From Trends to Terroir: Tim Atkin MW and the South American Wine

In the quiet, modern setting of the Pullman Hotel in San Isidro, we sat down with one of the most influential voices in the global wine industry: Tim Atkin MW. Having visited South America for over 35 years, Atkin has witnessed the continent’s transition from a “land of promise” to a powerhouse of tangible quality.

During our conversation, Atkin reflected on the identity crisis of the 90s, the “bolder” spirit of Argentina versus Chile’s conservatism, and where Peru fits into the global gastronomic and viticultural puzzle.

A Journey of Identity

Atkin’s perspective is rooted in history. “I first came to South America in 1990,” he notes, recalling a time when the region was beginning to open up after decades of political enclosure. He believes the most significant shift hasn’t just been in export volumes, but in self-confidence.

“In the 1990s, South America was following the international market—it was a copy of something else. Now, it has its own identity. People are expressing local places and local varieties like the Criolla grapes. It’s a reinterpreted past, and that’s what is exciting.”

The Continental Divide: Chile vs. Argentina

When asked about the differences between the two titans of the Southern Hemisphere, Atkin didn’t hold back. He views Chile as a victim of its own success in the “value” category, struggling to shift a narrative defined by low prices.

Argentina, by contrast, he describes as “bolder” and “happier to take risks.”

• Chile: Economically stable but stylistically conservative.
• Argentina: Economically volatile, yet driven by a diverse “food and wine culture” inherited from Italian and French immigration.

“I still think we haven’t seen the best of Malbec,” Atkin adds. “It’s a plastic, malleable grape that reflects its terroir perfectly.”

Peru: Small Scale, High Ambition

As we turned our focus to Peru, the conversation naturally gravitated toward the country’s world-class culinary reputation. Atkin, fresh from a lunch at Astrid & Gastón and heading to Maido for dinner, noted that while the “gastronomic conversation is already done,” the wine conversation is just beginning.

For Peru to compete, Atkin suggests two pathways:

1. Honoring the Old: Leveraging the historic Criolla and Canary Island varieties planted in coastal sands and limestone.
2. Chasing the High: Exploring the high-altitude potential of Cusco and Apurimac, which could offer a unique edge in the face of climate change.

“Peru is tiny in terms of vineyards,” Atkin admits. “To make a name for itself, it has to go upmarket. It cannot compete on volume; it must compete on quality and story.”

The Future of the Bottle

As the industry faces a younger generation that is increasingly health-conscious and drinking less, Atkin remains optimistic but realistic. The future, he argues, lies in a combination of luxury, sustainability, and cultural coherence.

“Wine is an amazing prism to look at the broader world; history, sociology, politics. To engage younger people, we need to tell them something interesting. We need to sell the story of the land and the individuals behind it. If you sell it as a commodity, people won’t be interested.”

As Atkin prepares for his next stop in Bolivia, his takeaway for the Peruvian industry is “stop copying the world, look toward the Andes and your own history, and find the ‘finesse’ that allows a place to speak for itself”.