MANILA, Philippines?Not long ago, Chilean wines were usually consigned to supermarket shelves. As far as Filipino wine lovers were concerned, only French and Italian wines deserved a place of honor in leading hotels and restaurants.

Not anymore. Global demand for Chilean wines, from refreshing chardonnays to more robust merlots, has steadily increased in the last three years, even in the Philippines.

?Although Chile still produces entry-level wines, its premium wines have started to win over a sizable chunk of the more sophisticated market,? said Olga Azarcon, chief representative in the Philippines of Moët Hennessy Asia-Pacific.

A growing number of Filipinos find Chilean wines to their liking because of their fruity, aromatic and smooth characteristics, Azarcon added. They also cost cheaper than most popular brands from Europe.

It?s quite ironic that one of the biggest promoters of Chilean wines is Louis Vuitton Moët Henessy (LVMH), a French holding company and the world?s largest luxury goods conglomerate. But people at LVMH, in a bid to diversify its offerings, were among the first to recognize Chile?s potential as a reputable wine producer.

?It was simply a matter of how earlier distributors marketed them,? said Azarcon.

?Because they were unknown to most Filipinos then, Chilean wines were introduced in supermarkets. That?s why the Chilean ambassador was quite pleased when he learned that we?re now focusing on Chile?s premium category.?

LVMH?s growing list of wines and spirits now includes premium wines produced by Casa Lapostolle, a 14-year-old winery with a 320-hectare property spread over three vineyards based in central Chile?s Colchagua Valley.

Quick study

Winemaker Diego Urra, the house?s ?brand ambassador,? recently co-hosted a private lunch with Azarcon at Mandarin Oriental?s Tivoli Grill to introduce Casa Lapostolle?s wines to lifestyle media. The list includes Cuvée Alexandre Merlot, Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon and Clos Apalta.

?Regardless of brands,? said Azarcon, ?Filipino wine drinkers have grown to love Chilean reds and whites such as merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.?

Chilean winemakers may lack the heritage and experience of their Old World counterparts, but like upstarts from California and Australia, they?ve proven themselves to be quick studies.

?Casa Lapostolle may be new,? Urra said, ?but our vineyards are 60-75 years old, and they yield highly concentrated grapes.?

The original cuttings were brought over to Chile from France during the early part of the last century, before a dreaded lice infestation attacked the roots of the parent stock in France.

?As a result, the vines in Chile descended from a great lineage,? he added. ?The mild temperatures in the Cordilleras and the warm winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean have made conditions in Chile perfect for producing wines.?

Urra went on to say that the same grapes would taste a tad different had they been grown in California or even in France, their origin. Apart from the place, the manner by which they were grown influences the quality of the grapes and, eventually, the wine.

?Chilean wines are generally known to be fruitier than most wines produced elsewhere,? he said. ?Then again, it also depends on one?s point of view. People are known to respond to obvious as well as subtle aromas differently.?

Ambitious objective

When Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet founded the house in 1994, their objective was simple as well as ambitious: to create world-class wines using French expertise and Chile?s ideal terrain.

Marnier-Lapostolle, after all, hails from a family credited for producing world-renowned spirits and liquors.

The clan has also been involved in wine-making for generations.

Urra didn?t even attempt to describe in detail each of Casa Lapostolle?s offerings. Not that they?re indescribable, he insisted, but their taste is bound to vary from person to person.

?The more a wine gets better, the harder it is to define. Drinking wine is all about the pleasure one derives from it. It?s made to be enjoyed, and the best way to enjoy it is to simply trust your own feelings.?