Chile Flashcards
When was the first Vitis Vinifera vines planted in Chile?
By Spanish settlers as early as 1519
Which were the first grapes used for wine in Chile?
Pais (Mission or Criolla Chica) and Muscat of Alexandria
When and who brought french grape varieties in Chile?
Silvestre Ochagavia Echazarreta (father of Chilean wine) in 1851 including Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Sauvignon Blanc and Vert, Semillon and Chardonnay
First modern winery in Chile?
Vina Ochagavia which still operates today
Name some of the oldest wineries
Cousiño Macul was established in 1856, Viña San Pedro in 1865, Viña Errázuriz in 1870, Santa Carolina in 1875, Santa Rita in 1880, Concha y Toro in 1883, and Undurraga in 1885
Founder of Errazuriz
Maximiano Errázuriz
Name the brands that dominate domestic consupmtion of Chile
Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, and San Pedro (and associated brands), which together account for 85% of domestic consumption
What is MOVI?
In 2009, 12 wineries banded together as the Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes (MOVI), “an association of small quality-oriented Chilean wineries who come together to share a common goal to make wine personally, on a human scale.” In a country dominated by massive wineries, MOVI membership signals a different outlook.
Where is Miguel Torres located and what was his contribution?
Curicó and introduced new technologies like temperature-controlled, stainless steel fermentation tanks, new barriques, and pneumatic presses to the country. Vines were newly trellised or retrained in VSP systems. (1979)
Name some foreign investors in Chile?
Domaine Barons de Rothchild Lafite in Colchagua - Los Vascos (1988)
Grande Marnier in Colchagua - Casa Lapostolle (1994)
Robert Mondavi joined with Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errázuriz to found Seña in 1995 in Aconcagua
Bruno Prats (former owner of Château Cos d’Estournel) and Paul Pontallier (former managing director of Château Margaux) in Maipo - Viña Aquitania (1990)
Baron Philippe de Rothschild arrived in 1997 to create Almaviva in conjunction with Concha y Toro in Puente Alto Maipo
Francois Lurton in Lolol Colchagua - Hacienda Araucano
Name some wine consultants of Chile
Paul Hobbs in Vina Perez Cruz in Maipo
William Fevre (William Fevre Chile) in Maipo
Martin Prieur (Domaine Jacques Prieur) is a consultant for Cono Sur
Louis-Michel Liger-Belair for Errazuriz
Michel Rolland for Casa Lapostolle
Chile’s lenght and wide?
4,300 km long and 150 km wide
Chile’s latitude?
27-41 south of the equator
Name the main viticultural regions of Chile from north to south
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 Araucanía (Region IX, Zona Sur)
Los Lagos (Region X, Zona Sur)
When was the Chile’s Denominación de Origen system established?
1994
Soils of Chile in general?
granite, schist and slate overlaid by red clays in Coastal Range
much of the Andes geology is volcanic in origin, consisting of extrusive rocks like basalt and andesite
Name the 4 DO’s of Chile
Region
Sub-region
Zone
Area
Name the 6 regions of Chile
Atacama, Coquimbo, Aconcagua, Valle Central, Sur, and Austral
varietal and vintage labelling requires a minimum of?
75% and 85% if being exported
Name the ‘quality’ designations for DO wines
Superior, Reserva, Reserva
Especial, Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva
What style of wine makes the most and which is the most planted grape variety?
75% reds and Cabernet Sauvignon followed by Merlot, Carmenère, Syrah, and País. Among white grapes, Sauvignon Blanc (most planted white) and Chardonnay
Carmenere was confused with?
Merlot since 1994
Carmenere is a cross between?
Cabernet Franc and Gros Cabernet
Name some famous wines in which Carmenere is in the blend or as a whole
Clos Apalta and Almaviva feature it as a significant blending component, while high-end Chilean wines like Errázuriz’s “Kai” and Concha y Toro’s “Carmín de Peumo”
Name some top sites for Carmenere
Peumo in Cachapoal, and Los Lingues and Apalta in Colchagua
Food pairings with Carmenere
Chilean dishes like pastel de choclo (sweet corn cooked with beef, onions and olives) and surprisingly versatile with highly spiced Indian cuisine
Chile has old vines from which varieties?
Pais, Moscatel, Carignan, Semillon and Cinsault
Sauvignon Blanc was confused with?
Sauvignonasse or Sauvignon Vert
Name the DO’s of Atacama Region
Huasco and Copiapo Valleys (2)
What is Pisco?
Pisco, a brandy produced in southern Peru and northern Chile, earned an appellation of origin in Chile in 1931 and in Peru in 1991. The original port of Pisco is located in Peru, but Chile changed the name of an Andean town in the upper Elqui Valley
In Chile, Pisco is distilled principally from?
Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria)
Moscatel Rosado
Moscatel de Austria (Torrontés Sanjuanino)
Torontel (Moscatel Amarillo, a progeny of País x Muscat of Alexandria)
Pedro Jiménez.
Name the DO’s of Coquimbo Region
Elqui, Limari and Choapa Valley
Name Choapa’s major producer
De Martino for his Syrah followed by Cab Sauv
Elqui produces more?
Reds (90%) mainly Cab Sauv followed by Merlot, Carmenere and Syrah with a little Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in terms of whites
Elqui is most famous for?
Northern-Rhone like Syrah’s with meaty-spicy complexity underpinned by a sleek ripe fruit profile that is the hallmark of the region
Elqui’s major wineries?
Vina Falernia which is also the biggest and Vinedos de Alcohuaz
Falernia’s top wine?
Alta Tierra Syrah
Highest vineyard of Chile?
2,450m Chile’s highest vineyard is Ayllu, located in the Salar de Atacama
Name the areas of Elqui
La Serena (coastal), Vicuña and Paiguano (Andes)
Name the areas of Limari Valley
Ovalle (capital), Monte Patria, Punitaqui, Río Hurtado
Soils and climate of Limari?
One of the few areas in Chile with calcareous soils—red clay atop limestone recalling the terra rossa of Coonawarra—Limarí succeeds as a cooler climate due to its coastal proximity, not its elevation
Limari is mostly famous for?
Mainly Chardonnay (also most planed) followed by Pinot Noir with some good Cab Sauv and Syrah
First winery of Limari?
Elqui-based Pisco cooperative, established the first wine company, Francisco de Aguirre, in 1993. The winery and its vineyards are now owned by Concha y Toro
Name some producers of Limari
Casa Tamaya (consulted by Carlos Andrade ex winemaker of FdA)
Tabalí
Francisco de Aguirre (Conca y Toro)
Agua Tierra
Name the rivers of Limari
Hurtado and Grande rivers that merge to form Limari river
Mists in Limari called?
camanchaca that brings disease pressure (oidium)
Name the areas of Choapa
Salamanca and IIIapel
Name the sub-regions of Aconcagua
Valle del Aconcagua, Valle de Casablanca, and Valle de San Antonio
Aconcagua produces mainly?
reds (87%) mainly Cab Sauv, Merlot, Carmenere, Syrah and Pais
Briefly describe the climate of Aconcagua
Aconcagua in general has the warmest and driest climate in Chile (Valley) and is moderated by altitude and some cooling influences funelled by the Pacific Ocean and becomes cooler and wetter towards the coast to the west.
Soils of Aconcagua
Alluvial deeper more fertile soils in the plains and flatter sites with more sandier and granitic soils that are poorer and free draining in the hillside sites
Aconcagua is famous for?
Red blends of Cab Sauv with Carmenere and Syrah mainly followed by Merlot and sometimes other grapes like Petit Verdot suitable to the warm climate adding structure, tannins and spicy notes
Name the areas of Aconcagua
Hijuelas, Panquehue, Catemu, Llaillay, San Felipe, Santa María, Calle Larga, Quillota, San Esteban (9)
Name the top producers of Aconcagua
Vina Erazurriz (1870)
Sena (Mondavi and Errazuriz)
Corpora Group
Von Siebenthal
Sena first vintage and varietal composition?
Cabernet Sauv with Merlot, Carmenere, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc in 1995
Best vintages of Sena
2018, 2010, 2015, 2013 and 2001
Name the top wines of Errazuriz
Sena, Chadwick and Don Max
Who was influencial for the development of Casablanca?
Renowned winemaker Pablo Morandé oversaw development of Casablanca’s first experimental vineyards for Concha y Toro in 1982, the first cool-climate region in Chile to be explored by modern winemakers
Name the next wave of wineries of Casablanca in the 90s
Veramonte, Viña Casablanca, Casas del Bosque, Kingston Family Vineyards among others
Casablanca produces mainly?
Whites from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc which are the most planted with some Riesling, Viognier, Gewurz as well as Pinot Noir, Cab Sauv, Merlot and some Syrah and Carmenere
Casablanca’s major threat?
Frost and nematodes
Casablanca’s soils?
Clay heavier soils in the flatter areas with sandy and decompossed granitic soils (maicillo) in the hillsides
Casablanca is famous for?
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for whites (crisp with zesty citrusy fruit and herbal mineral notes), Pinot Noir and Syrah with sleek red fruit, spicy and herbal notes with liner texture and vibrant acidities
Name some of the best producers in Casablanca
Casas del Bosque
Vina Casablanca
Veramonte
Kingston
Name some producers who own land in Casablanca
Errazuriz
Casa Lapostolle
De Martino
Santa Rita
Carmen
Emiliana
Conca y Toro
When were the first vines planted in San Antonio?
1998 planted by Vina Leyda
Name the official zone of San Antonio
Leyda Valley
Which is the most planted grape variety in San Antonio?
Sauvignon Blanc
San Antonio produces mainly?
whites (60%)
Which are the main grapes of San Antonio?
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah
Soils in San Antonio?
clay-loams with gravel and decomposed granite in depth
Name the top producers of San Antonio
Casa Marin (Lo Abarca), Vina Leyda (Leyda), Matetik (Rosario), Garces Silva (Leyda)
Climate of San Antonio?
Similar to Casablanca’s, cool, breezy and humid but even more extreme
Name the key areas of San Antonio
Leyda, Lo Abarca and the unofficial Rosario
Which is the cooler area of San Antonio?
Lo Abarca followed by Leyda which boosts a similar climate with Casablanca