Chile Flashcards
Mountains in Central Valley?
Coastal Mountains
Longest mountain range in the world?
Andes
Characterization of Chile’s and Argentina’s vineyards and its geography
- Chile’s wine regions owe their ideal growing conditions to their isolation (they are sandwiched between the cold Andes and the cold Pacific)
- Argentina’s most famous vineyards, typically oases of green set in uncompromisingly arid semi-desert, exist because of altitude
Driest desert on earth?
Atacamas
The highest mountain in the Americas?
Aconcagua Mountain (22,841 ft)
Name of the Jesuit priest who is credited with introducing the first grapes, likely Pais, to the region that is now Chile in 1548?
Francisco de Carabantes
In which decade did a renaissance begin in Chile’s wine industry with the introduction of stainless steel and new oak
1980’s
T or F? Chile is the only major winemaking country to remain totally phylloxera-free
True! Because of Chile’s many natural boundaries (Pacific ocean, Andes, Atacamas)
What is murgrón?
- a vine replanting system where taking a cane from an existing vine and directing it back into the ground to develop roots and propagate a new plant; also used in Argentina’s flood-irrigated vineyards
Roughly 80% of of all wine in Chile are produced by which 4 companies?
- Concha y Toro
- San Pedro
- Santa Rita
- Santa Carolina
First Chilean producer to export to the US in 1903?
Undurraga (Maipo Bajo, Central Region)
Who was the first to import French vines to plant in Chile?
Don Silvestre Errázuriz
Climate in Chile
Mediterranean
Which wine region is named after the highest peak of the Andes?
Aconcagua
In what century were most of the major wineries in Chile established?
19th Century
Explain the “El Niño” effect on the Humboldt Current
It warms and weakens it, decimating local fish populations and causing increased rainfalls
What grape known locally as Sauvignon Blanc was discovered to be a misnomer?
Sauvignon Vert/Sauvignonasse/Friulano
What region to Chile attempt to name a Pisco DO for?
Pisco Elqui DO was shot down by the EU in 2013
What year was the DO system put in place in Chile?
1994
Give the tiers of DO’s for Chile from largest to smallest
Viticultural Region, Subregion, Zone, Area
To label “Costa”,” Entre Cordilleras”, or “Andes”, what percentage of a wine must come from the stated area?
- min 85% of the grapes must be harvested in the appropriate region (not vintage).
As specifically as you can answer, what DO of Chile is MOST affected by the Humboldt Current?
- Casablanca
- as the western entrance to the Coastal Ranges has a break leaving it directly in the path and a Region 1a on the Winkler Scale
- Casablanca is located too far from the Andes to get any cooling effect or available water for irrigation
- Morning fog is created by icy Humboldt currents. It is often compared to Carneros, California
Where are the DO zones of Lleyda Valley and Lo Abarca?
San Antonio Valley DO (within Aconcagua DO)
Don Melchior, Almaviva, and Viñedo Chadwick all produce wine from what area within Maipo Valley?
Puente Alto, Maipo, Valle Central
Name a producer of wines from Apalta
- Casa Lapostolle
- Viña Montes (Neyen, Vina las Ninas, Ventisquero, etc)
Within what DO would you find wines labeled VIGNO?
Maule Valley
Name 3 requirements to label a wine as “VIGNO”
1) Min 30 year old vines
2) Min 85% Carignan
3) Min 2 years aging
4) Dry-farmed
5) Cabeza (bush vine training)
Minimum % abv for Chilean DO wines
11.5%
Most top 2 planted grapes of Chile
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
The Camanchaca Fog is a feature of what Chilean sub-region?
Limarí DO
What are the soils of Puento Alto DO? Where is it located?
Gravel; Maipo Valley DO (within the Valle Central DO)
Malleco DO lies within what region?
Sur DO
What is pergola trellising called in Chile?
Parron
Who is considered the the Father of Chilean wine?
Silvestre Ochagavia Errazuriz
During what 3 months does “vendimia” occur in the Southern Hemisphere?
Feb-April
What is MOVI? Name 2 members
- “El Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes”
- association of producers with emphasis on making quality wine on small scale winemaking
- Garage Wine Co.
- Kingston Family
- Montsecano
- Villard
Chile’s 6 wine regions (DO) from N to S
- Atacama
- Coquimbo
- Aconcagua
- Valle Central
- Sur
- Austral
Who and which winery was the first to bottle Carménère as a single variety?
- Alvaro Espinoza at Viña Carmen in Maipo - Espinoza also founded Antiyal in Maipo, the first “garagiste” in Chile
What is “Grand Vidule”?
- synonym for Merlot (the grape originally confused with Carménère plantings)
- an 18th century Bordelais peasant name for
Cross of Carménère?
Cabernet Franc X Gros Cabernet
Who is considered the “patriarch” of Chile’s quality winemaking?
Aurelio Montes from Viña Montes
Most planted grape in Chile? Most planted white grape?
Cab Sauv (+30%); Sauv Blanc
Seña and Viñedo Chadwick are from which winery?
Errázuriz
Minimum % required for Varietal/Vintage/Region Labeling?
- 75%
- many wineries observe an 85% minimum for all 3 categories, in order to comply with EU standards for export
Most northerly DO region in Chile?
Atacama
Most northerly sub-region in Chile?
Copiasco Valley
Subregions of Atacama (2)?
- Copiasco Valley
- Huasco Valley
Subregions of Coquimbo (3)?
- El-Lim-Cho
- Elquí
- Limarí
- Choapa
Subregions of Aconcagua (3)?
- Snake-has-snake-movie-city-MargZ
- Aconcagua Valley
- Casablanca Valley
- San Antonio Valley
- Marga-Marga Valley
- Zapaller - two DO areas that are not contained within any subregions but in the Valparaíso admin region
T or F? Marga-Marga and Zapallar from Aconcagua are considered “Costa”
True!
Central Valley sub-regions (4)
- Central has Mai-Rap-Cur-Maul
- Maipo
- Rapel Valley
- Curicó Valley
- Maule Valley
Sur DO sub-regions (3)
- It-Bio-Mall
- Itata Valley
- Bío Bío Valley
- Malleco Valley
DOs of Austral (2)
- Cautin Valley
- Osorno Valley
Almaviva is a collaboration between which 2 wineries? Which region in Chile is it from?
Mouton and Concha Y Toro; Puente Alto in Maipo
“Seña” is a collaboration between which 2 wineries? Which region in Chile is it from?
Errázuriz and Mondavi; Aconcagua
“Clos Apalta” is made by which winery, and which famed French oenologist is directly involved?
Casa Lapastolle, Michel Rolland; Apalta (Colchagua)
T or F? Both Don Melchor and Almaviva are made by Concha Y Toro
True!
Antinori’s winery in Maipo?
Haras de Pirque
Which subregion would you most likely find higher amount of plantings of Syrah?
Elquí Valley
Birthplace of Chilean Pisco
Limarí Valley
Which subregion is Chile’s narrowest point (60 miles wide), where the Andes and Coastal Mountains converge
Choapa Valley (Coquimbo)
Geographically, where would you mostly find “Costa” designations?
- encompasses westerly appellations within Limarí, Casablanca, San Antonio, Colchagua and Itata
Geographically, where would you mostly find “Entre Cordilleras” designations?
- “between mountains”
- covers the central appellations where 60% of Chile’s wine is produced
Geographically, where would you mostly find “Andes” designations?
the high eastern appellations within Elquí, Choapa, Maipo, Cachapoal, Curicó, Maule
What type of soil would you mostly find on the western part of Chile?
ancient granite and, in some places, schist and slate
What type of soil would you mostly find on the Central Plain of Chile (between the Coastal Range and the Andes)?
deep clay, loam, silt and sand; where soils tend to be colluvial or alluvial
Name the 4 extreme natural barriers that define Chile’s wine regions
- Driest desert in the world (Atacama)
- Andes Mountains
- Pacific Ocean
- Fray Jorge National Park
Which wine placed ahead of both Ch Lafite and Ch Margaux in the 2004 Berlin Tasting?
2000 “Viñedo Chadwick” from Errázuriz
Pablo Morandé’s contribution to Chilean wine?
pioneered the Casablanca Valley region in 1982, also a former winemaker at Concha Y Toro
Which Alsatian producer has a collab project in Casablanca and what is the name of the winery?
- André Ostertag from Domaine Ostertag - “Montsecano” (also MOVI)
Which region in Aconcagua is the most coastal/maritime region?
- San Antonio Valley - vyds as close as 2.5 miles from the Pacific ocean, cooler than Casablanca
What is Maipo Valley’s major city? And between which two mountains is Maipo located?
- Santiago
- Maipo sandwiched between the Andes on the East and Coastal mountains on the West
Which Argentinian region is directly across from the Central Valley region across the Andes?
Mendoza
T or F? The most central, most productive and known region in Chile is the Central Region
True!
“Alto Maipo” a region where elevation is more than 2,000 feet, contains which 2 subregions?
- Puente Alto
- Pirque
- both classed as “Maipo Alto”
What is Central Valley’s warmest and most Mediterranean climate?
Maipo
Name 3 producers from Maipo
- Almaviva
- Antiyal
- Cousiño Macul (the only 19th century winery in Chlle that remains in the hands of the original founding family)
- Viña Carmen
- Concha Y Toro ‘Don Melchior’
- Santa Rita
- Santa Carolina
- Haras de Pirque
- Ventisquero
- Odfjell
- De Martino
Name the (2) DO zones of Rapel Valley
- Cachapoal Valley
- Colchagua Valley
What is the Lafite project with Santa Rita in Colchagua Valley?
Los Vascos
Name (2) other famed wineries in Colchagua
- Casa Lapostolle (“Clos Apalta”) - in Apalta Valley
- Viña Montes (“Montes Alpha M”) - in Apalta Valley
- Viña Montes (“Purple Angel”)
- Vina Casa Silva (Altura)
Which region accounts for almost half the country’s plantings of Carménère?
Colchagua Valley
The first to import oak barrels to Chile
Miguel Torres from Spain
T or F? Maule Valley sub-region in Central Valley is Chile’s oldest wine region, and the largest in size and production
True!
Which region did Miguel Torres build his winery in 1979?
Curicó in Central Valley
Curicó Valley’s (2) zones
- Teno Valley
- Lontue Valley
Maule Valley’s (3) zones
- Claro Valley
- Loncomilla Valley
- Tutuvén Valley
This river runs through Colchagua and brings clear meltwater down from the Andean peaks
Tinguiririca
Chile’s biggest wine producer?
Concha Y Toro
Panquehue is home to which iconic Chilean family and where is it located?
Errázuriz; Aconcagua
T or F? The quality of Viña Aquitania’s Sol de Sol Chardonnay from Malleco was then first internationally recognized wine that encouraged others to extend the Chilean wine map even further south
True!
Most of the Chasselas grape is grown in Bío Bío, what is it called in Chile?
Corinto
What countries border Chile?
Peru and Bolivia to the north and Argentina to the east
Where is Tabali based?
- Limarí
- Gaining reputation for good Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
Where is Veramonte winery and who owns it?
- Casablanca
- Owned by the Huneeus family (Quintessa, Flowers, etc)
When was San Antonio Valley first planted?
1997 by Vina Leyda
Name 2 producers from San Antonio Valley?
Vina Leyda, Casa Marin, Matetic, Amayna
Sole official recognized zone in San Antonio Valley?
Leyda Valley
Where is the Apalta Area?
Colchagua, Entre Cordilleras -> Rapel -> Valle Central
What was the first vintage of Almaviva?
- Concha y Toro; Mouton Rothschild
Who owns Los Vascos?
Lafite Rothschild since 1988
Cono Sur is a subsidiary of what larger winery?
Concha y Toro
T or F? Chile is the longest and thinnest country on earth
True!
Most planted grape variety in San Antonio Valley?
Sauvignon Blanc
Chile’s oldest winery?
Viña Carmen (founded in 1850)
Main grapes used to make Pisco?
- Moscatel (Muscat de Alexandria)
- Moscatel Rosada
- Moscatel de Austria (Torrontés Sanjuanino)
- Torontel (Moscatel Amarillo, a progeny of País x Muscat of Alexandria)
- Pedro Jimenez
Which Chile region is known for its terra rossa soils?
Limarí (in Coquimbo)
Most planted grape in Limarí?
Chardonnay
Which DO stretches for more than half the country’s width, encompassing Andes, Entre Cordilleras, and Costa area?
Aconcagua Valley
What is Aconcagua Valley’s most important producer today and one of Chile’s red wine stars?
Viña Errázuriz, established in 1870
White varieties compose ____% of the total vineyard in Casablanca Valley?
75%
Despite the absence of phylloxera, Casablanca’s sandy soils are a magnet for this pest?
Nematodes
Maipo’s major city?
Santiago
Central Valley’s warmest areas?
Rapel Valley
Unofficially, many divide the Maipo Valley into which three areas?
- Alto Maipo, at elevations of 400-600m or higher in the piedmont of the Andes
- Medio Maipo, the central area
- Maipo Costa/Maipo Bajo, the lowest-lying vineyards in the southwest
Where in Chile is Concha Y Toro’s main winery located?
Maipo Valley -> Alto Maipo -> Pirque
Rapel River, for which the valley is named, is formed at the confluence of which 2 rivers?
Cachapoal and Tinguiririca Rivers
This area is home to more Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère than any other region in the country
Colchagua -> in Rapel Valley
Within which DO zone is the Valle de San Antonio located?
Valle de Leyda DO
