Chile General

Question 1

What is the only major winemaking country to remain totally phylloxera-free?

Answer 1

Chile

Question 2

What is the Mission grape known as in Argentina? In Chile?

Answer 2

Pais

Criolla Chica

Question 3

What 19th century estates were early promoters of French varieties?

Answer 3

Viña La Rosa (Cachapoal, 1824), Carta Vieja (Loncomilla, 1825)

Question 4

What is Chile’s oldest operating winery, and why was it initially important?

Answer 4

Viña Ochagavía, Santiago, 1851. Founded by Silvestre Ochagavía
Provided a blueprint for others to follow; sometimes referred to as the “father of Chilean wine.”

Question 5

Who was the naturalist who created Chile’s first research vineyard in the 1830’s?

Answer 5

Claude Gay; he brought dozens of grapevine cuttings in from France and planted them at Santiago’s Quinta Normal for study (adaptability to Chilean climate and soil).

Question 6

Which three wineries account for 85% of domestic consumption in Chile?

Answer 6

Concha y Toro
Santa Rita
San Pedro
Overall, the Chilean wine industry is top-heavy, and the largest producers create and control market perceptions of Chile worldwide.

Question 7

Average size of Chilean winery production

Answer 7

1 million cases/year = mid-size

100,000 cases /year = small

Question 8

What is MOVI?

Answer 8

Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes
A coalition created in 2009 between 12 smaller wineries (many more today). Inclusion is less a signal of winery style and more an indicator of size and personal attention to the day-to-day affairs of the winery.

Question 9

What is Chile’s first winery founded by outside investment? What important technologies did this introduce?

Answer 9

Miguel Torres Chile, 1979

Modern winemaking, essentially: temperature control, stainless steel ferments, new barrique, pneumatic press.

Question 10

Who owns Los Vascos?

Answer 10

Domaine Barons de Rothschild-Lafite (1988)

Question 11

Who created Viña Aquitania?

Answer 11

Bruno Prats (Cos d’Estournel) and Paul Pontarlier (Margaux)

Question 12

Seña is a collaboration between whom?

Answer 12

Eduardo Chadwick (Errazuriz) and Robert Mondavi, 1995.
Owned wholly by Chadwick since 2005.

Question 13

Who collaborates on Aristos?

Answer 13

Louis-Michel Liger-Belair and Pedro Parra

Question 14

Which Chablisienne producer has a Chilean outpost?

Answer 14

William Fèvre - William Fèvre Chile

Question 15

Much of Chile’s “Sauvignon Blanc” is in fact what?

Answer 15

Sauvignon Vert

Question 16

What is another name for Sauvignon Vert?

Answer 16

Friulano

Question 17

Much of Chile’s “Merlot” is in fact what?

Answer 17

Carmenere

Question 18

What are Chile’s geographic sectors from north to south? Which are relevant for winegrowing?

Answer 18

Norte Grande
Norte Chico
Zona Central
Zona Sur
Zona Austral

Wine grapes begin in Norte Chico (Copiapo, Atacama, 27º), and end in Zona Austral (46º).

Question 19

Chile: Administrative Regions

Answer 19

Atacama, Region III, Norte Chico
Coquimbo: Region IV, Norte Chico
Valparaíso, Region V, Zona Central
Santiago, Región Metropolitan, Zona Central
O'Higgins, Region VI, Zona Central
Maule, Region VII, Zona Central
Bío Bío, Region VIII, Zona Sur
La Araucania, Region IX, Zona Sur
Los Lagos, Region X, Zona Sur

May or may not correspond to DO regions, even DO viticultural regions of the same name.

Question 20

Chile: Latitude

Answer 20

17º to 53º S - 4300km long, 350km wide (max)

Question 21

Chile: Cilmate by Latitude

Answer 21

Norte Chico: hot and arid
Zona Central: warm and Mediterranean
Zona Sur: cool, rainy, maritime

Question 22

Chile: Soil

Answer 22

Mountain ranges are created by the tectonic interaction of the South American plate and the Nazca (oceanic) plate, as the latter pushes eastward. (making Chile subject to frequent, devastating earthquakes). Results:
Coastal range is granite, schist, and slate overlaid by clay, from the continental crust folding over
Andes range is volcanic in origin - basalt, andesite - but also contains limestone in places lifted up from the Nazca Plate.

Question 23

Who oversees Chile’s wine labeling laws? When were they passed?

Answer 23

Originally passed 1985 (vitis vinifera only, min. 11.5% abv); permitted practices and additions added in 1986.
DO system was enacted in 1994.
Overseen by the Agricultural and Livestock Service

Question 24

Chilean DO categories by size

Answer 24

Región Vitícola
Subregion
Zone
Area

Question 25

Which current cools the Chilean Coast? What effect does it have on climate?

Answer 25

Humbolt Current, running northward up from the Antarctic.
The current cools the air passing over it, limiting precipitation and contributing to an inversion layer (wherein cooler tempterarures are trapped near the surface). Average temperatures are milder, and the diurnal shift is suppressed (floor remains the same; highs are lower).

Question 26

What effect does El Niño have on Chile?

Answer 26

El Niño is caused by a weakening and warming of the Humbolt Current; Pacific Ocean temperatures warm off the coast, and rainfall increases dramatically.

Question 27

Chilean Wine Law: %’s

Answer 27

75% for vintage, varietal, DO (if listed). Most producers do 85% to comply with EU export standards.

Question 28

Are hybrid varietals allowed in Chilean wines?

Answer 28

NO

Question 29

What is the required minimum abv in Chile?

Answer 29

11.50%

Question 30

What Chilean designations require 12% abv?

Answer 30

Riserva and Riserva Especial

Question 31

What Chilean designations require 12.5% abv?

Answer 31

Riserva Privada and Gran Reserva

Question 32

Other than higher minimum alcohol, what is the requirement for Chilean Riserva Especial and Gran Reserva?

Answer 32

Mandatory time in wood (unspecified)

Question 33

What are the three geographical designations utilized for labeling in Chile? What % of grapes must be from there to qualify? When were these implemented?

Answer 33

Andes, Costa, and Entre Cordilleras
85%
2012

Question 34

Red grapes account for what % of Chilean acreage?

Answer 34

73.00%

Question 35

When was Chile’s “merlot” unmasked as Carmenere, and by whom?

Answer 35

1994, by Jean-Michel Bourisquot on a visit to Viña Carmen

Question 36

Name two high end Carmenere bottlings

Answer 36

Errázuriz “Kai” (Aconcagua)

Concha y Toro “Carmín de Peumo” (Rapel)

Question 37

What is Chile’s largest producer? What is their flagship wine?

Answer 37

Concha y Toro
Don Melchor (Cab Sauv, Puente Alto, Maipo)

Question 38

What is Almaviva?

Answer 38

A joint project between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Concha y Toro (think Opus One in Chile). Cabernet Sauvignon base, Puente Alto, Maipo.

Question 39

Name three brands owned by Concha y Toro

Answer 39

Serie Riberas
Terrunyo
Gravas del Maipo
Casillero del Diablo
Trio
Marquest de Casa Concha
Amelia
Don Melchor
Carmin de Peumo