Chile Flashcards
What are the four general defining geographical features in Chile? (West to East)
Pacific Ocean
Coastal Ranges
Central Valley
The Andes
What has caused gaps to form in the Coastal Ranges in Chile?
Rivers running from the Andes
What is the weather like during the growing season?
What is the general overall climate of Chile?
Dry and sunny
Warm, Mediterranean
What are shortfalls in rain made up for by?
What is the issue with this?
Irrigation
Increasingly short supply of irrigation water
Where in Chile will you find vineyards with cooler and wetter conditions?
The South
What is the name of the two phases of cyclical weather phenomenon experienced across the Pacific? What does each bring (in Chile)?
El Nino - Big Rains
La Nina - Drought
Where does the Humbolt current originate?
Antarctica
Name two ways in which prevailing winds blowing in from the Humbolt Current might cool vineyards
Winds blow inland up river valleys
Some fog may form close to the coast
Where will cool sea breezes have most effect?
Where coastal mountains are lowest
Where vineyards are closer to the sea
What may cool vineyards in the foothills of the Andes?
Cold air descending from mountains overnight
Why are the flat, easy to cultivate lands between the mountains less moderated?
They are more sheltered
What style of farming is generally practiced by both large and small estates?
Sustainable and Organic
What are the 3 new (2012) classification categories in Chile?
Costa
Entre Cordilleras
Andes
Can the new 2012 terms, Costa, Entre Cordilleras and Andes be used in conjunction with DO or are they replacement terms?
Can be used in conjunction
Why are the terms reserva, reserva especial, reserva privada and gran riserva, not great indications of quality overall? What are they useful for?
They have no real meaning
They can be useful for communicating quality levels within a producers portfolio
What are the 5 black varieties found in Chile?
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Carmenere Syrah Pinot Noir
Which black grape is often thought of as Chile’s signature grape? What two clusters are balanced in best examples?
Carmenere
Black fruit and Herbal
Body and Tannin of Carmenere? When does it ripen?
Full and High
Late
Plantings of which two international varieties dominate Chile?
Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
Where are the best examples of Sauvignon Blanc found? (general, example)
Flavours tend to focus on ripe apple and which two clusters?
Cooler regions
Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys
Citrus and Tropical
Chardonnays tend to be made in an international style with ripe fruit and …. flavours?
Oak
What grape is mainly used in Pisco?
Muscat of Alexandria
What are the four principal regions of Chile?
Coquimbo
Aconcuaga
Central Valley
Southern Region
Which Region floats way up north by itself?
What quality of grapes tend to be found here?
Coquimbo
High-quality
There are three winemaking subregions in the Coquimbo region. Choapa Valley, … and …? What is a common challenge in these regions?
Elqui Valley and Limari Valley
Water access/irrigation access
Which grapes does Elqui Valley have a high reputation for?
Sauvignon Blanc
Syrah
For which white grape does the Limari Valley have the best reputation in Chile?
Chardonnay
What are the moderating influences found in the Coquimbo region?
Altitude, sea breezes
What subregions are found in the Aconcagua Region?
The Aconcagua Valley
Casablanca Valley
San Antonio Valley
The Aconcagua Valley is known for which three red grapes?
Cab Sauv
Syrah
Carmenere
A push from rich, ripe-fruity, high alcohol, tannic wines towards fresh, more complex, lower ABV styles has occurred in the Aconcagua Valley. How has this been acheived?
Plantings have moved focus from the fertile valley floor to the slopes or towards the coast
Which two subregions of the Aconcagua region share similar characteristics?
Casablanca Valley
San Antonio Valley
Where do the Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys sit geographically? What are the moderating influences here that allow the production of white grapes?
Between the Pacific and the coastal mountains
Coastal breezes and morning fog
Between the Casablanca Valley and the San Antonio Valleys, which has the higher reputation for Sauv Blanc production? What smaller, cool, valley zone in particular?
San Antonio
Leyda Valley Zone
Which two black grapes do well in the Casablanca Valley and the San Antonio Valleys?
Pinot Noir and Syrah
Between the Casablanca Valley and the San Antonio Valleys which subregion has the best reputation for Syrah? Where is it planted in the region?
Casablanca
To the East where it’s warmer (inland)
Which region can be described as ‘vast warm flat region where a majority of Chilean vineyards have always been found’?
Central Valley
The production of inexpensive fruity wines in the Central Valley focus on which two grape varieties?
Merlot and Chardonnay
The Central Valley is divided into four subregion valleys: Maipo Valley, Rapel Valley, Curico Valley and Maule Valley. Which is again subdivided into two zones?
Rapel
Mint is particular characteristic of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in which Central Valley subregion? What is this region cut-off from?
Maipo Valley
Coastal influence
Where might you find more premium styles of wine being grown in the Maipo Valley? What is the cooling effect here?
Andes foothills
Descending air from the mountains
What are the two zones of the large and varied Rapel subregion of the Central Valley?
Cachapoal Valley
Colchagua Valley
Cachapoal (catch a pole) is a warm area cut off from ocean breezes. What grape does well on the valley floor? What grapes do well in the cooler eastern part of the zone?
Carmenere
Cab Sauv and Syrah
What is the name of the larger and more varied zone of the Rapel subregion in the Central Valley region?
Colchagua (kolsch-agua - beer-water 👍)
The center of Colchagua Valley is warm with some ocean influence. The valley is primarily known for Cab Sauv but also Syrah and Carmenere. Where are some more premium sites now found in this region?
Slopes (planted as the region expanded, note: Apalta)
West, where the ocean influence is stronger
Between the Curico and Maule Valleys of the Central Valley Region, which one is cooler? Which one is home to dry-farmed, old bush vine Carignan?
Maule
Maule
What are the names of the two Central Valley region subregions that are known for producing inexpensive red and white blends grown in warm and fertile soils?
Curico and Maule Valleys
What is useful about the temperature difference between Maule and Curico Valleys?
Maule’s cooler sites can bring higher levels of acidity to blends
What is the Southern-most region in Chile?
Southern region
Arrange the Bio Bio Valley, the Itata Valley and the Malleco Valley in order from North to South. What happends climatically as we head further south?
Itata
Bio Bio
Malleco
It gets cooler and wetter
Which two valleys out of the Southern Region (Itata, Bio Bio and Malleco) are gaining attention from premium producers? What for (both are different)?
Bio Bio for high-quality, aromatic and acidic W+B grapes
Malleco for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
