Chile Flashcards
Chile
6 Regiones Vitivinícolas / Denominations of Origins (DOs)
N to S
- Atacama
- Coquimbo
- Aconcagua
- Valle Central (Central Valley)
- Sur (Southern Regions)
- Austral Region - new area at the southernmost limit of grape growing in the country

Regions that grow grapes for Pisco production
- Atacama
- Coquimbo
Coastal current that forces cool sea air inland through the river valleys to affect the Central Valley during the day
Humboldt Current

Aconcagua and Valle Central (Central Valley)
Irrigation
- Irrigation is essential
- While neither zone is as dry as the deserts to the north
Year 75% rule was established
1995
- Chilean Decree No. 464 (Viticultural Zoning Ordinance, published in 1995 and updated in 2012, and in 2018)
- Chilean wine law that institutes the blend must comprise 75% of vintage, varietal, and denomination of origins, if listed on the bottle
- Many wineries observe an 85% min for all three categories to comply with EU standards for export
Chilean wine law
Hybrid grapes
Hybrid grapes are NOT permitted

Chilean wine law
Min. alcohol for all wines
11.5% abv

‘Reserva’ and ‘Reserva Especial’
Min. alcohol
12% abv

‘Reserva Privada’ and ‘Gran Reserva’
Min. alcohol
12.5% abv
2 labelings terms that indicate the wine spent time in oak

-
‘Reserva Especial’
- min 12% abv
-
‘Gran Reserva’
- min 12.5% abv
Chile
% Red grape production

73%
Northernmost wine growing region in Chile
Atacama
Chili’s oldest and most established winemaking region
Central Valley DO

Year Chilean wine producing regions (DOs) were established
December 1994

Major reasons for tempered growth of the Chilean wine industry in the 20th century
- Political instability, coupled with bureaucratic regulations and high taxes
- Prior to the 1980s, the vast majority of Chilean wine was considered low quality and mostly consumed domestically

Chile
Beginning of viticultural history
16th century
- When Spanish conquistadors brought Vitis vinifera with them as they colonized the region

Century French wine varieties were introduced to Chile
mid 19th century
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc

Decade when a renaissance began with the introduction of stainless steel fermentation tanks and the use of oak barrel aging.
early 1980s
1995: number of wineries in Chile
2005: number of wineries in Chiles
1995: 12 wineries
2005: over 70 wineries

Chile’s 3rd most planted white varietal
Muscat
- Although on the decline, nearly 6000 acres are planted in the Southern Regions DO (Sur)
- 3rd most planted white varietal after Sauvignon (Blanc and Vert) and Chardonnay

Entre Cordilleras

‘between mountains’
- Describes the valley areas between the coastal range and the Andes, a region in which over three-quarters of Chilean wine grapes are grown
‘Costa’, ‘Entre Cordilleras’, ‘Andes’
% of grapes that must be from the appropriate region
85%

Decade when Miguel Torres set up Chilean operations in Curico

1970s
Chile’s Región Vitícola from North to South
Atacama Coquimbo Aconcagua Valle Central (Central Valley) Sur (Southern Regions) Austral
Atacama: Subregions
Copiapo
Huasco
Coquimbo: Subregions
Elqui
Limari
Choapa
Aconcagua: Sub-regions
Aconcagua
Casablanca
San Antonio
San Antonio: Zones
Leyda
Lo Abarco
Rosario
Malvilla
Central Valley: Subregions
Maipo
Rapel
Curico
Maule
Rapel: Zones
Cachapoal
Colchagua
Curico: Zones
Teno
Lontue
Maule: Zones
Claro
Loncomilla
Tutuven
Sur: Subregions
Itata
Bio Bio
Malleco
Austral: Subregions
Cautin
Osorno
Which area of Maule was a major site for vineyard acreage in the 1800’s? In what GD and zone is it located?
Cauquenes
Entre Cordilleras
Tutuven, Maule, Valle Centrale
What is the single most important DO area for Carmenère? Where is it located, and what GD does it belong to?
Peumo
Cachapoal
Entre Cordilleras
Where is La Serena? What GD does it fall under?
Elqui Valley
Costa
What and where are the highest viticultural areas in Chile? How high are they?
Vicuña and Paiguano
Elqui, Andes
500M-2000M
What is the Costa designated area in Limari?
Ovalle
What two areas of Aconcagua are outside the subregions?
Marga Marga
Zapallar
Both Costa
In what area does the Aconcagua make a sharp hairpin turn, cutting off coastal air from the rest of the valley?
Quillota (Costa)
What three areas make up the square sided amphitheater in the east of Aconcagua?
Santa Maria
San Esteban
Calle Larga
All Andes, between San Felipe and Los Andes.
Where is Panquehue?
Aconcagua, Entre Cordilleras
Which subregion of Aconcagua is designated a GD area in its entirety?
Casablanca
Which three areas of Maipo are on the border of or within Santiago?
Santiago Pirque Buin Puente Alto All Andes
What are the two most important areas of the Maipo Entre Cordilleras?
Isla de Maipo (De Martino)
Alhué
What are the Costa areas of Colchagua?
Lolol
Paredones
Pumanque
What are the Andes areas of Colchagua?
Chimbarongo
San Fernando
Which two DO’s of Colchagua expanded most significantly in the 1990’s and 2000’s? Which producers were responsible?
Lolol (Costa)
Marchigüe (Entre Cordilleras)
Viña Santa Cruz
Montes
Which producers are venturing up in to the Andes foothills in Colchagua, taking advantage of the basalt terraces and cool winds?
Siegel
Koyle (owned by the Undurraga family), planting in Los Lingues
What is the viticultural area of Malleco, and what is it named for?
Traigúen, named for the only town of significance.
What is the only major winemaking country to remain totally phylloxera-free?
Chile
What is the Mission grape known as in Argentina? In Chile?
Argentina - Criolla China
Chile - Pais
What 19th century estates were early promoters of French varieties?
Viña La Rosa (Cachapoal, 1824), Carta Vieja (Loncomilla, 1825)
What is Chile’s oldest operating winery, and why was it initially important?
Viña Ochagavía Santiago, 1851. Founded by Silvestre Ochagavía
Provided a blueprint for others to follow; sometimes referred to as the ”father of Chilean wine.”
Who was the naturalist who created Chile’s first research vineyard in the 1830’s?
Claude Gay; he brought dozens of grapevine cuttings in from France and planted them at Santiago’s Quinta Normal for study (adaptability to Chilean climate and soil).
Which three wineries account for 85% of domestic consumption in Chile?
Concha y Toro
Santa Rita
San Pedro
Overall, the Chilean wine industry is top-heavy, and the largest producers create and control market perceptions of Chile worldwide.
Average size of Chilean winery production
1 million cases/year = mid-size
100,000 cases /year = small
What is MOVI?
Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes
A coalition created in 2009 between 12 smaller wineries (many more today). Inclusion is less a signal of winery style and more an indicator of size and personal attention to the day-to-day affairs of the winery.
What is Chile’s first winery founded by outside investment? What important technologies did this introduce?
Miguel Torres Chile,1979
Modern winemaking, essentially: temperature control, stainless steel ferments, new barrique, pneumatic press.
Who owns Los Vascos?
Domaine Barons de Rothschild-Lafite (1988)
Who created Viña Aquitania?
Bruno Prats (Cos d’Estournel) and Paul Pontarlier (Margaux)
Seña is a collaboration between whom?
Eduardo Chadwick (Errazuriz) and Robert Mondavi, 1995. Owned wholly by Chadwick since 2005.
Who collaborates on Aristos?
Louis-Michel Liger-Belair and Pedro Parra
Which Chablisienne producer has a Chilean outpost?
William Fèvre - William Fèvre Chile
Much of Chile’s “Sauvignon Blanc” is in fact what?
Sauvignon Vert
What is another name for Sauvignon Vert?
Friulano
Much of Chile’s “Merlot” is in fact what?
Carmenere
Cab Franc x Gros Cabernet
What are Chile’s geographic sectors from north to south? Which are relevant for winegrowing?
Norte Grande Norte Chico Zona Central Zona Sur Zona Austral
Wine grapes begin in Norte Chico (Copiapo, Atacama, 27º), and end in Zona Austral (46º).
Chile: Administrative Regions
Atacama, Region III, Norte Chico Coquimbo: Region IV, Norte Chico Valparaíso, Region V, Zona Central Santiago, Región Metropolitan, Zona Central O'Higgins, Region VI, Zona Central Maule, Region VII, Zona Central Bío Bío, Region VIII, Zona Sur La Araucania, Region IX, Zona Sur Los Lagos, Region X, Zona Sur
May or may not correspond to DO regions, even DO viticultural regions of the same name.
Chile: Latitude
17º to 53º S - 4300km long, 350km wide (max)
Chile: Cilmate by Latitude
Norte Chico: hot and arid
Zona Central: warm and Mediterranean
Zona Sur: cool, rainy, maritime
Chile: Soil
Mountain ranges are created by the tectonic interaction of the South American plate and the Nazca (oceanic) plate, as the latter pushes eastward. (making Chile subject to frequent, devastating earthquakes). Results:
Coastal range is granite, schist, and slate overlaid by clay, from the continental crust folding over
Andes range is volcanic in origin - basalt, andesite - but also contains limestone in places lifted up from the Nazca Plate.
Who oversees Chile’s wine labeling laws? When were they passed?
Originally passed 1985 (vitis vinifera only, min. 11.5% abv); permitted practices and additions added in 1986.
DO system was enacted in 1994.
Overseen by the Agricultural and Livestock Service
Chilean DO categories by size
Región Vitícola
Subregion
Zone
Area
Which current cools the Chilean Coast? What effect does it have on climate?
Humbolt Current, running northward up from the Antarctic.
The current cools the air passing over it, limiting precipitation and contributing to an inversion layer (wherein cooler tempterarures are trapped near the surface). Average temperatures are milder, and the diurnal shift is suppressed (floor remains the same; highs are lower).
What effect does El Niño have on Chile?
El Niño is caused by a weakening and warming of the Humbolt Current; Pacific Ocean temperatures warm off the coast, and rainfall increases dramatically.
Chilean Wine Law: %’s
75% for vintage, varietal, DO (if listed). Most producers do 85% to comply with EU export standards.
Are hybrid varietals allowed in Chilean wines?
NO
What is the required minimum abv in Chile?
11.50%
What Chilean designations require 12% abv?
Riserva and Riserva Especial
What Chilean designations require 12.5% abv?
Riserva Privada and Gran Reserva
Other than higher minimum alcohol, what is the requirement for Chilean Riserva Especial and Gran Reserva?
Mandatory time in wood (unspecified)
What are the three geographical designations utilized for labeling in Chile? What % of grapes must be from there to qualify? When were these implemented?
Andes, Costa, and Entre Cordilleras
85%
2012
Red grapes account for what % of Chilean acreage?
73.00%
When was Chile’s “merlot” unmasked as Carmenere, and by whom?
1994, by Jean-Michel Bourisquot on a visit to Viña Carmen
Name two high end Carmenere bottlings
Errázuriz “Kai”( Aconcagua)
Concha y Toro “Carmín de Peumo” (Rapel)
What is Chile’s largest producer? What is their flagship wine?
Concha y Toro Don Melchor (Cab Sauv, Puente Alto, Maipo)
What is Almaviva?
A joint project between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha y Toro (think Opus One in Chile). Cabernet Sauvignon base, Puente Alto, Maipo.
Name three brands owned by Concha y Toro
Serie Riberas Terrunyo Gravas del Maipo Casillero del Diablo Trio Marquest de Casa Concha Amelia Don Melchor Carmin de Peumo
Pisco production is historically most prominent in what areas?
Atacama & Coquimbo
Chilean Pisco is traditionally produced from which grapes?
Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria)
Moscatel Rosado
Torrontés Sanjuanino
Torontel
Pedro Jiménez
What is the most mountainous region of Chile?
Coquimbo
What is the major threat to viticulture in Coquimbo?
Drought
Coquimbo: Altitude
1000-2200M
What factors make Limari a cool climate sub-region?
Coastal influence rather than elevation - transverse valley heavily impacted by comanchaca fog in the mornings.
Limari: Geographic Features
Tongoy Bay
Rio Limari, Rio Hurtado, Rio Grande
Talinay Hills
What are the major grapes of Itata and Bío Bío?
País and Muscat of Alexandria
What grapes are grown in Malleco?
PN and Chardonnay
Sur: Topography and climate
Warm mediterranean climate of the Valle Central gives way to a cooler, rainier, more maritime climate - from top to bottom one gains 550mm annual rainfall.
The Coastal Range ends in the Pacific just south of Concepción, ending the Intermediate Depression.
Itata and Bio Bio: Administrative Region
Bio Bio
Unlike the northern zones of the Central Valley, Pais, Carignan, and Cinsault are the dominant grapes in Maule and Sur. Why?
After the 1939 earthquake devastated the region, the government encouraged planting of Cinsault and Carignan to “improve” the Pais, most of planted widely spaced, head trained, and own rooted.
Which region is modernizing faster: Itata or Bio Bio?
Bio Bio, with increased interest in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and aromatic whites (Muscat of Alexandria, usually).
Where are what are the Nahuelbuta Mountains?
The last vestiges of the Coastal Range, in Bio Bio
Malleco: Administrative Region
La Araucanía
Name two wines from Malleco
Clos des Fous Latuffa Pinot Noir
Viña Aquitania Sol de Sol (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
What wine currently comes out of Austral?
Casa Silva, the Lake Ranco wines (SB, Chard, PN)
Where is the world’s southernmost vineyard?
The commune of Chile Chico, on the edge of the glacier lake General Carrera. Farmed by Undurraga. Yet to be produced commercially.
Where does the Aconcagua DO take its name from?
The Aconcagua River (not the peak)
Where is Panquehue, and who is its most famous producer?
Panquehue is an area of Aconcagua. Errázuriz is its most famous producer, notably for Seña, a BDX blend
What Chilean wine had its own “Judgment of Paris” moment?
Errázuriz “Seña,” a BDX blend, placed ahead of both Lafite and Margaux at the 2004 Berlin Tasting. Its Viñedo Chadwick (Cabernet Sauvignon) took first place.
What is the climate like in San Antonio and Casablanca? What is the dominant wine style?
Much cooler than the rest of Aconcagua, due to their coastal locations; dry whites of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with some Pinot Noir.
What is the oldest viticultural region in Chile?
Valle Central DO
What is the major wine style of the Valle Central?
Red wines of BDX varietals: >50% of the acreage is Cab Sauv, plus Carmenère and Chardonnay.
Aconcagua is in what administrative region?
Valparaíso
How does the climate of the Valle del Aconcagua change from west to east?
Cool and maritime on the coast, schist and slate; the river turns sharply at Quillota, blocking the ingress of ocean air to the inner valley.
Entre Cordilleras is good for Bordeaux grapes in the side valleys and on the hillsides; in the far east, the broad open hillsides are better for Mediterranean varieties used to sun and heat.
Most planted varieties in Valle del Aconcagua?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carmenere
What makes Valle de Casablanca a coastal region? What is the climate like?
The valley’s western end is open to the Pacific and Humbolt Current winds, resulting in overnight fog and windy afternoons. Overall, Region I. Frost prone.
Where in Aconcagua do you see vines planted on rootstocks (v. own rooted), and why?
Casablanca. No phylloxera, but the sandy soils are a magnet for nematodes.
Casablanca: Major grape varieties
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir
75% of acreage is white grapes
Which is more coastal: Casablanca or San Antonio?
San Antonio
San Antonio: Subzones by climate (official and unofficial)
Leyda: Southernmost, 15km from the ocean. Cool, humid, windy, prone to rot.
Lo Abarca: Central, 4km from the ocean. Coolest and most maritime, averaging 1000 degree days.
Rosario: Northernmost, 19km from the ocean, warmest and driest (relative, obviously).
What are the administrative regions of the Valle Central?
Santiago
O’Higgins (named for Bernardo O’Higgins, who declared independence from Spain in 1818)
Maule
How does rainfall change from north to south in the Valle Central?
It increases as one moves south, rising from 300mm to 750mm annually
What major city sits in the Maipo Valley?
Santiago
Maipo: Unofficial Subzones
Alto Maipo (400-600M): Gravel and alluvials, large diurnal shift (20ºC +), evening wind, generally west facing slopes. Medio Maipo: warmer overall than Alto Maipo, clay-based soil, wines tend to be softer of structure, popular for Carmenère. Maipo Costa/Maipo Bajo: not actually coastal, youngest and coolest subzone in the region.
Do not necessarily correlate with Andes, Entre Cordilleras, and Costa
Name five wines originating in the Alto Maipo
Don Melchor (Concha y Toro)
Almaviva
Viñedo Chadwick (Errazuriz)
Antiyal (Alvaro Espinosa)
Casa Real (Santa Rita)
What is significant about the soils of Puente Alto (near Santiago, Curico)? What significant wines originate in this area?
Particularly gravelly, caused early international exposure.
Don Melchor, Viñedo Chadwick, Almaviva
What is the administrative region of the Valle del Rapel?
O’Higgins
What is the most heavily planted subregion in the Valle Central?
Rapel
What two rivers combine to create the Rio Rapel, and where do they combine?
Cachapoal and Tinguiririca; they both flow into the Rapel Reservoir, created when the river was dammed in the 1960’s.
What is the major grape in Cachapoal, and why?
Very warm (no direct access to the coast), clay and alluvial soils, no risk of frost, rain, or temperature variation (good for Carmenère as it is very late-ripening).
Which two high end Carmenere bottlings appellate as DO Peumo? Why is this notable?
Herencia (Santa Carolina)
Carmín de Peumo (Concha y Toro)
Areas are rarely used for labeling, as zones generally have broader recognition.
What major city sits in Cachapoal?
Rancagua
Name five major producers in Colchagua
Cono Sur, Viu Manent, Casa Silva
Lapostolle, Los Vascos, Hacienda Araucano
Montes, Neyen, Koyle
Where and what is Apalta?
The most important (but still unofficial) area for red wine in Colchagua (and therefore in Chile period, outside of the Maipo), seated on the north bank of the Tinguiririca River in the DO Santa Cruz.
Slightly cooler climate, lower sunshine hours (mountains to the east, west, and north) and well-drained granitic soils.
Clos Apalta (Colchagua Valley):
Clos Apalta, Casa Lapostolle 66% Carmenere, 19% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, dry-farmed vineyard, planted 1920.
Alpha M, Montes Cab Sauv dominant BDX blend.
Curicó and Maule: Administrative Region
Maule
Curicó: Climate and soils
Cooler, with more winter rainfall than the DO’s to the north, creating frost troubles in the fall.
Most vineyards are planted on heavy clay in the interior and schist on the coast.
What is Chile’s second largest producer, and where are they based?
San Pedro
Curicó
Important producers in Curicó
San Pedro (mostly bulk wine)
Miguel Torres Chile (specifically the Manso de Velasco plot, 100yo Cabernet Sauvignon)
Viña Escheverría
Currently, Curicó is largely given to bulk plantings.
Maule Valley: Size
Responsible for more than 25% of Chile’s overall production.
More vine acreage than any other single region, save the whole Rapel zone.
Maule administrative region (Maule + Curicó) holds nearly 50% of Chile’s acreage.
Virtually all of Chile’s major producers either own or source fruit from Maule.
Maule: Major Grapes`
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pais
Some old vine Carignan, Malbec, and Sémillon to be found in spots.
What is VIGNO, and what requirements surround it?
VIGNO is the brand trademarked by the Vignadores de Carignan in western Maule.
Restricted to a delimited area
Dry-farmed
Min 30 years vine age (may be grafted)
Aged 2 years before release
Minimum 65% Carignan
Name three VIGNO producers
Bravado Wines De Martino Garage Wine Company Lomas de Cauquenes Meli Miguel Torres Morande Odfjell Valdivieso Viña Roja
As of 2011 4/5 of all Chilean bottles sold were made by these three biggest companies:
Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, VSPT
Who is the soil whisperer known throughout the Southern Cone for pairing grapes with soil and who has worked with such producers as Lapostolle, Montes, De Martino, Matetic, Errázuriz, & Amayna?
Pedro Parra
Briefly describe some common differences between Chilean and Peruvian Pisco:
- Peruvians use pot stills whereas Chileans use column stills
- Peruvians bottle their pisco at distilled strength whereas Chileans water back to a desired strength
- Peruvians almost exclusively use aromatic varieties whereas Chileans use both aromatic and neutral varieties
From what grape is pipeño most commonly made?
Pais
What is a zaranda?
A hand-operated destemmer usually made from bamboo
Approximately what percentage of Chile’s grapes are grown within the Entre Cordilleras region?
75%
Mendoza’s Maipu subregion is relatively closest to which of these Chilean regions?
a. Maule []
b. Cachapoal []
c. Maipo [ ]
d. Limarí [_]
a. Maule []
b. Cachapoal []
c. Maipo [+]
d. Limarí [_]
On average where will you find the older soil:
Coastal Range or the Andes ?
Coastal Range
What’s Camanchaca?
Effects Limari and Choapa in Coquimbo: Dense coastal fog that enters from the west and vanishes in afternoon, cooling pockets of calcareous soils
Clos Apalta, Lapostolle, Central Valley, Colchagua, Apalta DO
In which region can we find the oldest vines of Pais?
Maule
What is the minimum amount of a varietal in a varietal labeled wine? What if they were to ship it to France for sale?
75%, 85%
Who was Claudio Gay and why is he famous?
French botanist who investigated Chilean geography and plantings in the 1800s, 1830s brought over vitis vinifera, Cordillera Claudio Gay in Atacama named for him
What DO in Chile is entirely considered Costa?
Casablanca
What’s the most heavily planted Region in Chile?
Central Valley
What’s Secano Costero? Where’s located?
Secano is dry farming, in reference to: Western Maul
What are the Zones of the Valle del Rapel DO?
Cachapoal & Colchagua
In the last 15 years there has been:
An Earthquake vintage (Maule/Curico): 2010
A Frost vintage that decimated crop by 70%: 2014
A fire laden vintage in Southern Chile, forcing an early harvest: 2017
An El Nino vintage with heavy rain: 2016
An Excellent vintage: 2018
What is the min ABV for Gran Pisco in Chile?
43%
What is a Monkey’s Tail or Cola de Mono?
A Chilean cocktail using Pisco similar to a white Russian served around Christmas
Clos Apalta is made primarily of what grape variety?
Carmenere
When did Chile adopt its DO system?
1994
True or False: El Nino is an occurrence that happens on a regular basis?
False – irregular warming of the Humbolt current
What is the effect of El Nino?
Increase in rainfall in Chile and Peru – decimates fish populations
What is the minimum alcohol for Chilean wine?
11.5%
Grand Vidure is a synonym for what grape?
Carmenere
May Pais be labeled varietally?
No
Chile - On a scale from 1-5, with 1 being the worst – how would you describe the 2023 vintage?
1 - spring frosts in Aconcagua, record heat temperatures, fires in the south. Crop, on average was reduced by 15%
When and how was Chilean wine law established?
Decree 464, passed in 1994, published in 1995
What two rivers are found in the Rapel Valley?
Cachapoal River & Tinguiririca River
What geographic viticulture zone claims the most plantings of grapes?
Entre Cordilleras = 60% of the nations production
What was MOVI established?
2009 with 12 founding wineries
What was the first appellation established for Pisco -Chilean or Peruvian?
1931 – Chile
1991 – Peru
Merlot Chileno is a synonym for what grape variety?
Carmenere
What is the parentage of Carmenére?
Cab Franc/Gros Cabernet (Fer x Hondarribi Beltza)
What is another name for IBMP?
Pyrazine – 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine
In addition to the Humbolt current, name another current that impacts Chile?
Cape North (Eastern Drift splits into the Humbolt & Cape North) & Polar Current
When was the last “super El Niño”?
2015-2016
Where and when were vines first planted in Chile?
Copiapo in 1548
Name two iconic varietal bottlings of 100% Carmenere (and two blends if you’re feeling spicy):
a. Errazuri “Kai” (varietal)
b. Conca y Toro “Carmin de Peumo” (varietal)
c. Casa Lapostolle “Clos Apalta” (blend)
d. Almaviva (blend)
Given Chile’s length, how does the climate/growing season of the southernmost regions compare to the north?
Rainfall is higher in the south, with a cooler and shorter growing season
Match the famous bottling to the producer:
Clos Apalta - Casa Lapostolle
Casa Real - Santa Rita
Almaviva - Concha y Toro/Baron
Alpha M - Vina Montes
Purple Angel - Vina Montes
Don Melchor - Concha y Toro
Vinedo Chadwick - Viña Errázuriz
Sena - Viña Errázuriz/Mondavi
Name two iconic varietal bottlings of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon:
- Viña Errázuriz “Viñedo Chadwick”
- Santa Rita “Casa Real”
What is Aconcagua DO’s most prominent subregion? (hint: it’s for white, which grapes?)
- Valle de Casablanca
- Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc
What are two legal Chilean label terms indicating time spent in oak?
a. Reserva Especial (min 12% ABV)
b. Gran Reserva (min. 12.5%)
Almaviva is a joint project between which two wine heavyweights?
Baron Philipe Rothschild & Concha y Toro
Which Bordeaux varietal has the greatest concentration of pyrazinec compounds? When is this
varietal harvested in relation to Cabernet Sauvignon?
a. Carmenere
b. Harvested 2-3 weeks later than CS
c. Pyrazines begins decreasing after veraison, there’s a large debate about leaf-pulling in relation to ripeness
Match the wine to its inaugural vintage:
a. Almaviva - 1996
b. Clos Apalta - 1997
c. Viñedo Chadwick - 1999
d. Don Melchor - 1987
e. Seña - 1995
What are the inexpensive, sometimes fizzy, often-chilled Pais blends called?
Pipeños
Classic Chilean drink very similar to sangria served on patriotic festivities and holidays made with red wine, strawberries, simple syrup server on the rocks:
Borgoña
The name Borgoña translates as Burgundy, and the name is a reference to the abandoned practice of naming most French wines as Burgundy or Bordeaux. This cocktail is traditionally made in a pitcher, and it should always be served over ice.
T/F Chile is around 2600 miles long and vines are planted along half of the area?
False. Almost all the Chile’s vines are grown within small 550 miles area between the latitudes 29 and 37 degrees south.
T/F Some of Chile’s best grapes come from the Atacama desert?
False. Most grapes that come from the Atacama desert are used for Pisco production due to low quality.
Claro valley, Loncomilla Valley and Tutuven Valle are sub-zones of which DO?
Maule Valley
What is Chicha?
Chicha is a fermented beverage made only from maize and has a wide variety of colors and flavors depending on the type of maize used for its processin, produced in Chile, Peru, Andes mts. And some Amazonian regions
Who is the largest producer of wine in Chile producing over 15 million cases annually?
Concha y Toro
Which Chilean wine region is known for producing high-quality cool-climate wines like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir?
Casablanca
What is Pisco and how does it relate to Chile’s Wine Culture?
Pisco is a grape brandy made from Muscat grapes, closely associated with Chilean and Peruvian culture.
What is the recipe for a Pisco Sour?
2 oz. Pisco
1 oz. Lime or Lemon Juice (or combination of both)
3/4 oz. Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
1 dash Angostura Bitters
What does the term “Alto Maipo” refer to in relation to Chile’s wine geography?
the high-elevation, upper Maipo Valley, known for its premium wines.
Name the iconic red blend from Casa Lapostolle that often features Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc.
Clos Apalta
Which Chilean wine region is recognized for its focus on cool-climate Syrah wines?
Limari Valley
What is the purpose of Chile’s “Wine of Chile” seal on bottles?
“Wine of Chile” seal indicates that the wine is certified by the Chilean government and meets quality standards.
What was the first Sparkling house established in Chile and when was it established?
Valdivieso, in 1879
Which winery makes “Purple Angel” and what are the varietals?
Vina Montes
Carmenere & Petit Verdot
What is “Mote con Huesillo”
Roughly translates to,”peaches with wheat”. This drink has a long history dating back to the colonial time period.Drinking mote con huesillo is a popular way to quench your thirst during the hot summer months.This drink is made from husked wheat (mote) and dried peaches (huesillo) soaked with sugar water and cinnamon to make a sweet, non-alcoholic drink.
Chilean Wine Law:
- est 1995
- 75% rule, vintage, varietal, origin
- no hybrid grapes
- min alcohol 11.5%
- many wineries choice 85% to comply with EU
Regions that grow grape for Pisco:
Atacama
Coquimbo
Define Humboldt Current:
Coastal current that forces sea air inland through the river valleys - effects the Central Valley during the day
Chile’s oldest and most established winemaking region?
Central Valley DO
For “Costa”, “Entre Cordilleras” and “Andes” what % must be from the region?
85%
Elqui and Limari are located in what DO?
Coquimbo
Casablanca and San Antonio are located in what DO?
Aconcaqua
What are the 4 sub-regions of the Valle Central?
Maipo Valley
Rapel Valley
Curico Valley
Maule Valley
Colchagua and Cachapoal are sub-regions of where?
Rapel Valley, Valle Centrale
Where will you find Los Lingues and Apalta?
Colchagua Valley
What are the parent grapes of Carmenere?
Cab Franc x Gros Cabernet
Most Carmenere is planted where?
Colchagua
Name the DO’s of Coquimbo:
Limari
Elqui
Choapa
What are the rules for VIGNO labelling?
- 85% Carignan
- Old vine
- Headtrained
- Aged 2 years before release
What winery is Robert Mondavi partnered in?
Sena, founed in 1995
Where is Vina Errazuriz located? Flagship wine?
Panquehue, Aconagua DO
“Sena” - iconic Bordeaux blend, placed ahead of Lafite and Margaux in 2004 Berlin Tasting
What are the geographical features of Chile?
Atacama Desert
Andes Mountains
Pacific Ocean
What are the two mountain ranges of Chile?
Andes
Cordilleras de la Costa (Coastal Ranges)
What is the largest encompassing DO category in Chile?
Region Viticola
What are the 2 sub-regions of Austral?
Cautin
Osorno
Chile’s nesting doll:
Wine Region
Sub-Region
Zone
Area
What are Chile’s six regions called?
Vitivinicolas
Atacama
Coquimbo
Aconcagua
Valle Centrale
Sur
Austral
Sub-regions of the Atacama Region:
Copiapa Valley
Huasco Valley
Sub-regions of the Aconcagua Region:
Aconcagua Valley
Casablanca Valley
San Antonio Valley
Sub-regions of the Central Valley Region:
Maipo Valley
Rapel Valley
Curico Valley
Maule Valley
Sub-regions of the Sur Region:
Itata Valley
Bio Bio Valley
Malleco Valley
Sub-regions of the Austral Valley:
Cautin Valley
Osorno Valley
What is the Zone of the Aconcagua Region -> San Antonio Valley?
Leyda Zone
What are the Zones of the Rapel Valley?
Cachapoal Valley Zone
Colchagua Valley Zone
What are the Zones of the Curico Valley?
Teno Valley Zone
Lontue Valley Zone
What are the Zones of the Maule Valley?
Claro Valley Zone
Loncomilla Valley Zone
Tutuvea Valley Zone
Who was the “father of Chilean wine”?
Silvestre Ochagavia, Vina Ochagavia, one of Chile’s first modern wineries
What is MOVI?
Movimiento de Vinateros Independientes
- 12 wineries banded together in 2009
- quality-oriented
- “human-scale”
- Examples: Garage Wine Co, Montoecino, Sigla, Kingston
What producers account for 85% of domestic production?
Concha y Toro
Santa Rita
San Pedro
What winery commands the largest market shares/SA’s vineyard holdings?
Concha y Toro
- 9000ha vines spread across Chile/Argentina
Who first identified “Merlot Chileno” as Carmenere?
French ampelographer Jean-Michel Boursiquot
- at Vina Carmen in Maipo Valley
- 1994
What Bordeaux variety has the most pyrazines?
Carmenere
What are the best sites for Carmenere?
Peumo, Cachapoal (Rapel Valley)
Los Lingues, Colchagua (Rapel Valley)
Apalta, Colchagua (Rapel Valley)
What is Chilean Pisco principally distilled from?
Moscatel (Muscat de Alexandria)
Moscatel Rosado
Moscatel de Austria (Torrontes Sanjuanino)
Torontel (Moscatel Amarillo)
Pedro Jimenez
What is the Mission grape also known as:
- Listan Prieto (Canary Island)
- Criolla Chica (Argentina)
- Pais (Chile)
What is the highest elevation growing region in Chile?
Valle del Elqui DO: 2200 meters
Areas: La Serena, Vicuna, Paiguano
Winery: Vinedos de Alcohuaz (Syrah) at 2200 meters
What are the Areas of Valle de Elqui DO?
La Sirena
Vicuna
Paiguano
What varietal (red) is Elqui known for?
Syrah
Vina Falernia “Alta Tierra”
What varietal is Valle de Limari DO known for?
Coastal, cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What are the Areas of Valle del Limari DO?
Ovalle
Monte Patria
Punitaqui
Rio Hurtado
What are the 3 sub-regions of Aconcagua Region?
Valle del Aconcagua
Valle de Casablanca
Valle de San Antonio
Two across outside of sub-regions: Valle del Morga-Morga, Zapallar
What style of wines would you find in Aconcagua Valley?
Bordeaux-style reds
Most-planted varieties in Aconcagua Valley?
Cabernet Sauv
Syrah
Carmenere
What are the Areas of Valle del Aconcagua DO?
Hijuelas
Panquehue
Catenu
Llaillay
San Felipe
Santa Maria
Calle Large
Quillota
San Esteban
Most-important producer in Aconcagua Valley?
Vina Errazuriz, established in 1870
- partnered with Robert Mondavi to produce Sena, a Bordeaux-style blend
What was the “Berlin Tasting”?
- held by Errazuriz’s current owner Eduardo Chadwick
- 2004
- tasting modeled after 1976 Judgement of Paris
- Vinedo Chadwick and Sena beat Lafite and Margaux
What wine is Casablanca Valley known for?
Chile’s most impressive array of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
- 75% Chardonnay/SB
- 2000 ha of vines
Wineries in Casablanca?
Concha y Toro
Villard
Vina Casablanca
Casa del Bosque
Veramonte (Huneeous Family)
Kingston Family
What is the single official Zone of Valle de San Antonio DO?
Valle de Leyda
What does the Valle de Leyda DO produce?
Aromatic Sauvignon Blanc (similar to Marlborough)
What are the 3 sub-zones of San Antonio DO?
Valle de Leyda
Lo Abarco DO
Rosario (unofficial)
What is Chile’s agricultural center?
Valle Centrale
- home to 75% of Chile’s grapes
- encompasses Maipo, Rapel, Curico, Maule
- contain all vineyards w/in Santiago, O’Higgins, Maule, administrative regions
Climate in Valle Centrale? Warmest areas?
Semi-arid, warm Mediterranean
- warmest area in the Rapel Valley
How is the Maipo Valley “unofficially” divided?
Alto Maipo (400-600 m in the Piedmont Andes)
Medio Maipo
Maipo Costa/Maipo Bajo
What vineyards do you find in Puete Alto?
Don Melchor
Vinedo Chadwick
Almaviva
Alvaro Espinoza’s Antiyal
Santa Rita “Casa Real”
What two rivers converge to create the Rapel River?
Cachapoal and Tinguirica Rivers
What are the Areas of the Valle del Cachapoal DO?
Rancagua
Requinoa
Rengo
Peumo
Machali
Coltauco
Important DO in Cachapoal?
Peumo DO
- Camenere from:
Santa Carolina’s “Herencia” and
Concha y Toro “Carmin de Peumo”
a rare use of “area” on a label vs a sub-region or zone
Differences between Cachapoal vs Colchagua DO’s?
Cachapoal - smaller of the two zones in both geographic size and vine acreage
- lack of access to the coast = warmer
- Carmenere excels
- less popular than Colchagua for quality
Producers from Alto Cachapoal?
Altair
Anabena
Pedro Parra’s “Clos des Fout” (1000m above sea-level)
Areas of Valle de Colchagua DO?
San Fernando
Chimbarongo
Nancagua
Santa Cruz
Palumilla
Perallill
Lolol
Marchigue
Litueche
La Estrella
Paredones
Pumanque
Apalta
Important producers in Colchagua DO Zone:
French Investment: Lapostolle, Los Vascos, Hacienda Araucano
Cono Sur
Vin Monent
Casa Silva
Most important DO in Colchagua?
Apalta DO - high-quality red wines, means “earthquake”, in Mapueche dialect
- located on the north bank of the Tingiurica River open to the south but protected by the mountains on 3 sides
- Cabernet, Carmenere, Syrah
Valle de Curico DO Zones:
Valle de Teno
Valle del Longue (named after rivers)
Hierarchy of Areas?
Maule Valley - most acreage
Colchagua DO - second most acreage
Maipo - higher quality reds
Colchagua DO - second highest
Curico Valley’s (Valle Centrale) most famous vineyard?
Miguel Torre’s 100 yr-old “Manso de Velasco” Cabernet
Zones of Valle del Maule DO?
Valle del Charo
Valle del Loncomilla
Valle del Tutuven
Differences in vine training?
Parron “Overhead” - table grapes
VSP - wine grapes
Maule’s % of vine acreage?
50%
What is head-training called in Chile?
Cabeza
Rivers in Valle del Itata DO?
Itata
Nuble RIvers
Chilean Pisco quality designations:
Pisco Corriente o Traditional (30-35%)
Pisco Especial (35-40%)
Pisco Reservado (40%)
Gran Pisco (43%)
Differences between Chilean and Peruvian Piscos?
Chilean:
- can be distilled multiple times
- is aged in oak (any kind of barrel)
- add water after distillation to lower ABV
- grapes are both aromatic/non-aromatic
- more floral flavors
- example: Pisco el Gobernador
What grapes are allowed in Chilean Pisco production?
Yellow Muscat
White Early Muscat
Alexandria Muscat
Austrian Muscat
Frontignan Muscat
Hamberg Muscat
Black Muscat
Pink Muscat
Canelli Muscat
Orange Muscat
Pedro Ximenez
Torontel
What are the Areas of Valle de Choapo DO?
Salamanca
Illapel
What is the most famous sub-region of Maipo Valley?
Puente Alto
“Riserva Privado” and “Gran Reserva” min alcohol?
12.5%
Where are Chile’s highest elevation vineyards found?
Elqui Valley
How is Merlot different than Carmenere?
- ripens a month later than Merlot
- has tigher clusters
- leaves turn deep red in Autumn
- more difficult to graft
- needs warmer nights overall
Differences in style between Chilean and Peruvian Pisco:
- Peruvian is smaller in production, more floral
- Chilean is more neutral, mass-engineered
- Chilean pisco doesn’t have eggs white/bitters
- also uses Pica Lemon (small, thin-skinned, sweeter)
Who produces these iconic wines from Colchagua?
Clos Apalta
Alpha M
Purple Angel
Clos Apalta - Casa Lapostolle, Bdx Blend
Alpha M - Vina Montes, Bdx Blend
Purple Angel - Vina Montes, Carmenere
Top wines from Apalta DO?
Casa Lapostolle - Clos Apalta
Montes - Alpha M