Chapter 17: South America Flashcards
What climatic and geographical features combine to make the western foothills of Argentina an excellent area for wine grapes?
Dry air + plentiful irrigation water from Andean Snowmelt + High Elevation and Unlimited Sunshine
What is the name of the fierce winter wind that often affects the vineyards of Argentina?
The Zonda Winds
What weather threat can affect the vineyards of Argentina at harvest time?
Hailstorms
What is the leading red grape of Argentina?
Malbec
What is considered the “signature” white grape of Argentina?
Torrontes
What is the highest level of wine quality designation used in Argentina?
Denominacion de Origen Controlada (DOC)
What is the intermediate quality level designation used for the wines of Argentina?
Indicacion de Geografica (IG)
What designation is used for table wines and regional wines in Argentina?
Indicacion de Procedencia (IP)
What are the first two regions in Argentia to be declared DOC?
Lujan de Luyo and San Rafael
Province with close to 17% of Argentina’s vineyards, making it the second-largest grape- producing province in the country.
San Juan
Province particularly well-known for high altitude Torrontes Riojano
Salta
Province that contains the Famatina mountain range
La Rioja
Province that contains close to 75% of Argentina’s vineyards
Mendoza
Term used to designate the best wines of Argentina
Vinos Finos
Home province of the ultra-high-elevation Moya Vineyard
Jujuy
Label term based on minimum aging periods
Reserva
DOC region located in Mendoa’s Primera Zona
Lujan de Cuyo
Province that contains some of the lowest elevation vineyards in Argentina
Rio Negro
A subregion of Salta with very high-altitude vineyards
Cafayate
Province located in the georaphic center of Argentina (to the east of La Rioja)
Cordoba
Province located just south of Mendoza
Nuequen
Red grape also known as Douce Noir
Bonarda
White grape grown primarily for use in fortified wines and bulk wines
Pedro Gimenez
DOC region located in South Mendoza
San Rafael
Home province of the Sarmiento region (and some of the southernmost vineyards in the world)
Chubut
Chile is a long, narrow country, almost ______ miles in length, and rarely more than ______ miles wide.
2,700
100
The _________, one of the dreist places on earth, is located in the north of Chile, while the south contains the frozen archipelago of __________.
Atacama Desert
Tierra Del Fuego
In part due to its natural barriers and strict quarantine policies, Chile has managed to remain free of the vineyard pest ____________.
Phylloxera
Chile has a cold ocean current, known as the _________ Current, flowing along its shores from the polar seas.
Humboldt
____________ is the most widely planted grape in Chile.
Cabernet Sauvignon
In the 1990s, it was discovered that many of the Chilean grapes thought to be Merlot were actually ____________, which is now considered by many to be the “signature” grape of Chile.
Carmenere
Some of the Chilean grapes originally thought to be Sauvignon Blanc are actually _______________, and many of these vines have been replaced. However, the two grapes are not always differentiated, and both of the grapes (and their wines) are sometimes simply referred to as __________.
- Sauvignon Vert
2. Sauvignon
Chile has a set geographic place of origin laws known as the _______________.
Denominacion de Origen (DO)
Under Chilean law, the minimum requirement for place of origin, vintage, and variety on a wine label is ______ percent; however, many export-oriented wineries use the EU standard of ______.
75%
85%
As of 2011, three terms based on Chile’s east-west geography were approved for use on Chilean wine labels. What are they?
Costa (Coast)
Entre Cordilleras (Between the Mountains)
Andes (Mountains)
Region surrounding the Chilean city of Santiago
Maipo Valley
A cool-climate subregion of the Coquimbo, well-known for mineral-driven white wines.
Limari Valley
The region that contains the Cachapoal and Colchagua Valleys
Rapel Valley
The warmest subregion of Aconcagua
Aconcagua Valley
A region of the Central Valley located inland, with no maritime influence
Curico Valley
A large area that encompasses more than 80% of Chile’s vineyards
Central Valley
Northern region better known for Pisco than for fine wine
Atacama Region
Region located where the valley floor widens at the southern end of the Central Valley
Maule Valley
The southernmost extreme of wine growing in Chile
Austral Region
Region with the highest rainfall of all of Chile’s wine regions
Bio Bio Valley
Subregion of the Aconcagua located very close to the coast and well-known for white wines
Casablanca Valley
A subzone of the San Antonion Valley known for granite soils and breezy conditions
Leyda Valley
Area located very close to the edge of the Atacama Desert
Elqui Valley
Wine area located at the narrowest point of the country
Choapa Valley
What is considered to be the “signature” white grape of Argentina?
a. Chardonnay
b. Pedro Gimenez
c. Torrontes
d. Sauvignon Blanc
c. Torrontes
What is the Zonda?
a. a cold ocean current that runs up the coast of Argentina
b. a cold ocean current that runs up the coast of Chile
c. A hot, dry breeze that affects the Central Valley of Chile
d. A fierce wind that may affect the vineyards of Argentina
d. A fierce wind that may affect the vineyards of Argentina
What is the Humboldt Current?
a. a cold ocean current that runs up the coast of Argentina
b. a cold ocean current that runs up the coast of Chile
c. a warm ocean current that runs-down the coast of chile
d. a warm summer current that affects all of the Southern Hemisphere
b. A cold ocean current that runs up the coast of Chile
What adverse weather condition often affects the vineyards of Argentina at harvest time?
a. Sudden freezes
b. Extreme humidity that can cause fungal problems
c. Hurricanes
d. Hailstorms
d. Hailstorms
Which of the following grapes, once widely grown in Bordeaux, has become a “signature” grape of Chile?
a. Malbec
b. Petite Verdot
c. Carmenere
d. Semillon
c. Carmenere
Which of the following wine regions is located nearest to the border between Argentina and Bolivia?
a. Jujuy
b. Mendoza
c. La Rioja
d. Catamarca
a. Jujuy
Which of the following wine regions is known for high-altitude Torrontes?
a. Cafayate
b. Maule Valley
c. Malleco Valley
d. Rio Negro
a. Cafayate
What is the most widely planted grape in Chile?
a. Pinot Noir
b. Merlot
c. Cabernet Sauvignon
d. Carmenere
c. Cabernet Sauvignon
Which of the following grape varieties is often mistaken for Sauvignon Blanc in Chile?
a. Sauvignon Gris
b. Sauvignon Vert
c. Chenin Blanc
d. Vionier
b. Sauvignon Vert
Which of the following wine regions is located closest to the city of Santiago?
a. Mendoza
b. Coquimbo
c. Maipo Valley
d. Maipu Valley
c. Maipo Valley
Which of the following areas has been awarded Brazil’s first DO designation?
a. Serra Gaucha
b. Serra do Sudeste
c. Planalto Catarinense
d. Vale dos Vinhedos
d. Vale dos Vinhedos
