When Ectodavirgada was growing up in Chile, having a glass of wine at dinner was a daily tradition.

His father owned a small grocery store just outside of Santiago, and every night he would bring home a bottle of wine.

He never brought very expensive bottles, just a common wine.

The first time I tried a little wine, I had 12 years old. My parents didn't see me. I never forgot that warm flavor.

That first taste was the start of an education that would take him far from home and eventually lead him back with a unique distinction.

He'd become the first master sommelier of Latin America.

Bienvenidos and welcome to the Duolingo Spanish podcast. I'm Martina Castro.

Every episode we bring you fascinating, true stories to help you improve your Spanish listening and gain new perspectives on the world.

The storyteller will be using intermediate Spanish, and I'll be chiming in for context in English.

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Revolución, con sabor en panadas y vino tinto.

That means revolution in Chile tastes of empanadas and red wine.

That was a typical phrase during the government of Salvador Allende, a socialist president democratically elected in 1970.

El vino es parte de la identidad de Chile.

Durante la conquista, los misioneros españoles trajeron uvas al país para ser vino para las iglesias.

Since then, Chilean landowners and peasants alike grew grapes to make homemade wine.

It's part of Chile's heritage.

Desde ese momento, el vino acompaña la gente en su vida y en sus celebraciones.

After Chile declared its independence from Spain in 1818, Chileans began to travel to Europe.

They tasted European wines and started to import them.

There, the modern era of wine in Chile began.

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