Chile-Central Flashcards
Where does the Aconcagua DO take its name from?
The Aconcagua River (not the peak)
Where is Panquehue, and who is its most famous producer?
Panquehue is an area of Aconcagua. Errázuriz is its most famous producer, notably for Seña, a BDX blend
What Chilean wine had its own “Judgment of Paris” moment?
Errázuriz “Seña,” a BDX blend, placed ahead of both Lafite and Margaux at the 2004 Berlin Tasting. Its Viñedo Chadwick (Cabernet Sauvignon) took first place.
What is the climate like in San Antonio and Casablanca? What is the dominant wine style?
Much cooler than the rest of Aconcagua, due to their coastal locations; dry whites of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with some Pinot Noir.
What is the oldest viticultural region in Chile?
Valle Central DO
What is the major wine style of the Valle Central?
Red wines of BDX varietals: >50% of the acreage is Cab Sauv, plus Carmenère and Chardonnay.
Aconcagua is in what administrative region?
Valparaíso
How does the climate of the Valle del Aconcagua change from west to east?
Cool and maritime on the coast, schist and slate; the river turns sharply at Quillota, blocking the ingress of ocean air to the inner valley.
Entre Cordilleras is good for Bordeaux grapes in the side valleys and on the hillsides; in the far east, the broad open hillsides are better for Mediterranean varieties used to sun and heat.
Most planted varieties in Valle del Aconcagua?
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carmenere
What makes Valle de Casablanca a coastal region? What is the climate like?
The valley’s western end is open to the Pacific and Humbolt Current winds, resulting in overnight fog and windy afternoons. Overall, Region I. Frost prone.
Where in Aconcagua do you see vines planted on rootstocks (v. own rooted), and why?
Casablanca. No phylloxera, but the sandy soils are a magnet for nematodes.
Casablanca: Major grape varieties
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir
75% of acreage is white grapes
Which is more coastal: Casablanca or San Antonio?
San Antonio
San Antonio: Subzones by climate (official and unofficial)
Leyda: Southernmost, 15km from the ocean. Cool, humid, windy, prone to rot.
Lo Abarca: Central, 4km from the ocean. Coolest and most maritime, averaging 1000 degree days.
Rosario: Northernmost, 19km from the ocean, warmest and driest (relative, obviously).
What are the administrative regions of the Valle Central?
Santiago
O’Higgins (named for Bernardo O’Higgins, who declared independence from Spain in 1818)
Maule
How does rainfall change from north to south in the Valle Central?
It increases as one moves south, rising from 300mm to 750mm annually
What major city sits in the Maipo Valley?
Santiago
Maipo: Unofficial Subzones
Alto Maipo (400-600M): Gravel and alluvials, large diurnal shift (20ºC +), evening wind, generally west facing slopes. Medio Maipo: warmer overall than Alto Maipo, clay-based soil, wines tend to be softer of structure, popular for Carmenère. Maipo Costa/Maipo Bajo: not actually coastal, youngest and coolest subzone in the region.
Do not necessarily correlate with Andes, Entre Cordilleras, and Costa
Name five wines originating in the Alto Maipo
Don Melchor (Concha y Toro) Almaviva Viñedo Chadwick (Errazuriz) Antiyal (Alvaro Espinosa, Carmenere, Cab Sauv, Syrah) Casa Real (Santa Rita)
What is significant about the soils of Puente Alto? What significant wines originate in this area?
Particularly gravelly, caused early international exposure.
Don Melchor, Viñedo Chadwick, Almaviva
What is the administrative region of the Valle del Rapel?
O’Higgins
What is the most heavily planted subregion in the Valle Central?
Rapel
What two rivers combine to create the Rio Rapel, and where do they combine?
Cachapoal and Tinguiririca; they both flow into the Rapel Reservoir, created when the river was dammed in the 1960’s.
What is the major grape in Cachapoal, and why?
Very warm (no direct access to the coast), clay and alluvial soils, no risk of frost, rain, or temperature variation (good for Carmenère as it is very late-ripening).
Which two high end Carmenere bottlings appellate as DO Peumo? Why is this notable?
Herencia (Santa Carolina)
Carmín de Peumo (Concha y Toro)
Areas are rarely used for labeling, as zones generally have broader recognition.
What major city sits in Cachapoal?
Rancagua
Name five major producers in Colchagua
Cono Sur, Viu Manent, Casa Silva
Lapostolle, Los Vascos, Hacienda Araucano
Montes, Neyen, Koyle
Where and what is Apalta?
The most important (but still unofficial) area for red wine in Colchagua (and therefore in Chile period, outside of the Maipo), seated on the north bank of the Tinguiririca River in the DO Santa Cruz.
Slightly cooler climate, lower sunshine hours (mountains to the east, west, and north) and well-drained granitic soils.
Apalta: Top Wines
Clos Apalta, Casa Lapostolle, 66% Carmenere, 19% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, dry-farmed vineyard, planted 1920.
Alpha M, Montes, Cab Sauv dominant BDX blend.
Curicó and Maule: Administrative Region
Maule
Curicó: Climate and soils
Cooler, with more winter rainfall than the DO’s to the north, creating frost troubles in the fall.
Most vineyards are planted on heavy clay in the interior and schist on the coast.
What is Chile’s second largest producer, and where are they based?
San Pedro
Curicó
Important producers in Curicó
San Pedro (mostly bulk wine)
Miguel Torres Chile (specifically the Manso de Velasco plot, 100yo Cabernet Sauvignon)
Viña Escheverría
Currently, Curicó is largely given to bulk plantings.
Maule Valley: Size
Responsible for more than 25% of Chile’s overall production.
More vine acreage than any other single region, save the whole Rapel zone.
Maule administrative region (Maule + Curicó) holds nearly 50% of Chile’s acreage.
Virtually all of Chile’s major producers either own or source fruit from Maule.
Maule: Major Grapes`
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pais
Some old vine Carignan, Malbec, and Sémillon to be found in spots.
What is VIGNO, and what requirements surround it?
VIGNO is the brand trademarked by the Vignadores de Carignan in western Maule.
Restricted to a delimited area
Dry-farmed
Minimum 30 years vine age (may be grafted)
Aged 2 years before release
Minimum 65% Carignan
Name three VIGNO producers
Bravado Wines De Martino Garage Wine Company Lomas de Cauquenes Meli Miguel Torres Morande Odfjell Valdivieso Viña Roja
