The variety of wines from Chile, their high quality, and value for price are themes we will highlight as we explore this fascinating region. Chile is the oldest ‘New World’ winegrowing region dating back to the 1500s with the arrival of Spanish missionaries who brought with them vine cuttings from Europe. In 1870, when the phylloxera louse began its devastating march across the vineyards of Europe and North America, Chile’s vineyards, protected by natural barriers on all fronts, remained untouched. In fact, many vineyards in Europe and elsewhere were replanted with young, healthy vines from Chile grafted onto phylloxera-resistant root stocks. Rare examples of pure, ungrafted European vines still flourish throughout Chilean vineyards today and we will taste some examples of wines made from vines on their original roots.