Other South America Flashcards
Brazil wine regions
Most of the country’s viticultural activity takes place in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, on the Argentinean border. Within Rio Grande do Sul, Serra Gaúcha is the country’s most developed viticultural region and accounts for approximately 90% of Brazilian wine. sparkling!
Other southern regions include
São Joaquim,
Serra do Sudeste, and
Campanha.
São Francisco Valley in the state of Bahia is a tropical winegrowing region in the northern part of the country, where growers are able to harvest twice a year.
Brazil main grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Merlot
Brazil’s appellations
IP - tells you where the wine is from
DO - speaks to characteristics of the wine from a specific place, must be ‘typical’ of the region
Brazil important wine regions
Rio Grande do Sul- includes Serra Gaucha, which has both DOs
Santa Catarina - including Vinhos de Altitude de Santa Catarina IP
Brazil’s DOs
both in Serra Gaucha. sparkling wines are specialty- and they come with rules about which wines can carry the DO name (abnormal in new world). they allow sparkling and quality still wines from a list of approved grapes
Vale dos Vinhedos DO
Altos de Pinto Bandeira DO - created in 2022
Vale dos Vinhedos DO
first DO in Brazil. allows traditional method sparkling from Chardonnay and/ or Pinot Noir
allows still wines from Chardonnay and Merlot
Altos de Pinto Bandeira DO
second DO in Brazil, created 2022. allows traditional method sparkling from Chard, PN, Riesling Italico, Viognier, charmat method Moscatel
fine wines from CF, Merlot, Tannat, CS, Sangiovese, PN, Chardonnay, etc
wine capital of Brazil?
Bento Gonçalves- At the heart of the hilly Serra Gaucha wine region, sits at an altitude of just over 610 meters (2,000ft), amid an undulating landscape whose topography shares traits of Piedmont and Tuscany.
however, Bento Gonçalves sits on the 29th parallel
Uruguay main grape?
Tannat - Don Pascual Harriague is the man typically given credit for Tannat’s dissemination around Uruguay and for a long time the name Harriague was used as a synonym for the variety.
other: CS, Merlot, CF, Chardonnay, SB
lots of bulk rosé from Black Muscat (Muscat Hamburg)
Uruguay climate
very moderate/ mild- warm summers and mild winters- no extremes
Uruguay wine quality levels
Vino Común
Table wine that does not qualify as VCP
Vino de Calidad Preferete
Must be from Vitis vinifera, minimum 85% for Varietal labeling
Minimum 10.5% ABV
Must be sold in glass bottles in the quantity 750ml or smaller
Uruguay important wine regions
wine is made in 16 of Uruguay’s 19 departments, nested within 6 regions. the most important regions are all in the “Metropolitan” region and are:
Canelones- 60% of production
San Jose
Montevideo
Peru main grapes
Grenache, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet, Malbec. Also:
Isabella, Quebranta, Albilla (Palomino Fino), Italia (Muscat of Alexandria)
Criolla, Torrontes, SB, Muscat (Pisco)
most important wine region Peru
Valle de Ica
Located around 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Lima in Peru, this is one of the driest places on the planet. No rain or frost has ever been recorded here. Vineyards here are sustained by an aquifer containing glacial meltwater from the Andes.
vineyards around 400 meters of elevation. days are hot, nights are cooler = high sugar, low acid which makes the Muscat ideal for Pisco production. High sugars produce high alcohol content, and low acidity means barrel aging is not required as is the case in Cognac and other brandy regions.
5500 ha planted
Where is most Mexican wine made?
in Baja, California, in the valleys of Guadalupe, Calafia, Santo Tomas, San Vicente and San Antonio de las Minas.
Because of the hot, sunny climate here, irrigation is needed in almost all locations; most Mexican vineyards lie on a similar latitude to the deserts of Iraq and the northern Sahara. Rainfall is low, with the driest areas sometimes receiving only 200 millimeters (8in) annually.
Baja California climate / geography
peninsula is split into two quite distinct climatic regions, Sierra de Baja California mountain range bisect the land north-south.
To the west is the Pacific coast, and the climate is semi-dry and Mediterranean. To the east are the arid sands of the Sonora Desert, and viticulture is impractical. In the center, where the mountains rise to more than 10,000ft (3000m), the climate is cooler and slightly wetter, which also supports a small number of wineries.
Irrigation is required in almost all locations in Baja, due to the hot, sunny climate
List of Mexican wine regions
Baja California
Northen Mexico
Bajio
Pacific Coast
Central Mexico
What is the oldest winery in the Americas?
Casa Madero, founded in 1597 in Mexico
Subregions of Baja California
Valle de Guadalupe
Ojos Negros
Santo Tomás
San Vincente
Mountains of Baja California?
Sierra de Baja California range
IGP of Mexico
just one, est 2024
Querétaro IGP in Bajio.
grapes of Peruvian Pisco
quebranta,
mollar,
negra criolla,
uvina - only non vinifera allowed since 2006
italia,
moscatel,
torontel
albilla
what non-vinifera grape is allowed in Peruvian Pisco?
Uvina - allowed since 2006
what is Puro Pisco
made solely from one grape variety and distilled from wine that has been fermented to dryness
usually Quebranta
what is Aromatica Pisco
made from Muscat or Muscat-derived grape varieties, and also from Albilla, Italia and Torontel grape varieties; the pisco should only contain one variety of grape in any production lot
what is Mosto Verde Pisco
distilled from partially fermented must, this must be distilled before the fermentation process has completely transformed sugars into alcohol.
what is alcholado pisco
blended from the must of several varieties of grape.
Pisco aging
Pisco must be aged for a minimum of three months in vessels of “glass, stainless steel or any other material which does not alter its physical, chemical or organic properties”
Chile - can age in oak
Pisco additives
No additives of any kind may be added to the pisco that could alter its flavor, odor, appearance or alcoholic proof.
how is Pisco distilled?
once in a copper alembic still, to 38-48% abv
which departments can Peruvian Pisco come from?
Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna
botija / tinaja
traditional clay jars used for storing and shipping wine and Pisco in Peru
Bolivia - important wine regions
Tarija
Santa Cruz
Bolivian brandy
Singani - distilled from Muscat of Alexandria
