Chile

Question 1

Chile

General

Answer 1

No Phylloxera (not grafted vines)
Arid (irrigation mandatory)

Question 2

Chile Grapes

Answer 2

Cabernet Sauvignon
Carmenere (ex Merlot chileno)
Syrah
Merlot

Sauvignon Vert
Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay

Question 3

Six major wine regions of Chile

Answer 3

1. Atacama Dry and very warm (mostly for Pisco)
2. Coquimbo Dry and very warm
3. Aconcagua
4. Central Valley (best wines)
5. Valle Sur
6. Austral

Question 4

Aconcagua

Answer 4

Subregions
Valle del Aconcagua (red, closer to Andes)
Casablanca (crisp and fruity Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
San Antonio (white wine)

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Question 5

Valle Central

Answer 5

Subregions
Maipo
Rapel Valley
Curicó
Maule Valley

Question 6

Name the obscure Bordeaux variety that is important in Chile

Answer 6

Carmenere

Question 7

Labeling

Answer 7

DO (Denominación de Origen) governs labelling of varieties and vintages

Grape Variety: must contain a minimum 75% of the stated variety.

Region Name: must be minimum 75% from the stated region.

Vintage: must contain minimum 75% of the stated year.

Many producers observe 85% requirement to comply with EU standards
Chilean law requires all wine to show a minimum 11.5% ABV

If labelled as Reserva or Reserva Especial, must have minimum 12% ABV
Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva require mandatory time in oak

If labelled as Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva, must have min. 12.5% ABV

Question 8

Explain the labeling terms Costa, Entre Cordilleras, and Andes

Answer 8

In 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture also amended wine law to support appending pre-existing DOs with one of three new geographic designations: Costa, Entre Cordilleras, and Andes

If labelled as Costa or Andes, signifies a particular proximity of the vineyard to the coast or the mountains

If labeled as Entre Cordilleras (“between mountains”), describes the valley areas between the coastal range and the Andes

at least 85% of the grapes must be harvested in the named region

Question 9

Humboldt Current

Answer 9

Humboldt Current cools the coastline
“The reason for the crisp, fresh Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir is the closeness of the two wine sub regions to the Pacific Ocean where the cool, Antarctic-driven Humboldt Current brings on conditions more similar to that of a cooler Mediterranean climate than their actual location (south latitude 30 degrees). This puts it much closer to the equator than other important vineyards in various parts of the world.”

Question 10

Producers

Answer 10

Casa Lapostolle
Concha y Toro & Baron Phillippe de Rothschild Almaviva
Cousiño Macul
Chadwick
Los Vascos (Lafite)
Miguel Torres from Spain (the first to import oak barrels into Chile)

Question 11

Humboldt Current

Answer 11

Humboldt Current cools the coastline
“The reason for the crisp, fresh Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir is the closeness of the two wine sub regions to the Pacific Ocean where the cool, Antarctic-driven Humboldt Current brings on conditions more similar to that of a cooler Mediterranean climate than their actual location (south latitude 30 degrees). This puts it much closer to the equator than other important vineyards in various parts of the world.”

Question 12

Humboldt Current

Answer 12

Humboldt Current cools the coastline
“The reason for the crisp, fresh Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir is the closeness of the two wine sub regions to the Pacific Ocean where the cool, Antarctic-driven Humboldt Current brings on conditions more similar to that of a cooler Mediterranean climate than their actual location (south latitude 30 degrees). This puts it much closer to the equator than other important vineyards in various parts of the world.”