Wine production in Chile began in the mid-16th century, likely introduced by Spanish missionaries following the Spanish conquest. Grapes were first brought over for use in the Eucharist, with records indicating that Pedro de Valdivia, the first royal governor of colonial Chile, requested vines from the King in 1545 to help evangelize the region. The grape variety Pais (Listan Prieto) was probably the first to arrive with the Spanish. By 1555, Rodrigo de Araya, a Spanish conquistador, became the first to engage in agriculture and viticulture in Chile.

Notably, indigenous tribes took over some of the Spanish vineyards and produced a semi-fermented sweet wine called Chicha, which remains popular during Chile’s national celebration, Fiestas Patrias, in September. Chicha has been consumed by South American natives for up to 7,000 years, though they originally used other fruits and vegetables before the arrival of wine grapes.

Colonial Chilean wine gained a reputation as a cheap export during the 17th and 18th centuries. However, after Chile gained independence from Spain in 1818, the industry began to evolve. In 1851, wealthy Chileans, inspired by their travels to France, imported the first French varietal vines. This decision proved fortuitous when the Phylloxera blight devastated European vineyards shortly after, leaving Chile with some of the oldest pre-Phylloxera vines in the world, as the country is the only major wine producer never affected by Phylloxera. Among the imported grapes were Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer, along with other varieties brought by European immigrants.