Chile Flashcards
What are the major white grapes of Chile?
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewurz, Muscat of Alexandria
What are the major red grapes of Chile?
Cab, Carmenère, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot, Pais
Where is Chile located?
The south-weastern strip of South America, Bordering Peru, Bolivia, & ArgentinaWh
What geographical features influence Chile’s wine regions?
The Andes & coastal mountains.
Rivers Elqui, Limari, Choapa in Coquimbo
Rio Acancagua in Aconcagua
Rio Maipo
Rio Cachapoal
Rio Maule in Central Valley Regions
Rio Biobio in Southern Regions
How wide is Chile? What unique wine label terms help define Chilean terroir in regard to this?
110mi wide at most.
Costa, Entre Cordilleras, and Andes can appear on labels to let you know if it’s from an eastern coastal, western foothill, or central valley region.
What is the climate like in Chile?
It’s a cool, dry desert in the North
Becoming mediterranean with mountain influence centrally
And Maritime as you move south
What does all of Chile have in common?
Long, sunny days even if temperature & climate vary by region
What are the soils of Chile?
Clay, Silt, & Chalk in Atacama & Coquimbo
Sand & Loam in Aconcagua, preventing phyloxerra
Fertile clay with patches of high salinity in Valle Central
Sand, gravel, & alluvial soils in Sur
Briefly describe Chile’s wine growing history
16thC: Conquistadors bring Pais vines to Chile in
1641: Protectionist Spanish law forces Chile to buy bulk wine from spain, and won’t let it sell its wine to Spain, so viticulture become focused on Pisco production
19thC: French varieties arrive in Chile
1870: Don Maximiano Errázuriz founds Viña Errázuriz winery, with a focus on Bordeaux varieties
1909: Transandean railway reaches Chile & expands trade
1990s: foreign investment modernizes industry but production centers around 8 major players
1995: Chile delimits official wine regions as DOs
1997: Casa Lapostolle releases Clos Alpalta, bringing international recognition to Chilean wines
How do Cab & Bordeaux Blends tend to express themselves in Chile?
Soft tannins & more pronounced pyrazines, often with hints of mint, olive, & smoke
How does Carménère tend to express itself in Chile?
Deep purple, round tannins, pronounced pyrazines, hints of blueberries, green bell pepper, cedar, & smoke
What is Chile’s relationship with oak in red wine?
They love & prefer to use French oak with their cabs & bordeaux blends when they can afford it.
How do Chile’s white wines express themselves? What about its Sauvignon blanc?
Generally clean & fruit-forward.
Sauvignon blanc is largely sauvignon vert here, with pronounced thiols and hints of ammonia, lemongrass, lime, & green pepper.
What are Chile’s 4 Label Designations and their requirements?
Reserva: minimum 12% abv
Reserva Especial: min 12% abv & oak aging
Reserva Privada: min 12.5% abv
Gran Reserva: min 12.5% abv & oak aging
What % of grapes have to be from a given vintage/vineyard/variety to appear as such on a Chilean wine label?
75% for Chile
(85% for imports to the EU)
What famous Chilean wine is from Casa Lapostole?
Clos Alpalta, a blend of Cab & Carmenère
What famous Chilean wine is from Concha y Toro & Baron Philipe de Rothschild?
Almaviva, a blend of Cab & Carmenère
What famous Chilean wine is from Concha y Toro?
Don Melcor, a Cab-based blend
What famous Chilean wines does Errazuriz produce?
Kai, a Carmenère based blend
& Seña, a Cab-based blend in partnership with Robert Mondavi, now owned by the Chadwick family.
What are Chile’s 6 regional DOs?
From N to S: Atacama, Coquimbo, Aconcagua, Valle Central, Sur, & Austral
What is the primary product of the Atacama DO?
Pisco!
What are the 3 DOs within the Coquimbo DO?
From N to S: Elqui, Limari, & Choapa
What varieties is the Elqui valley known for?
Syrah & Sauvignon Blanc
What varieties is the Limari valley known for?
Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, & Cab
What are the subregion DOs of Aconcagua?
From N to S:
Aconcagua
Casa Blanca
San Antonio
What varieties is Aconcagua known for?
Cab, Syrah, Carmenère
What varieties are Casablanca & San Antonio known for?
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, & Pinot Noir
What are the 4 subregions of Valle Central?
From N to S:
Maipo DO
Rapel DO
Curicó DO
Maule DO
What varieties is Chile’s Valle Central known for?
Cab, Merlot, Carmenère
Chardonnay, & Sauvignon Blanc
What are the 2 important zones of Rapel Valley?
Cachapoal DO & Colchagua DO
What is the important zone of San Antonio Valley?
Leyda Valley
What are the 2 important zones of Curicó valley?
Teno DO & Lontué DO
What are the 3 important zones of Maule?
Clara, Loncomilla, & Tutuvén
What are the 3 DOs of the Sur region?
Itata, Biobio, & Malleco
What grapes are grown in the Sur region?
PInot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pais, Cinsault, Muscat of Alexandria
