Chili Flashcards
Where is Chili
Pacific coast of south america 100 miles wide and over 2500 miles long. Chili is sandwhiched in betweeen the sea and Andes mountain range with the Atacama desert at the northern most point. Southerly cold temps in south near Patagonia. Patagonia is shared by Chili and Argentina.
Icy Humboldt current
Cool, coastal current that blankets vineyards with cool fog
Climate and rainshadows
The Coastal Range of mountains blocks the cool, moist air from the Pacific creating a rain shadow. Inland area between Coastal mountain Range and the Andes have a warm to hot Mediterranean climate
Vineyard variance
Hills mountains and valleys. Vineyards vary widely based on elevation
Most of Chili’s planting came from
Bordeaux
Grapes of chili
White – Chardonnay – Sauvignon Blanc • Red (75% of plantings) – Cabernet – Merlot – Carmenère (long mistaken for Merlot) "spicy chilean merlot."
Why does phylloxera not exist in Chili
Geography and strict quarantine laws
Rivers in Chili
Formed from Andean melt . They connect via channels to the Pacific. Allows cool air a channel in
What do the DO’s define in Chili
Like AVA’s. Zones and Regions. Required 75% from region specified. Vintage and Varietal Labelings must also contain 75%. ONLY VITIS VINIFERA NO HYBRIDS
6 Regional DO’s of Chili north to south
- Atacama
- Coquimbo
- Aconcagua
- Valle Central
- Sur
- Astral
Why do most wines contain 85%
to conform to EU standards
Sub regions of Aconcagua
San Antonio and Casablanca valleys situated west of coastal mountains near pacific. Cool maritime area -Chardonnay and Sauv. Blanc., Pinot Noir
Valle Central DO
Between the Andes and the Coastal Mountains
– More than 80% of Chile’s wine production is located in this broadly encompassing region, which stretches southward 200 miles from the suburbs of Santiago. Region is warm to hot.
GRAPES
Cabernet Sauvignon
Carmenère
Merlot
Important sub regions of Valle Central DO or central valley
Maipo Valley DO — most famous, best known for
Cabernet Sauvignon. Below
Santiago.
Curicó DO
Rapel DO
Maule Valley DO