South America Flashcards
What are the 3 subregions of the Aconcagua DO?
Aconcagua Valley
Casablanca Valley
San Antonio Valley
What is the DO of Errazuriz?
Aconcagua Valley DO
When were vitis vinifera vines first brought to Argentina from Spain?
1540s
What is California’s Mission grape known as in Argentina? What was this originally called in the 1500s there?
Criolla Chica
Originally called Uva Negra
When was the first recorded vineyard planted by the Jesuit missionaries in the foothills of the Andes in Argentina?
1550s
Torrontés (Riojano) is the product of what grape crossing?
Criolla Chica x Muscat of Alexandria
What is the climate like in Argentina’s wine growing areas?
Semi-dessert and continental with four seasons clearly defined
What is the diurnal shift range for Argentina’s vine growing areas during the summer?
50F to 104F in some places
Where is Calchaqui Valley and what grape is the star here?
Cafayate; Torrontes is the star grape here
What are the 6 subregions of the Uco Valley in Mendoza?
Tupungato Vista Flores Tunuyan San Carlos La Consulta Altamira
What is the northernmost subregion of the Uco Valley and what red and white grapes are the star here?
Tupungato
Malbec and Chardonnay
What is the name of the high altitude subzone of Tupungato known for producing fresh and low aclohol wines by Argentine standards?
Gualtallary
What region in Argentina was the first to be recognized as an appellation in 1993? For what grape?
Lujan de Cuyo, a subregion of the larger Mendoza region.
This controlled appellation was created for wines produced from Malbec.
What is the largest threat to Argentine vines in the early summer?
Piedra, or hail.
When is the Zonda at it’s strongest?
In the early spring and late summer
Is Organic viticulture common in Argentina?
Yes, due to the lack of humidity and dryness of the vine growing areas.
Is chaptalization allowed in Argentina for the production of wine?
No, there’s no need anyway as ripeness is easy to achieve.
What percentage of Argentina’s wine vines are located in Mendoza?
around 70%
What area of Mendoza is referred to as the “Primera Zona” by the locals?
Lujan de Cuyo together with the department of Maipú make up what is considered Mendoza’s most traditional high quality region, just south of the city limits.
What are the two highest elevation districts of Lujan de Cuyo?
Las Compuertas and Vistalba
Vistalba
How does the climate of Maipu compare to Lujan de Cuyo?
Slightly warmer due to its lower elevation
Criolla Grande and Cereza are largely used for the production of what?
Inexpensive wine and grape concentrate
Bonarda in Argentina is equivalent to what grape?
Charbono
What is the most planted white grape in the Mendoza?
Pedro Gimenez
What is Argentina’s second-largest wine producing region behind Mendoza? Where is it in relation to the city of Mendoza?
San Juan. It is located north of the city of Mendoza
How does the climate of San Juan compare to that of Mendoza?
It is warmer
What is the emblematic red grape varietal of San Juan?
Syrah
What district is responsible for the vast majority of San Juan’s wine? What district is responsible for the best quality of wines in San Juan though?
Tulum Valley
The best quality wines are coming from the Ullum-Zonda Valley.
Where is the Famantina Valley and what grape is it known for?
Located in La Rioja and it is known for Torrontes
What is the top wine producing district of Salta?
Cafayate
In what district is Bodega Chacra located in?
Río Negra
What is the most planted red grape in Argentina? Second-most?
Malbec is the most planted and Bonarda (Charbono) is the second-most
What are the top 4 planted red grapes in Argentina in decreasing order?
Malbec
Bonarda (Charbono)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah
What is the top region for Syrah in Argentina?
San Juan
What is the most planted white grape in Argentina? Second and Third-most?
Pedro Gimenez
Torrontes Riojano and Chardonnay are the second and third-most planted
What is the top clone of Argentina for Chardonnay?
Mendoza
What proportion of Argeninta’s vine acreage is comprised of pink-skinned varieties? What are the three most-planted?
1/4
Criolla Chica, Criolla Gande, and Cereza
Why are a large portion of vines in Argentina ungrafted? For those that are grafted what is the driving force behind this decision?
Partly because the biotype of phylloxera present there is a relatively mild one and partly in due to the higher presence of sand in the soils there.
Grafted vines are usually for nematode resistance rather than phylloxera
What are the vast majority of soils in the wine producing areas of Argentina mainly composed of?
Alluvial with sand and stones with gravel, limestone, and clay in some areas.
What regions are known for their higher proportion of calcareous soils in Argentina?
Uco Valley, Altamira, Gualtallary, and Vista Flores
What is the name of the Argentine variation of the Tendone system commonly used in the 1950s and 1960s?
Parral Cuyano
Espaldera was a vine training system brought to Argentina by European immigrants. This system is similar to what training system?
Double Cordon
When does harvest usually begin in Argentina?
Begins in February and lasts sometimes into April
What are the labeling laws in Argentina regarding varietal-labeling and varietals on the labels?
Varietal bottlings must be min 85% of the listed varietal and any varietal mentioned on the label that is blended in must constitute at least 20% of the blend.
What are the aging requirements for wines labeled Reserva in Argentina? Gran Reserva?
Whites and rosés must be aged for a minimum 6 months
Reds must be aged for a minimum of 12 months.
Both must be doubled if labeled Gran Reserva
What is the quality hierarchy for wines in Argentina?
Denominación de Origen (DOC)
Highest quality wines
Indicación Geográfica (IG)
V. Vinifera wines from a specific region with certain minimum quality standards
Indicación de Procedencia (IP)
Table and regional wines
What are the two DOCs in Argentina?
Luján de Cuyo and San Rafel
What two areas are the hottest up and coming areas pursuing IG in Argentina today?
Gualtallary in Tupungato
Pajare Altamira in San Carlos
What is the partnership that produces Cheval des Andes?
Terrazas de los Andes and Cheval Blanc
What is the most productive region for wine in Bolivia?
Tarija
What is the most planted grape in Bolivia?
Muscat of Alexandria
What two American varieties were the most successful in Brazil during the country’s early days of viticulture?
Isabella and Concord
What is the top wine region for wine in Brazil? What regions is gaining the most serious attention and investment today?
Serra Gaúcha in the Rio Grande do Sul State
The Campanha region is gaining the most serious attention today for fine wine though the Vale dos Vinhedos DO is considered the top fine wine region.
What is the most common training method for vines in Brazil? Second-most common?
Tendone to counter the threat and constant risk of rot in this humid climate.
Espalier is the second-most common system.
What is the first DO created in Brazil? When was this? What are the top grapes for this region?
Vale dos Vinhedos DO in 2009
Chardonnay and Merlot are the top grapes.
What crossing created Torrontes? What crossing created Cereza?
Muscat of Alexandria x Criolla Chica (Mission)
The same crossing for Cereza
What is the second-most planted grape in Argentina behind Malbec?
Cereza
Who is responsible for developing a large collection of Vitis vinifera vines in Chile prior to the great Phylloxera outbreak? What was this nursery called?
Claudio Gay; Quinta Normal
What are the 4 largest wine companies in Chile accounting for 80% of the country’s total output?
Concha y Toro
Santa Carolina
Santa Rita
San Pedro
Chanchos Deslenguados is a Chilean organization that champions what styles of wine? What does the name of this organization translate to?
Natural Wine or minimal intervention wines;
Outspoken Pigs
What does MOVI stand for, what is it, and where is it located and when was it created?
Movement of Independent Vintners
Organization of small artisanal winemakers who banded together in 2009 to create a platform for smaller producers making high quality wine in Chile to have a voice.
What does VIGNO stand for and where is it located?
Vignodores de Carignan; an association that champions traditional old vine Carignan in the Maule
What is the minimum vine age and aging requirement for VIGNO wines?
Min 35 years old; must be aged at least 2 years prior to release.
In what DO is Alcohuaz located?
Elqui Valley DO within Coquimbo DO
What DO is Casa Marín located in? What other DOs encapsulate this DO?
Lo Abarca DO within the San Antonio Valley DO within the larger Aconcagua DO
What is the name of the ocean current that heavily influences the climate of Chile’s vineyards?
Humboldt Current
What to Chilean winemakers describe the general climate of Chile being a hybrid of?
The climate is somewhere between that of Napa and of Bordeaux
What is the climate of the Central Valley of Chile classified as?
Mediterranean
What facilitates a strong diurnal shift on the west and east side of Chile’s Central Valley respectively?
Cool air at night from the Humbold-influenced Pacific in the west and in the east cool air spilling down from the Andes.
What are the three geographical designation for Chilean wine that were introduced in 2013?
Andes
Entre Cordilleras
Costa
What are the three main DOs within Coquimbo DO?
Elqui
Limarí
Choapa
What DO of Chile is located proximal to the town of La Serena?
Elqui Valley DO
What are the three large DOs within Aconcagua DO?
Valle de Casablanca DO
Valle de San Antonio DO
Valle de Aconcagua DO
What are the two DOs within the San Antonio DO?
Valle de Leyda DO
Lo Abarca DO
Coquimbo has been traditional for table grapes and pisco production but what varietal have shown recent promise here and in what specific DOs?
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Syrah have done well in Elqui and Limari
In what DO are Errázuriz and von Siebenthal located?
Aconcaqua Valley DO in Panquehue
Who is the producer of Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve Cabernert and in what DO is it located?
Errázuriz in the Aconcagua Valley DO
Seña started as a collaborative venture between what two producers? What are the grapes and DO?
Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick of Errázuriz
Bordeaux blend of Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc, Carmenère plus Petit Verdot
Aconcagua Valley DO
What was the first vintage of Seña?
1995
Casa Tamaya and Tabalí are in what DO?
Limarí Valley DO
Casablanca DO and San Antonio DO are classified as what according to the Winkler scale?
Region I
What is the name of the mist that sweeps over the vineyards of Limarí Valley off of the Pacific Ocean?
Camanchaca
What DO is influenced by the Camanchaca Fog?
Limarí Valley
What is the flagship grape variety of San Antonio DO?
Sauvignon Blanc
What grapes have excelled at Casablanca DO?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc have faired best.
What is the most famous DO in Chile and known for producing a large portion of the best wines from Cabernet Sauvignon? What are two top Andes regions here?
Maipo Valley DO
Puente Alto and Pirque are here.
What are the two subregions of Rapel Valley DO from north to south?
Cachapoal Valley DO
Colchagua Valley DO
Where is Apalta and what are two producers there?
Colchagua Valley DO
Viña Montes and Casa Lapostolle
What producer of Chile is owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild of Château Lafite? Where is this?
Los Vascos
Colchagua Valley DO in Peralillo
What are 3 top Entre Cordilleras regions of Colchagua Valley DO?
Marchigüe
Apalta
Peralillo
What are the two subregions of Curicó Valley?
Lontué Valley DO
Teno Valley DO
In what region of Chile has Miguel Torres invested heavily?
Curicó Valley DO
Where are the valleys of Tutuven, Loncomilla, and Claro located?
Maule Valley DO
What grape is the rising star of Itata?
Cinsault
Who is a quality producer of País in Maule and the Sur DO?
Louis Antoine Luyt
What is the name of the Raul Perez-farmed wine produced from 200-300 year old dry farmed organic País vines in Maule?
Coronel de Maule “Pipeño” in Maule
Aquitania and Alto Las Gredas produce wine where?
Maelleco DO
What famed Chablis producer has a winery in the Maipo Valley?
William Fevre (Viña William Fevre)
What is the Tendone vine training system called in Chile? Argentina?
Parrón (Chile)
Parral (Argentina)
Much Sauvignon Blanc in Chile was actually what?
Sauvignon Vert, Sauvignon Gris, or Sauvignonasse (Friulano)
Where is a great majority of Chile’s finest País planted?
Southern Maule and in Bío-Bío
The Nahuelbuta Mountains have the strongest influence on what Chilean DO?
Bío Bío Valley DO
Lo Abarca, Rosario, and Leyda are where?
San Antonio Valley DO
Almaviva is a joint venture between who? Where is this?
Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Mouton)
Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley DO
Who makes “Folly”? Where is this produced? Grape?
Montes
Colchagua Valley DO; Syrah
Where are the Talinay Hills located?
Limarí Valley DO
Parents of Carmenère?
Gros Cabernet x Cab Franc
Viña Falernia makes wine where?
Elquí Valley
Where is Casa Marin located?
Lo Abarca DO within San Antonio DO
Where is Matetic located?
Rosario
DO of Kingston Family Vineyards?
Casablanca Valley DO
Which Chilean winery is widely credited with modernizing Chilean winemaking with the introduction of new barriques, pneumatic presses, and temperature-controlled tanks? Where is this winery located?
Miguel Torres
Curicó Valley DO
Name 3 top wines of Chile made predominantly from Carmenère.
Montes “Purple Angel”
Errázuriz “Kai”
Concha y Toro “Carmin del Peumo”
What is the min% of grapes required for varietal labeling in Chile? What about for vintage and also DO?
min 75% for all though most comply with the min 85% required for European export
What is the difference between Reserva and Gran Reserva in Chile vs Argentina?
In Argentina, this indicates minimum oak aging of 1 and 2 years for Reserva and Gran Reserva respectively. Does not have to necessarily be in oak.
In Chile, this indicates a min alcohol of 12% and 12.5% for Reserva and Gran Reserva respectively with only Gran Reserva requiring min time in oak.
What are the quality designations that may be present on Chilean wine and what does each indicate?
Reserva: min 12% alcohol
Reserva Especial: min 12% alcohol; requires time in oak
Reserva Privada: min 12.5% alcohol
Gran Reserva: min 12.5% alcohol; requires time in oak
For both Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva time in oak is required but minimum times for both are not specified
Wines from Chile must have what minimum alcohol content?
min 11.5%
What is the most planted grape in Limarí Valley?
Chardonnay
Until 1994, Carmenère was incorrectly identified as what grape?
Merlot
Sagrada Familia, Rauco, Romeral, and Molina are DO areas within what DO?
Curicó Valley
Peumo DO is located within what DO?
Cachapoal DO
Where is Almaviva located and what is the partnership behind it?
Punete Alto within Maipo Valley DO;
Baron Philippe Rothschild (Mouton) and Conch y Toro
In what direction does the Humboldt Current flow?
North from Antarctica along the west coast of Chile
Who produces Casa Real and what is the DO?
Santa Rita; Maipo Valley DO
The O’Higgins administrative region refers to what DO?
Rapel Valley DO
What DO is closest to the city of Concepción?
Itata Valley DO
What is Chile’s most planted white grape?
Sauvignon Blanc
What are the parents of Malbec?
Prunelard x Magdeleine Noire des Charentes
What is the min % to label a grape or a region in Argentina?
Min 80%
In what year was Geographical Indication system created?
1991
What is the style of irrigation where channels are dug into the vineyard?
furrow irrigation
Who produces “Altura” and what is the DO and grape(s)?
Casa Silva Colchagua DO (Rapel) Mostly Carmenère with Cabernet Sauvignon and a little Petit Verdot blended in.
What is the top grape growing zone in Columbia and the top grape grown?
Boyacá
Isabella
Who produces the brand Casillero del Diablo?
Concha y Toro
Within what larger DO is the Peumo DO? What is the iconic super premium Carmenère produced here?
Cachapoal Valley DO
Concha y Toro’s “Carmin de Peumo”
What is the synonym for Listan Prieto in Argentina?
Criolla Chica
What is the synonym for Mission in Peru?
Negra Corriente
What is the synonym for Tannat in Uruguay?
Harriague
Which three producers in Chile account for around 85% of the country’s total output?
Concha y Toro
Santa Rita
San Pedro
Who are three members of Movi?
Garage Wine Co. Montsecano Von Siebenthal Sigla Kingston Garcia + Schwaderer
In 1979 Miguel Torres founded a winery in what DO of Chile? What advancements did he introduce to the country?
Curico Valley DO;
He introduced temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation, new barriques, and pneumatic presses.
What is the DO of Viña Aquitañia and who was behind its founding in 1990?
Maipo Valley DO
Bruno Prats (former owner of Cos d’Estournel) and Paul Pontallier (former managing director of Château Margaux)
What is the DO of Veranda and who is the famous Burgundy producer that consults for this winery?
Bio Bio Valley DO; Pascal Marchand
What are three Burgundy producers with ties to Chilean ventures?
William Fevre with Viña William Fevre in the Maipo Valley DO
Pascal Marchand with Veranda in the Bio Bio Valley
Martin Prieur of Domaine Jacques Prieur with Cono Sur
Louis Michel Liger-Belaire along with Pedro Parra at Aristos
With which wineries are the following winemakers associated?
Marcelo Papa Felipe Muller Rodrigo Soto Francisco Baettig Marcelo Retamal
Marcelo Papa (Concha y Toro) Felipe Muller (Tabali) Rodrigo Soto (Ventisquero) Francisco Baettig (Errazuriz) Marcelo Retamal (De Martino)
The Tunuyan River is a prominent feature of what wine region?
Mendoza
What is the northernmost subregion of the Uco Valley of Mendoza? What is the subregion within this subregion?
Tupungato; Gualtallary is within this.
What is the main soil type of Puente Alto? Where is this?
Gravel; located within the Maipo Valley
Where is Viña Almaviva as well as Concha y Toro’s “Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon” located?
Puente Alto within the Maipo Valley DO
What are three wineries located in the Lujan de Cuyo DOC?
Catena Zapata
Luigi Bosca
Cheval des Andes
Viña Cobos
What is the name of the wine produced in Lujan de Cuyo by Paul Hobbs?
Viña Cobos
What are the aging requirements for Argentine Reserva and Gran Reserva white and red wines respectively?
White: 6 months aging for reserva and 12 months for Gran Reserva
Red: 1 year for Reserva and 2 years total for Gran Reserva
Which missionaries were the most successful at planting Vitis vinifera in Argentina in the 1550s?
Jesuits
When was Malbec first imported to Argentina from France?
1850s
What is the biggest threat to vines in Mendoza in regards to climate?
Early summer hail, or piedra as it’s known there.
What is piedra?
Hail
What are nets on vines in Mendoza largely used for?
Protection against hail
What is largely responsible for uneven flowering in Mendoza vineyards during the late spring/early summer?
Zonda
What is the average annual rainfall in Mendoza?
7in
What are the top two red grapes of San Juan in Argentina? What is considered the region’s signature grape?
Syrah and Bonarda; Syrah considered the signature grape
What region within San Juan is responsible for a vast majority of the regions wine?
Tullum Valley
What three higher elevation regions of San Juan are said to be producing world class wines and could in the near future elevate San Juan to status comparable to Mendoza?
Ullum-Zonda
Calingasta
Pedernal
Where is the Famantina Valley located and what is the signature grape of this region?
Located in the province of La Rioja in the north of Argentina.
Torrentes Riojano is considered the top and signature grape here.
What is the highest elevation vinegard in Argentina? Where is it located?
Donald Hess’s Colome Altura Maxima vineyard in Salta
What is the southernmost vineyard in the Americas and what region is it located in?
Bernardo Weinert’s El Hoya de Epuyen vineyard in the Chubut wine region.
What kind of grapes are grown in Chubut in Argentina?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer
What is the name of Paul Hobb’s winery in La Pampa on the northern border of Patagonia?
Bodega del Desierto
What are the top 4 most-planted grapes in Argentina in decreasing order?
Malbec
Bonarda
Cabernet Sauvignon
Syrah
What are the top 3 most-planted white grapes in Argentina in decreasing order?
Pedro Giminez
Torrontes Riojano
Chardonnay
What are the soils like in the areas of Altamira, Gualtallary, and Vista Flores in the Uco Valley?
Calcareous
What was the traditional vine training method brought over by Italian immigrants to Argentina in the early 20th century? Which system was adopted in the 1950s and 1960s to boost productivity?
Espaldera
Parral Cuyano or simply Parral was adopted for productivity. This is aka Tendone/Pergola/Parron
What percentage of vineyards in Argentina are over 25 years old?
40%
For any varietal mentioned on a wine label in Argentina what is the min percentage of the blend that grape must make up?
min 20%
What do the terms Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate on a bottle of Argentine wine?
Reserva:
6 months aged prior to release for white/rose and 12 months aged prior to release for reds
Gran Reserva:
Both doubled
What are the three levels of wine quality designation Argentina from highest to lowest?
Denominacion de Origen Controlado (DOC)
Indicacion Geografica (IG)
Indacion de Procedencia (IP)
What are wines labeled Indicacion de Procedencia (IP) in Argentina?
Basic table and regional wines that represent the lowest tier of quality.
What are wines labeled Indicacion Geografica (IG) in Argentina?
V. vinifera wines from specific regional boundaries with certain minimum quality standards
What are a few criteria that are accounted for to receive DOC status in Argentina?
Winemaking techniques
Yields
Aging
Origin
CaRo is a joint venture between which two wineries? Where is this located?
Catena and Baron de Rothschild (Lafite)
Located in Mendoza
