Wine, Communism & Volcanoes

Drive beyond the dusty provincial towns and the Chilean landscape is carpeted with 1?4 million acres of grapes that ripen perfectly in bright sunlight, warm days, and cool evenings. Labor, land, and grape prices are low, so Chilean wineries can make high quality wines at a fraction of the cost of those in California, Australia or Europe. Walker Elliott Rowe weaves a narrative of the Chilean people and culture, introducing the reader to many characters both inside and outside the wine business. The towering Andes Mountains are not the only item looming over the Chilean horizon-this progressive country, where the sentiment for socialism is strong, is still dealing with the ghosts of the former military dictator. Through his narrative, Rowe illustrates the irony of Chile's strong system of capitalism that leaves most people working long hours at low wages.