Montes planted two hectares of vines this month on the small isle of Mechuque, on the eastern side of the Chiloé Archipelago, which lies more than 600 miles south of Santiago.
It is one of the world’s southernmost plantings at a latitude of 42.6° S and a landmark experiment for island viticulture in Chile.
Despite its southerly location, Aurelio Montes – who frequently sails and flies in the region – believes the warm ocean currents on the eastern side of the archipelago will protect it from frost and the extreme temperatures that are common elsewhere at this latitude.
‘I explored the Chiloé Archipelago dozens of times — by air, by sea, and by land, so it gave me a detailed knowledge of its many islands,’ Montes told Decanter.com.
‘Chiloé is not only a place of myth and legend, it has major climatic benefits…’
Read the full article on Decanter
