Overview

A foundational technical work on the history of Chilean wine growing, this treatise by agronomist engineer Manuel Rojas L. occupies a central place in the professional development of viticulture in Chile. Written during a decisive phase of modernization in the national wine industry, the book reflects the transition from traditional practice to a system grounded in scientific method and technical training. The fifth edition, issued in Santiago by Editorial Nascimento in 1950, represents the mature synthesis of the author’s long experience in vineyard management and enology, incorporating decades of accumulated observation and applied research. Conceived as a complete reference manual, the volume was designed to support both practitioners and students of viticulture at a moment when Chilean wine production was consolidating its technical foundations. Its substantial length (over eight hundred pages) attests to the scope of its ambition: to present grape growing and winemaking as integrated disciplines governed by biological principles, environmental conditions, and controlled procedures. For much of the mid-twentieth century, the book served as a standard guide for Chilean professionals, shaping vineyard practice and cellar technique during the formative years of the modern industry.