it,” he said.

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Terrunyo 2002: The best Carmenere in Chile

WINE WRITERS covering Terrunyo Carmenere have been unanimous in praising the selection of the best lot of Carmenere from the Peumo vineyard. The 2002 vintage has received three very important distinctions from US and Chilean critics: The first award, a Gold Medal, came from the Guía de Vinos de Chile 2005 (Chilean Wine Guide) one of the most prestigious publications of the Chilean world of wine. The Guide praised the wine’s consistency over time.

The latest edition of the “Descorchados” (“Uncorked”) wine guide, written by specialized journalist Patricio Tapia, also an associate editor of Wine & Spirits magazine, considered the wine the best Carmenere in Chile. According to Tapia, Terrunyo “shows just how far Carmenere can go when planted in the correct spot and handled

properly”.

To this, one must add the 93-point score obtained by the wine in the February 2005 edition of North American Wine & Spirits magazine.

This is the second-highest score obtained by Terrunyo Carmenere, surpassed only by the 94 points won by the 1999 vintage.

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TWO REMARKABLE distinctions were awarded to Concha y Toro’s icon wine Don Melchor by Wine Spectator Magazine. Its 2000 vintage scored 94 points and was ranked number 26 among the Top 100 wines of 2004. This selection includes the world’s most notorious wines, those that throughout the year have garnered the highest scores.

The 2001 vintage of Don Melchor –just recently launched- won 95 points in the same publication, the highest score ever obtained by a Chilean wine.

Thus, Don Melchor enters the exclusive rank of Wine Spectator’s “Classic Wines”.

In the Top 100 wines selection, the Puente Alto vineyard where Don Melchor originates has also won a double distinction. It is also the birthplace for Almaviva - a joint venture between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha y Toro – that was ranked number 16 in Wine Spectator Top 100 and won a 95-point score.

Don Melchor at Wine Spectator • Don Melchor 2000, 94 points Number 26 Wine Spectatorʼs Top 100 2004 • Don Melchor 2001, 95 points Maximum score for a Chilean wine Highly recommended.

AWARDS FOR TERRUNYO CARMENERE 2002 Guía de Vinos de Chile 2005

Gold Medal

Descorchados 2005

Best Carmenere

Wine & Spirits, February 2005

93 points

Terrunyoʼs secrets

FOR WINEMAKER Ignacio Recabarren, the reasons for Terrunyo Carmenere 2002 results can be found both in the vineyard and the cellar. “We have managed the vineyard in a very special way, including controlled irrigation and pruning at specific times, among other measures. We have also learnt to wait for the exact harvest moment for which this variety can keep you wating til the first days of May. The handling in the cellar has been crucial, particularly maceration and also a very careful barrel-aging period”.

“Thus, we have obtained a consistent wine that reflects Carmenere’s characteristics, such as its wild and fresh expression, gentle tannins and unmistakable red fruit and spices, in a refined and complex wine that competes with the best wines in the world”, adds Recabarren.

Don Melchor 2000, Top 100 in Wine Spectator

Winemaker Enrique Tirado on Don Melchor 2001 How was Don Melchorʼs 2001 95-point score received by its winemaking team?

We were tremendously pleased, as we had been working hard to make a great wine and were very optimistic regarding this vintage. When you have really believed in a wine and it works out as you dreamed it, the satisfaction is enormous.

Why did you place so much faith in the 2001 vintage?

From the start we felt the wine was very good. Even in the grape crush you could perceive that the wine had great depth and body. In mouth it was concentrated, dense, complex and at the same time elegant.

Where do these characteristics come from?

The 2001 vintage’s weather was excellent, with no rain and good temperatures. This allowed a balanced ripeness. It is also the result of all we have learnt throughout Don Melchor’s history – specially about the Puente Alto terroir – and of the winemaking team’s efforts. In Concha y Toro we all work with great dedication and care on Don Melchor, carefully going through each step of the way and this shows up in the results.

The accolades attained by Terrunyo Carmenere reflect the enormous potential of the Peumo vineyard, the best terroir for this variety in Chile due to its warm weather tempered by cool breezes, fertile soil and distinctive topographic configuration.

How is Don Melchor 2001 in the bottle?

It is a great wine in many aspects, but I would point out one in particular: its extraordinary concentration blended with ripe tannins, in an almost

perfect balance. It is easy to talk about this, but obtaining these results is a tremendous challenge. This occurred in the 2001 vintage and is also happening in the following vintages.

What is your main recommendation when tasting Don Melchor 2001?

It is most important to decant this wine and to let it breath at least 30 to 45 minutes. This time is necessary for the aromas to open up and the wine transforms from a good wine to an extraordinary, seductive wine.

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TRIO tours Latin America The charm of TRIO blends swiftly won over the hearts of Latin Americans in a series of launchs celebrating the art of wine-blending.

Colombia The launching of TRIO in Colombia was a unique gastronomical event held at the Dinners Art Gallery of Bogotá, one of the main venues for contemporary art. The goal was to present the new TRIO blends and show how they combine perfectly with current food trends, and in particular with the Colombian nouvelle cuisine. Three young chefs gave free rein to their creativity in dishes that were an outstanding combination with each blend.

Costa Rica TRIO stirred quite a bit of attention this last November in Costa Rica, through a series of launch dinners carried out in the notorious Bakea and Trio restaurants of San José. More than 70 guests, hospitality industry owners, executives and end consumers, assembled at each. The attendees had the opportunity to taste dishes especially created for the occasion.

The press unveiling, in turn, was done over lunch. Writers and reporters took full advantage of the chance to talk to winemaker Max Weinlaub, who in return received extensive coverage in the local media. Finally 250 bartenders were trained on how to properly recommend, serve and delight their patrons with TRIO wines.

Brazil TRIO was Concha y Toro’s official representative in Vinexpand, one of Brazil’s most important wine shows that is organized by the company’s distributor in Brazil, Expand Group.

Together with Brazilian wine consumers’ increasing sophistication, Vinexpand has become a true celebration of the senses. The show was held in six consecutive cities: Sao Paulo, Río de Janeiro, Curitiba, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre.

The events were attended by wine lovers, restaurant and hotel executives and others who were able to talk directly with the winemakers and executives of over 70 companies worldwide. Each city received its share in tastings specially conceived to showcase TRIO blend wines.

Dominican Republic This Caribbean island was also included in the TRIO tour. A tremendously entertaining dinner at the Vesuvio Tiradentes restaurant, Patricia Elmudesi, brand manager of Concha y Toro distributor company El Catador, presented TRIO with special emphasis on its winemaking innovations.

Then, Concha y Toro winemaker Paula Gajardo led a specialized tasting of TRIO blends, combined with dishes created for each wine.

Top scores for Marques de Casa Concha THE TWO Marques de Casa Concha reds have earned raving reviews. For a second year in a row, the Guía de Vinos de Chile 2005 (Chile’s main wine guide, published yearly) endowed Marques de Casa Concha Merlot with a gold medal, for its 2002 vintage.

As the guide asserts: “The best 2004 Merlot. Our heartfelt congratulations for this delicious wine whose personality and character keep shining year after year! A delightful wine featuring extraordinary and consistent quality”.

The Guía de Vinos de Chile also elected Marcelo Papa as Winemaker of the Year. This distinction recognizes his excellent professional career in charge of premium wines Marques de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo.

On the other hand, Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 also won a gold medal, this time in the Second Wines of Chile Awards, a January 2005 contest which brought to Chile a jury comprised of nine British wine critics. Among them were Oz Clarke, Steven Spurrier and Rosemary George. This award acknowledges the extraordinary quality of the 2003 vintage, which according to winemaker Marcelo Papa is the best in the last 12 years.

TRIO TASTINGS COLOMBIA 1. Colombian chefs Cristian Mcallister, Leonor Espinosa and Job Castañeda.

2. Acclaimed winemaker Emoke Hijas and Max Weinlaub, one of the three TRIO winemakers.

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COSTA RICA 4. Andrés Larraín, Concha y Toro export manager and Jan Holtermann, Holtermann & CIA S.A general manager (Concha y Toroʼs agent at Colombia).

5. José Pablo Castro, from Holtermann & CIA S.A., Max Weinlaub and Andrea Rojas, from Holtermann & CIA S.A.

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3. Ana Piñerez from NU restaurant, Mauricio Arveláez, from Global Wine & Spirits (Concha y Toro agent at Colombia), and Fernando Sagredo, Concha y Toroʼs Export Manager.

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BRAZIL 6. Concha y Toro representatives, Angélica Arancibia, and Francisca Solé, with Expand President Otávio Piva de Alburquerque.

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BEST WINES OF 2004 Summing up, the most prestigious wine magazines mentioned the following Concha y Toro wines in their lists of top wines of 2004.

• Don Melchor 2000 Number 26. 94 points.

• Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Number 51. 92 points.

• Terrunyo Carmenere 2001 Best Carmenere. 92 points

• Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Among the 100 best value wines of the year. 91 points.

• Casillero del Diablo Merlot 2003 Among the 100 best value wines of the year. 89 points.

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Wine & Spirits praises Concha y Toro 2004’s WINE & SPIRITS annual 100 Wineries of the Year, awards once again and for the tenth time, Concha y Toro. The company was commended for being one of the most dynamic wineries in Chile and never losing sight of the complementary need to focus on quality and distinctive Chilean character.

The Company now joins ranks with the exclusive group of six wineries that have won this award on ten occasions.

In the article, the work of winemakers Marcelo Papa and Ignacio Recabarren in their respective wine ranges is given extensive coverage.

Papa’s ability to deliver wines with great fruit intensity in the Casillero del Diablo line is highlighted. In a wine range with over 1,2

million cases sold in 2003, the article says: “That’s no small feat, but the 2003 Casillero del Diablo Merlot is proof of his success: it’s fresh and full of life, yet full of meaty red fruit and firm tannins”.

In Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon, Marcelo Papa has achieved a “voluptuous, ripe, finger-licking Cabernet, and again priced for a song”.

Regarding Ignacio Recabarren’s Terrunyo, Wine & Spirits recommends the complete wine range, specially the Cabernet Sauvignon, described as “elegant, finely drawn, spicy and firm, offering the kind of sophistication you can expect from Alto Maipo at its best”.

Concha y Toro present at MTV Latin Awards

Lenny Kravitz, one of the artists who will get a taste of Don Melchor.

THE ANNUAL MTV Video Music Awards Latin America, held on October 2004 in Miami Beach, Florida, has become one of the world’s most important events in the music industry and has enormous impact in the Hispanic community in the United States. Concha y Toro’s icon wine Don Melchor was the first Chilean brand to be added to the MTV gift bag all nominees are presented with this treat, which also includes exclusive designs from Dolce & Gabbana, MontBlanc`s Femme Individuelle and Escada’s Magnetism perfumes, and Citrine jewelry by the Stones.

Concha y Toro Late Harvest 2000 1st place in Miami International Wine Fair CONCHA Y TORO’S Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2000 won the Award for Excellence at the 3rd Miami International Wine Fair, with the highest score in its category. This important competition took place on October 2-4, 2004.

The competition’s jury was composed of 24 sommeliers of world renown and vast experience in wine. They blind-tasted 114 wines out of which 5 wines were the winners of this important award.

This late (May) harvest wine comes from the Maule Valley and is composed of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Riesling.

Sunrise helps preserve Bamiyanʼs treasures

THE LAUNCHING of Concha y Toro’s Sunrise brand in Japan was more than a delight for Japanese consumers – it also contributed to the preservation of one of the world’s most important cultural heritages, the city of Bamiyan in central Afghanistan.

Funds were raised through the numerous wine tastings held in the Sunrise Car, a van fully equipped as a wine bar that toured Japan`s major cities during March and April 2004.

The entire contribution made by Japan’s wine lovers was handed over to UNESCO fundraising campaign for the Cultural Heritage and Training Center in Bamiyan, organized by Japan’s Federation of UNESCO Associations. The Center’s goal is to educate the city’s residents in how to take care of their valuable heritage.

Bamiyan was an important Buddhist center at the height of the silk road era and is considered the center of western Buddhist tradition. In Bamiyan two statues of Buddha, 55 and 38 meters tall each, were carved on the hillsides of a

huge canyon during the 6th century A.C. These were later destroyed by the Taliban regime in March 2001. There are still numerous temples, sanctuaries and Buddhist monasteries, many of which can be found in the mountains surrounding the city, that contain unique frescoes of Buddha with Greek and Roman influences.

The cultural centre donated by UNESCO will have conservation laboratories, rooms for seminars and lodging premises for foreign experts among other facilities. Once the center is finished, an engraved plate will publicly thank both Concha y Toro and Mercian, the winery’s distributor in Japan, for their donation.

Delivery of funds in aid of Bamiyan: Andrés Ballesteros, Concha y Toro export manager, Makoto Takeuchi, CEO of Mercian, Concha y Toro agent in Japan, Thomas Domeyko, Concha y Toro North Zone Export Manager, and Noboru Noguchi, General Director of UNESCO Japan.

Frontera adds Carmenere to its portfolio FRONTERA CONTINUES to set a standard in the world of wine. It is the most exported wine in Chile, and has become the Carmenere with the greatest number of consumers throughout the world, making this Chilean flagship available.

Frontera adds this silky and spicy red to a portfolio, which already offered Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

Héctor Urzúa, Frontera winemaker, says that the wine “expresses Carmenere’s typical aromas of plums, blackberries and spices. It is smooth and silky and invites you to continue exploring this pleasing variety”. Frontera Carmenere originates in the Maule Valley, 250 kilometers south of Santiago where selected vineyards produce ripe Carmenere wines full of character.

The promotion of this variety promises to increase the brand’s success, which launched its current bottle presentation in 2004 and increased its sales significantly.

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Renowned Belgian chefs visit Concha y Toro

BELGIUM epicureans are increasingly learning more about the richness of Chilean wine and gastronomy, in great part thanks to the efforts of Concha y Toro and its local agent, Chacallí Fine Wine Society. An education program was launched in September, with workshops for chefs dictated in Antwerpen, Durbuy and Zeebrugge by Chef Ruth Van Waerebeek. After this training course, the chefs’ home restaurants offered Chilean themed menus, paired with Concha y Toro wines, of course. Marcelo Papa joined the campaign by directing tastings for wine writers and customers.

The highest point of the program was a first-ever visit to Chile by 30 distinguished Belgian chefs. The group included 18 chefs from the city of Durbuy, the “25-11 group” and the “33 Masters” association, with representatives from all over Belgium.

The chefs toured the El Triángulo estate in Casablanca Valley, to get

acquainted with the best origin for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. They continued towards Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, for a little relaxation in Chile’s central coast.

In Santiago, they walked the typical Central Market of Santiago, with its exuberant produces. Concha y Toro chef, Ruth Van Waerebeek, who also happens to be Belgian, guided them. They took an interest in the huge variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables afforded by the first days of summer and also in some unusual foodstuffs and preparations, exotic to the European tradition.

Concha y Toro-wise, they visited the Pirque casona, the Puente Alto cellar and the Peumo vineyards, home to Chile’s best Carmenere.

The weekend, in turn, was devoted to the other side of the Andes: the city of Mendoza and the Argentinean company branch: Trivento Bodegas y Viñedos.

CONCHA Y TORO is the Chilean winery with a broadest Carmenere portfolio. With the different styles represented by Terrunyo, Casillero del Diablo, Sunrise and Frontera, there’s a company’s Carmenere in every market niche and for every occasion required.

During the last few years Concha y Toro has embarked on a vineyard investment plan in areas recognized for their affinity with this variety. As a result the company now owns 562 hectares of Carmenere plantations. The fruit selected for its ultra premium versions comes from the

SWISS WINE LOVERS are big Don Melchor fans. Living proof of this is the fact that they organized a vertical tasting of the icon Puente Alto wine for a second time, an event that garnered the attention of trade buyers, press members and consumers.

Winemaker Enrique Tirado traveled to Zurich on October 2004 to introduce 10 vintages worth of Don Melchor. He conveyed an excellent sample of this wine’s history and evolution, and of the particular “Don Melchor style”, which, by way of numerous awards and acknowledgements has made a place for itself in the international wine scene.

IN MEXICO, Concha y Toro and its distributor, Exclusivas Benet, have hosted a series of dinner parties aimed at educating the public on how to best pair Concha y Toroʼs wine varieties with a number of Mexican cuisine specialties.

One of the main gatherings took place in August 2004 at the Altamira restaurant, where Chef Patrick Gil offered members of the local food and wine press four dishes designed to complement four exclusive Concha y Toro wines. The chefʼs creations combined traditional ingredients such as mole pulque and chipotle chili, with beef, duck and shrimp. In the picture Manuel Ablanedo (standing) from Exclusivas Benet, with Patrick Gil and Mauricio Hammer.

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Cachapoal and Colchagua valleys. The Peumo terroir, most likely the best origin for Carmenere due to its warm weather tempered to perfection by breezes blowing from the Cachapoal River, is part of the Cachapoal Valley. Furthermore, Peumo depicts fertile soils and benign autumns, both traits particularly appreciated by this variety.

The exceptional Carmenere wines coming from Peumo have informed the decision to expand the cultivated area in the vineyard devoted to this grapevine.

Carmenere Tour in Brazil

Switzerland greets Don Melchor

Latinoamerican flavors

Concha y Toro spreads the word on the charm of Carmenere

IN VENEZUELA, Concha y Toro and its distributor CA Ron Santa took part in the International Food Show.

Concha y Toro winemaker Paula Gajardo led a Don Melchor tasting with the interesing 1998, 1999 and 2000 vintages. She also gave a presentation-with-tasting “The Wines of Concha y Toro”, where participants were able to taste all of Concha y Toroʼs wine brands. As always, in keeping with the Concha y Toro spirit of linking the local gastronomy with its wines, Amelia and Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon accompanied the dishes presented by the famous Venezuelan chef Sumito Estévez in his training course.

CONCHA Y TORO WINEMAKER, Hector Urzua, traveled to Brazil in July 2004 with a full schedule. The main goal was to participate in several educational events and divulge the history, management and qualities of Concha y Toro’s Carmenere wines.

He visited Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte. In Rio and Sao Paulo tastings of Concha y Toro wines were held in Expand’s stores, attended by over 200 people. In each city the idea was to show Carmenere’s gastronomic versatilitiy, so lunches and dinners where hosted in well-known local restaurants to showcase the wines’ qualities when combined with a specially prepared meal.

Some restaurants were Zuka and Careme Bistro in Rio de Janeiro, the Hilton Hotel and Julia restaurants in Sao Paulo and the Splendido restaurant in Belo Horizonte, among others. In a pleasant and cheerful setting, Hector talked with each Chef in charge about Carmenere’s characteristics and its relationship with the chosen dish.

The specialized press was also invited to these meetings and contributed in communicating the variety’s attractive aspects. One of these was Renato Machado of TV Globo, who recommended the wines in this program and generated much enthusiasm.

Héctor Urzúa, Concha y Toro winemaker.

Carmenere in the world Tasting at the United States Society of Wine Educators

Carmenere was one of the subjects discussed in the Annual Meeting of the Society of Wine Educators, one of the main educational societies for wine in the United States. The event was held in August 2004 in Sonoma, where Concha y Toro executive Sebastián López led a tasting for 200 wine industry specialists.

Carmenere and Haute Cuisine in Puerto Rico

The Terrunyo, Casillero del Diablo and Sunrise Carmeneres were the central attraction at an event held at the El Convento Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The colonial hotel was full with over 150 connoisseurs familiar with sophisticated wines who enjoyed a fantastic party with music, haute cuisine and the delicious aromas of this unique Chilean variety.

Launching in Uruguay

Theatre and wine were masterly united in Montevideo to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of poet Pablo Neruda. On September 27, 2004, actors from the Montevideo National School of Theatre presented a play at the Cottage Hotel before an audience of 150 people inspired in the Chilean writerʼs poems.

The invitation was extended by Concha y Toroʼs distributor in Uruguay, Almena S.A. to present the Companyʼs solid portfolio of Carmenere wines. After the play there was a tasting led by winemaker Hector Urzua.

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By Wine Enthusiast Magazine:

Concha y Toro, chosen New World Winery of the Year Adam Strum, editor and publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, presented the award to Isabel Guilisasti, Concha y Toro Marketing Director and Rafael Guilisasti Vice-president at a ceremony held at the New York City Public Library

Concha y Toro was distinguished as Winery of the Year in the New World category, by North American magazine Wine Enthusiast. This prize is part of the Wine Star Awards 2004 for excellence in the industry at a worldwide level.

Concha y Toro was chosen over other renowned Australia, New Zealand and Argentine wineries as “it covers all the bases” and includes almost all the qualities that are required of a top winery.

“And we’ve come to expect nothing less from our 2004 New World Winery of the Year, which does so many things well, and the result being so much excellent wine”, says the article.

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“Some wineries are impressive because of the quality of their top level cuvées, while others make their marks by dispensing value after value. Still others earn accolades for raising the bar for innovation, while a few serve as wine ambassadors for their entire country. It is rare, however, when a winery manages to cover all these bases at once”, states the publication.

The US market is particularly significant for the company, as “for many Americans their introduction to Chilean wine has come through a bottle produced by Concha y Toro”.

The magazine highlights the fact that the company has managed to reconcile an efficient management vision with the winery’s tradition and history. The company’s roots go back to its foundation by Melchor Concha y Toro, who imported wine grape varieties from France, a decision that would mark forever the history of the winery.

“The main owner – the Guilisasti family – has long understood the importance of revenue distribution and economies of scale. Its voluminous production with an eye toward exports (it’s now the world’s number two exporter to the United

States after several years of being number one) has resulted in sizable revenues. But like a sport franchise that chooses to reinvest ticket and broadcast income in great players, Concha y Toro invests in talented winemakers, stateof-the-art equipment and prime vineyards”, highlights the article.

This is also confirmed by Concha y Toro CEO, Eduardo Guilisasti: “Concha y Toro has always believed in the winemaking potential of Chile.

We invested first in the vineyards. The next logical step was to invest in our wineries and to develop a winemaking team that works off of each other’s strengths. Our wines are ultimately the expression of soil, the winery and our winemakers”.

The award-giving ceremony took place on January 24 at the New York City Public Library’s Astor Hall and Celeste Bartos Forum. More than 400 American wine industry executives attended the consecutive gala dinner at which Concha y Toro vice-president, Rafael Guilisasti, accepted and thanked the recognition on behalf of the whole company.