Chile's ultimate heyday was at the end of the 19th Century, when much of the rest of the wine producing world had been struck down by the dreaded phylloxera. The industry was dominated in Chile by just a handful of families, and suddenly found herself able to fill the void in the world's wine lake, but before too long had slipped into a period of stagnation. During the 1990s, however, many Chilean wineries began to re-evaluate their situation and the wine industry is thriving once more. Its climate is reliable, and their vines seem less susceptible to many of the pests and diseases that plague other countries' vines. Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile's main grape variety, followed by Merlot and Carmenère, and Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for whites.
