Aconcagua Flashcards
Mt. Aconcagua
Elevation
7,010 meters
- Mt. Aconcagua is the HIGHEST mountain in the western hemisphere
Aconcagua
Panquehue
General wine style
Richest, Chewiest, Most Intense wines of Chile
Where does the Aconcagua DO take its name?
Aconcagua River
Aconcagua DO
3 Subregions
- Valle del Aconcagua DO - 1,500 ha smallest
- Valle de Casablanca DO - 6,000 ha largest
- Valle de San Antonio DO - 2,300 ha

The Región Vitícola de Aconcagua corresponds to the adminstrative region of Valparaíso. It includes two DO areas that are not contained within the above subregions: Marga-Marga and Zapallar. Both are considered Costa
Aconcagua DO
2 Subregions near the coast
- Casablanca
- San Antonio
- Among Chile’s coolest new winemaking zones; in stark contrast to the heat of the other interior Aconcagua DO subregion Aconcagua Valley

Aconcagua Valley
Soils
Alluvial soils
Valle del Aconcagua DO
1 Costa Area

C: Quillota
- C: Quillota
- EC: Catemu, Hijuelas, Llaillay, Panquehue, San Felipe
- A: Calle Larga, San Esteban, Santa María

Valle del Aconcagua DO
5 Entre Cordilleras Areas
C, H, L, P, S

EC: Catemu, Hijuelas, Llaillay, Panquehue, San Felipe
- C: Quillota
- EC: Catemu, Hijuelas, Llaillay, Panquehue, San Felipe
- A: Calle Larga, San Esteban, Santa María
Valle del Aconcagua DO
3 Andes Areas
C, S, S
A: Calle Larga, San Esteban, Santa María
- C: Quillota
- EC: Catemu, Hijuelas, Llaillay, Panquehue, San Felipe
- A: Calle Larga, San Esteban, Santa María
Aconcagua DO
2 DOs not located w/in the 3 Subregions
- Marga-Marga
-
Zapallar
- Both Costa
Aconcagua Valley DO
Most Important Producer
Viña Errázuriz
- est 1870
-
2004 “Berlin Tasting” hosted by descendant Eduardo Chadwick, beat Lafite and Margaux
- Viñedo Chadwick - Maipo, 1st place
- Seña - mid 1990s, w/ Mondavi, BDX blend
Aconcagua Valley DO
3 most planted varieties

- Cab Sauv, Syrah, Carmenère
Sauvignon Blanc - gaining ground on newer coastal plantings
Valle de Casablanca DO
Areas
NONE
- Entire area is Costa
Casablanca
1st experimental vineyards
-
1982 - Pablo Morandé, oversaw region’s 1st vineyards
- For Concha y Toro
- Would follow to explore Casablanca under his own brand
- 2nd wave - Villard (MOVI), Veramonte (Huneeus family)
Casablanca
6,000 ha
Producers who planted in the 1990s
- Viña Casablanca
- Casas del Bosque
- Kingston Family Vineyards
end of 2000s - 100 wineries
Casablanca
2nd wave of producers
Post Pablo Morandé of Concha y Toro, 1982

Casablanca - 6,000 ha
- Villard - MOVI member
- Veramonte - Huneeus family

Casablanca
Most planted varieties
- 75% White
-
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
- 2 most planted, both have over 2,000 ha
-
Pinot Noir on rise
- Planting in more app. places - hillsides w/ reddish clays overylaying quartz-rich granite (vs sandy loam of valley floor)
Valle de San Antonio DO
2 Zones / “3” Subzone
-
Valle de Leyda
- Southernmost, majority planted 15 km from ocean
-
Lo Abarco
- Most extreme, 4 km from ocean
-
Rosario (not official zone)
- Furthest inland, warmest
Year Leyda became a DO
2002
- Leyda DO, within San Antonio DO, within Aconcagua DO
2 DO Areas within Leyda
- Santo Domingo
- San Juan
both Costa
vs areas outside Leyda - Algarrobo, Cartagena, Lo Abarca
2 DO Areas outside of Leyda
- Algarrobo
- Cartagena
- Lo Abarca
Only top 2 areas listed on compendium
vs w/in Leyda - San Juan, Santa Domingo
San Antonio’s northernmost, warmest, driest, and most inland subzone
Rosario
- 19 km from Pacific (vs Lo Abarca, 4 km)
-
Only 1 estate - Matetic - Demeter certified
- 1st to plant Syrah in San Antonio, 2001
San Antonio’s most extreme subzone
Lo Abarca
- COOLEST, maritime climate
- 4 km from the coast (vs Rosario, 19 km)
- 1,000 growing degree days
- 1st producer - Casa Marin - 2000
San Antonio Valley
Year Vines 1st Planted
1998
- Inaugural wines released 2001
Valle de San Antonio DO
Major Producers

San Antonio Valley
- Matetic
- Viña Leyda
- Casa Marin

San Antonio Valley DO
Most Planted Grape

Sauvignon Blanc
- 50% of region’s 2,300 ha
- Synonymous with Leyda
- Thiol-laden similar to Marlborough