Chile Flashcards
Chile’s widely travelled terrior consultant
Pedro Parra
consults globally by first defining the mother rock then geomorphology (hard/soft rock, slope) and lastly the atual soil from texture to porosity
Soil overview
Ancient granite and in some places, schist and slate are found to the west of the country, while deep clay, loam, silt, and sand deposits are more common in the central plain between the coastas & andes are colluvial or alluvial
Chile’s main struggle is
water. even the Inca’s dug an impressive series of canals for irrigation, they are sparse today.
Chile is ___________ free
phylloxera
What was the most planted grape in Chile until the 1990s?
pias, criolla chica in argentina, or mission in california. most inexpensive but some quality in maule and itata.
What are the highest vineyards in Chile?
Salar de Atacama 11,480 ft / 3,500 m but many are reaching 8,500 ft / 2,500 m. they produce “Allyu” (aka “community) which is a blend of syrah, malbec, pinot noir, and pias.
Vina Falerina
Italian owned producing wine out of Elqui Valley is producing award-winning gutsy syrah at 6,600 ft / 2,000 m
De Martino
even higher in the mountains of Elqui Valley, celebrated winemaker Marcelo Retamal has planted syrah at 7,237ft / 2,206 m on steep granite hillsides to create Vinedos de Alcohuaz
Tabali
producing world-class sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir just 7.5 m / 12 m from the ocean. purchased by Concha y Toro in 2005 and renamed Vina Maycas del Limari
How do Elqui and Limari differ?
Limari has no coastal range protecting it from the cold Pacific
What is Aconcagua named after?
The highest peak of the Andes at 23,000 ft / 7,000 m
Who had the largest single estate gloablly in the late 19th century?
The Errazuriz Family. Today they have 2,500 acres / 1,000 ha of vines in Aconcagua Valley. Winemaker Francisco Baettig produces Chile’s finest chard and pinot from vineyards planted in 2005 to the west of Colmo that recieved cool conditions like in Marlborough, NZ
When did Casablanca Valley develop?
rapidly in the 1990s due to its refreshing sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. cool breezes create an afternoon temperature of 18 F / 10 C giving mild winters and long growing seasons. spring frost is an issue mitigated by resistant rootstock due to water shortage
What did the success of Casablanca create?
San Antonio Valley was first planted in 1997 by Vina Ledya and officially recognized by 2002. it is even more open to pacific influence largely thin layers of red clay over granite
San Antonio Valley pioneers
Vina Leyda, Casa Marin, Matetic, and Amanya
What did Casa Marin win in 2018?
Lo Abarca as a delimited region known for being limestone and exceptionally cool located just 2.5 m / 4 km from the Pacific.
Hardships of Maipo
smog and increasingly expensive land due to Santiago
Why is Maipo planted so close to Santiago?
It was a tradtion of 19th-century gentleman to have extensive plantations off their homes. many of them established Chile’s largest wine companies like Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, and Santa Carolina. It was here the first generation of serious wine was born. reminiscent of Napa Valley with a touch of eucalyptus.
Peunte Alto
this is where vineyard creep up the Andean foothills. this is home to Chile’s great Cabernets: Almaviva, Domus Aurea, Casa Real of Santa Rita, Haras de Pirque, and Vinedo Chadwick
Sub-regions of Rapel
Cachapoal: Rancagua, Requiona, and Rengo
Colchagua: San Fernando, Nancagua, Chimbarongo, Marchigue, Los Lingues, and Apalta
Los Lingues
new DO of Rapel created in 2018, located in the Andean foothills just north of San Fernando
Apalta
new DO of Rapel created in 2018, has a distinctive horseshoe shape where Montes and Lapastolle produce fine wine
Luis Felipe Edwards
planted carmenere in Colchagua at 3,300 ft / 1,000 m, creating Chile’s reputation for the grape
Paredones area
located in Colchagua very close to the pacific and is a source of excellent whites. clay, silty loam, sand, and volcanic soil.
