Ch 36 Flashcards
where are the sub regions of the Southern region of Chile?
- vineyards are cooler and wetter
1) ITATA VALLEY - pais and muscat of alexandria
2) BIO BIO - pinot noir and chard
3) MALLECO - smallest, chard and pinot noir
describe Curico and Maule Valley topography and climate
Maule is cooler than Curico
- southern end of Central valley
- warmest fertile soil –> most important for inexpensive blended red and white
- increasing effect for dry farming
what grapes grow in Curico and Maule?
-carignan full bodied intently concentrated , ancient low yield bush vines
Cliamate of the Central valley region?
- region runs from Captial Santigo to the sub regions of Itata Valley
- vast warm flat
- ripens easy–> focus on inexpensive fruity wines merlot and chard
- divided into 4 sub regions
what are the sub regions of Rapel
has 2 smaller sub regions
Central valley - ______- then small are:
1) Cachaoul
2) Colchagua
Colchagua valley
central valley--> rabel--> \_\_\_\_ -zones is a larger and more varied -warm and open to some ocean influences -full bodied red cab, syrah, carmenere as expande, panters on slopes occur
Cachapoal Valley
Central valley–> Rapel–> _____
warm area, cut off from ocean breeze
-carmenere on valley floor
-cab & syrah cooler eastern end
describe topography and what varietals grow in Maipo valley?
- close proximity to Santiago
- classic heartland of industry
- almost surrounded by mts, little coast
- premium sites by Andean foothills, cooled by descending air
what are the sub regions of Central Valley
1) Maipo
2) Rapel
- Chapoal
- Colchagua
3) Curico
4) Maule
what grapes grow in Casablanca and San Antonio?
Sauv blanc dominates
-particularity in Leyda Valley zone and San Antonio Valley
Chard- capable of fine wine
PN- red berry fruit, herbal notes
Syrah -(Casablanca) well structured with pepper notes
Casablanca valley and San Antonio Valley share similar vineyard topography conditions which are?
- host of different soils, aspects
- both lie between the coast and mts
- morning fog, afternoon winds
- sauv blanc, dominates, particular in the Leyda valley
describe Aconcagua Valley topography
1) Steep sided narrow valley
- cooling from Andes
2) Moving toward the Pacific between mt range and coast
- fertile valley floor
what grows in the Aconcagua?
cab sauv- rich ripe flavors with H acid and H tannin
syrah
carmenerie
what are the principal sub regions of Aconcagua Valley
- this is the 2nd smallest wine region in Chile
1) Aconcagua valley
2) Casablanca valley
3) San Antonia valley which includes Leyda Valley zone
describe the Coquimbo region
region boarders Atacama dessert
- most northern region
- lack of water / Irrigation is expensive
what are 3 sub regions of Coquimbo
Elqui Valley–> sauv blanc and syrah
LImari Valley–> high quaulity chard
Choapa Valley –> lessor
all 3 benefit from slightly different features, sunshine, cooling from sea breeze or mountains
what white grape grown in Chile
1) SAVU BLANC- Cassablanca, San Antonia
- herbaceous, H acid, fruity, ripe apple, citrus, tropical
2) CHARD - Llmari Valley, Aconcayua Valley
- ripe fruit, and oak
3) MUSCAT of ALEXANDRIA - grape brandy Pisco
where is PN grown in Chile?
San Antonio
Casablanca valley
describe Syrah from Chile
1) North Elqui Valley–> lt body, pepper
2) Colchuagua (mid range) –> Intense black fruit, fuller body, hotter climate
describe carmenere from Chile
- late ripening
- most successful in warm and sunny
- usually full body. often H tannin
- herbaceous when not fully ripe
- black fruit, herbal aroma
- signature grape
describe cab sauv from Chile
made in variety of styles
- simple and fruity to full body premium
- ripe black fruit
- herbaceous character
- frequently blended w/ merlot
- carmenere or syrah
what black grapes does Chile grow?
cab sauv merlot carmenere syrah pinot noir
what are the terms used to communicate the quality level w/in producer’s portfolio on Chile?
Reserva
Reserva Especial
Reserva Privada
Grand Reserva
what new terms appear on wine labels as a result of the 2012 new classification
1) Costa–> for costal regions
2) Entre Cordilleras –> area between the mountains ranges
3) Andes–> mountain area
Producers may choose or not choose to put these terms on the labels in addition to the DOs
2012 Chilean wine law change, how?
classify vineyards site according to the distance from the coast instead of the latitude
name Chile’s principal DO regions
Denominaciones de Origen -Coquimbo -Aconcagua -Central Valley -Southern Region regions are divided into 13 sub regions that generally follow the valley and EW andes to Pacific
Chile grape growing?
900 KMs N to S 100Km W to E
4 Key geo Features:
1) pacific ocean west and just inland coastal mountains
2) east side Andes
3) N of Santiago 2 mountain ranges merge
4) South of Capital large depression between mountain ranges = Central Valley
Chile climate?
generally warm med climate dry sunny reliably ripe and fungal -disease kept minimum -irrigation where rain shortfall -El Nino = Rain increase -La Nina = drought
how do the Andes Mountains affect the growing region for Chile?
- cold air descends from the mountains over night and can cause large diurnal temp ranges
- between 2 mt ranges the climate is more sheltered
- large expense of flat land is easier to cultivate
what wine laws does Chile follow?
GI scheme
Vineyards divided into several DOs Denominaciones de Origen
- 13 sub regions
-base on Administrative regions
-sub regions = broad based and contain multiple zones that are uniform in climate
