17. South America Flashcards
Which country produces the most wine in South America? Chile or Argentina?
Argentina
What is the name of the mountain range that forms the border between Argentina and Chile?
Andes
What is the general climate of the Argentine wine regions?
Continental
What is the name of the winds that cool - and can damage - vines in Argentina?
Zonda Winds
What is a common vineyard threat around harvest season in Argentina?
Hail
What are the three traditional grapes of Argentina which are often used for high volume wine?
Cereza, Criolla Grande, Criolla Chica
The pink skin grapes of Cereza, Criolla Grande, and Criolla Chica account for roughly what percentage of total plantings in Argentina?
1/3
What are the top three red grapes of Argentina?
Malbec, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon
What are the top four white grapes of Argentina?
Torrontes Riojano, Torrontes Mendocino, Torrontes Sanjuanino, Chardonnay
What are the two key grape varieties Argentina is best known for?
Malbec and Torrontes
Describe a Malbec from Argentina: Color, flavors
Deeply pigmented (inky, opaque), black fruit/plum flavors
Of the three types of Torrontes, which is most widely grown?
Torrontes Riojano
Describe a Torrontes wine from Argentina.
Light body, fruity, floral aromas
Which grapes is also referred to as Douce Noir in France and Charbano in California?
Bonardo
What is Bonardo referred to as in France?
Douce Noir
What is Bonardo known as in California?
Charbano
Describe the Argentinian wine classification system.
IP, IG, DOC
What are the two DOCs of Argentina?
Lucan de Cuyo (Mendoza) and San Rafael (Mendoza)
What is distinctive about Lucan de Cayo and San Rafael areas of Mendoza?
They are currently the only two DOCs in Argentina.
What is the INV of Argentina?
Institute National de Viniviticultura - the regulating body for the wine industry in Argentina.
What are Vinos Finos?
Wines noted as the highest quality wines, as per the INV.
Roughly 20% of Argentinian wines earn this designation.
Approximately what percentage of wine produced in Argentina receives the Vinos Finos designation?
Approximately 20%
Name two key stipulations to earn the Vinos Finos designation:
Wines must be from premium grapes and contain a minimum of 85% of the stated variety
(This suggest the Cereza and Criolla grapes will not be made into Vinos Finos wine).
What is the name of the small (65 acre) region in the very northwest corner of Argentina?
Juyjuy
Where is the Moya Vineyard? What is its claim to fame?
The Moya Vineyards is in the Juyjuy wine region, it is noted as the highest elevation vineyard in Argentina at 10,900 feet
Where is the sub region of Cafayate? What is it known for?
Cafayate is a sub region of Salta. It’s known for high altitude Torrontes Riojano as well as Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
What is the name of the subregion of Salta known for high altitude Torrontes, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cafayate. Cafayate is home to a majority of the vineyards in Salta.
Where is the Altura Maxima vineyard?
In the Molina subregion of Salta. Altura Maxima is noted as an ultra high altitude vineyard.
What are the two cited subregions of the Salta wine region?
Argentina’s Salta wine region is noted with two key subregions: Cafayate (where the majority of the vineyards are) and Molinos (home to Altura Maxima, an ultra high altitude vineyard known for Malbec.)
Which grape is planted in the Altura Maxima subregion of Salta?
Malbec
What region is the Calchaqui Valley in?
Tucuman
True or False: More than 40% of Catamarca vine are planted to native Criolla varieties.
TRUE
Where are the Famatima Valleys of Argentina? In what region?
La Rioja
Is La Rioja more white or red dominant?
Red, but by only 1%. Red grapes represents 51% of the plantings in La Rioja.
What are the top two largest wine producing regions of Argentina?
Mendoz and San Juan
Which region accounts for 75% of the total volume of wine in Argentina?
Mendoza
What is the split between Mendoza’s red/white planting?
61% Red / 39% White. Malbec, Bonarda are the two most widely planted grapes
What is the southernmost wine producing region of Argentina?
Chubut - Pinot Noir is the leading red grape planted here (60% of plantings are red)
How do the growing conditions of the Buenos Aires region compare to other wine regions in Argentina?
Outside of the rain shadow of the Andes - therefore, more rain - and ocean influences.
What are the key grapes of the Buenas Aires region?
White grapes, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Describe the Chilean place of Origin laws.
Similiar to the US in in that there is just one demarcation: DO, Denominacion de Origen.
Chilean’s DO system requires what percentage of the wine to be grown in the DO it is labeled as?
75%
What are the largest DOs in Chile referred to as?
Viticultural regions.
What are the three geographical indications that can be added to a DO label in Chile?
Costa, Entre Cordilleras, Andes (allowed if 85% of the grapes were grown in these areas)
What sentence do I use to remember the Chilean viticultural regions?
The ACAC Doesn’t Suck Anymore.
Atacama
Coquimbo
Aconcagua
Central Valley
DelSur
Austral
What are the key viticultural regions of Chile?
Atacama,
Coquimbo,
Aconcagua,
Central Vally,
Del Sur,
Austral Region
What are the three notable subregions of the Coquimbo region of Chile?
Elqui Valley, Limari Valley, Choapa Valley
Elqui - warmest, known for Syrah
Limari - cooling ocean fogs / Humboldt current, known for mineral driven whites
Choapa - desert like conditions, known for Cab Sav and Syrah
The Elqui Valley of the Coquimbo region is known for high altitude reds - which one is it most famous for?
Syrah
What are the two key influences of the climate of the Limari Valley? (Coquimbo region)
Pacific Ocean / Cooling Fogs
Humboldt Current
Makes Limari an idea region for mineral driven white wines.
What is the most widely planted grape of the Limari Valley?
The Limari Valley, in the Coquimbo region of Chile, is known for its Chardonnay.
The cooling influence of fogs from the pacific ocean and winds from the Humboldt current have a significant impact on the climate here.
Where is the Choapa Valley? What is its climate like?
The Choapa Valley is a sub region of the Coquimbo region of Chile. It is desert like, producing Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Where is the Aconcagua wine region?
In Chile, directly south of the Coquimbo region and north and west of the Central Valley Region. A significant portion of the region is coastal.
What are the three key subregions of the Aconcagua region?
Aconcagua Valley
Casablanca Valley
San Antonio Valley
Aconcagua Valley: warm Mediterranean climate
Casablanca Valley: cool, coastal, Maritime
San Antonio Valley: cool, coastal
Of the three subregions of the Aconcagua region - Aconcagua Valley, Casablanca Valley, San Antonio Valley - which is the warmest?
Aconcagua Valley
The Aconcagua Valley stretches from the coast to the Andes, with most vineyards in the warmer, more inland areas of the region.
Where is the Leyda Valley?
The Leyda Valley is the southern section of the San Antonio sub region of the Aconcagua region . It is known for its granitic soils producing wines with minerality and complexity.
Is the Casablanca Valley known for red or white grapes?
White grapes
It’s coastal location within the Aconcagua region results in a cool growing climate. 75% of plantings are to white grapes, most notably Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc,
Pinot Noir is being grown here as well.
What are the key grapes of the San Antonio Valley?
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Syrah
The Central Valley of Chile accounts for roughly ____ % of Chile’s total wine growing area.
80%
What are the four key subregions of the Central Valley region of Chile?
Maipo Valley
Rapel Valley
Curico Valley
Maule Valley
Maipo: surrounds Santiago
Rapel: region for Cachapoal and Colchagua Vallyes
Curico: further inland
Maule: southern end, cool, dry, organic farming in practice
Which wine region surrounds the city of Santiago?
Maipo Valley
Which area is cited for being the historical heart and cultural center of Chile’s wine industry?
Maipo Valley
What are the two key subregions of the Rapel Valley?
Cachapoal and Colchagua Valleys
Red wines dominate in the Rapel Valley - most notable Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carmenere, and Merlot
Where is the Cachapoal Valley?
In the Rapel Valley sub region of the Central Valley of Chile.
Where is the Colchagua Valley?
In the Central Valley, Rapel Valley subregion.
Is the Colchagua Valley known for red or white wines?
Red wines (along with the Cachapoal Valley)
True or False: the Curico Valley of the Central Valley region of Chile is noted predominantly for red wines.
False: there is a relative even split between red wine and white wine production in the Curico Valley.
Which area in Chile is developing a reputation for old vine Carignan?
The Maule Valley / Central Valley of Chile
The “Southern Region” or “South Region” of Chile also goes by the name of:
Del Sur
Where is the Itata Valley?
At the north of the Del Sur region, bordering the Maule Valley.
What are the three key subregions of the Del Sur region?
Itata Valley (warmer, Mediterranean, focused on reds)
Bio Bio (more maritime, plantings of Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
Malleco Valley (very small, less than 50 acres)
The Del Sur region has two distinct climates. What are they?
Northern: Warm, Mediterranean
Southern: Cooler, Maritime
What are the two key traditional grape of the Del Sur region?
Pais and Moscatel
How is the Itata Valley subregion of Del Sur different from the Bio Bio Valley and Malleco Valley subregions?
The Itata Valley is warmer, more focused on reds.
The climate transitions with the Bio Bio Valley and Malleco Valley as you move further south. These are areas are more white grape / Pinot Noir focused.
Where is Riesling being planted in Chile?
Bio Bio Valley subregion of Del Sur
What is the southernmost growing region in Chile?
Austral Region
Two subregions: Cautin and Osorno Valleys
This area is just emerging for commercial viticulture.
Where does Brazil fall in terms of wine production ranking of South American countries?
3rd
(Argentina 1, Chile 2)
Brazil has only two geographical indication statuses. What are they?
DO - Denominacao de Origem (top)
IO - Indicacao de Origem
Which region produces the most wine in Brazil?
Serra Gaucha - producing 85% of Brazil’s total wine production.
What is Brazil’s first - and currently only - DO?
Vale dos Vinhedos DO
This is a subregion of Serra Gaucha
Merlot and Chardonnay are the flagship varities
What is the key wine growing regions
of Brazil?
Serra Gaucha
What is cited as unique about Brazil’s Vale do Sao Francisco wine region?
It’s tropical climate allows the vines to produce two harvests per year.
True or False: The Campanha region of Brazil is cited as having some of the oldest vines in Brazil.
True
This area is also cited for granite and limestone soils - an ideal region for Cab Sav, Tempranillo, and Tannat
The highest elevation vineyards in Brazil are located in what wine region?
Serra Gaucha
Campanha
Serra do Sudeste
Campos de Cima da Serra
Planalto Catarinese
Vale do Sao Francisco
Planalto Catarinese
Where does Uruguay fall in terms of wine production rankings of South America?
4th
(Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay)
What is the leading grape variety of Uruguay?
Tannat - accounting for roughly 25% of total vineyard acreage.
Tannat is sometimes referred to as Harriague in Uruguay, honoring the person who helped to spread the grape throughout the country.
What white grape is seen as having great potential in Uruaguay?
Albarino
There are certain spots of Uruguay that have similar growing conditions to Galicia.
