South America - Chile & Argentina Flashcards
Tell us about Chile Sparkling Wine?
The history of sparkling wine in Chile started in the nineteenth century with Valdivieso. In recent years, the category has grown rapidly though from a small base and it remains a minor proportion of Chile’s wine production. Most wines are made by the tank method and are made to be fruity (Brut and slightly sweeter are most common). A small number of traditional method wines are also made. The principal varieties used are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Most wines are inexpensive, with some, especially in export markets, being mid-priced. The wines range from acceptable to very good in quality and from inexpensive to mid-priced in price.
Explain the Growing Environment and Grape Growing for Chile Sparkling wine?
Grapes for sparkling wines are generally grown in areas where there is some cooling influence, such as the cooler coastal areas, the Andean foothills or the milder regions in the south. However, fruit for some inexpensive wines is sourced from the warm Central Valley. Grapes grown in the regions with cooling influences (the Pacific Ocean or altitude) have the high acidity suitable for sparkling wines. Harvest time tends to be from early February until the first week in March (zone dependent). This is several weeks earlier than the regular harvest, as expected for sparkling wines.
Most of the cheaper sparkling wines will be blended from different valleys, while premium wines come from specified regions. Casablanca, San Antonio (Leyda) and Limarí (cooled by the Pacific Ocean) are key regions, along with Curicó (some parts are coastal and cooled
by the ocean) and Bío Bío (southerly latitude, open to the influence of the ocean). Moscatel (Muscat) and País are produced in Itata and Maule, where these varieties have been grown historically. Vineyards are irrigated in all these areas except for Itata, which has higher rainfall than the other regions.
Explain the winemaking for Chile Sparkling wine?
The tank method constitutes 90 per cent of sparkling wine production, made with very modern, recently acquired, equipment that has allowed the sparkling sector to grow rapidly. Chardonnay is commonly used in these wines and Sauvignon Blanc tends to be made using this method to maintain its aromatic primary fruit.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also made by the traditional method, as are some País (Blanc de Noirs or rosé) and Moscatel sparkling wines.
Explain the wine law and wine business for Chile Sparkling wine?
Labelling of styles for residual sugar are as in the EU.
As with Chilean wine in general, a few very large companies dominate the market. The main producers in the sparkling industry are Valdivieso (with over a third of sparkling wine production), Viña Mar and Undurraga.
Domestic sales account for over two-thirds of production and are growing rapidly, especially at the premium end of the market. Exports have grown, with Japan as by far the largest destination, followed by Columbia and Brazil. The Chilean market for sparkling wines is made up almost entirely of domestic products.
Tell us about Argentina sparkling wine?
The initiative to make sparkling wine in Argentina came in 1959 from Moët & Chandon’s decision to base its first overseas subsidiary in Mendoza. However, overall production of sparkling wine in the country remained limited until recent years, since when there has been a rapid increase in production as other producers have entered the field. As volumes have grown, so too has the range of styles, varieties used and brands available at different price points.
Most wines are made by the tank method, but carbonation and traditional method are also employed. Many wineries that have never produced sparkling wines before are now investing in this category to extend their product ranges. Today, there are approximately 160 wineries producing sparkling wine, the majority in Mendoza and a few in Neuquén, Rio Negro and San Juan.
Tank method wines are fruity and off-dry to medium-dry and are of acceptable to good quality. Traditional method wines made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir typically have ripe apple and lemon fruit with light autolytic notes, made in a Brut style. They are good to very good in quality. Prices are mostly inexpensive, but some wines are mid- to premium-priced.
Explain the growing environment and grape growing for Argentina sparkling wine?
Grapes for inexpensive carbonated or tank method wines may be grown in warm parts of Mendoza alongside grapes for still wines. However, grapes for higher quality sparkling wine are mainly grown in sub-regions such as Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley.
The extremely high altitude of these regions means that the climate can be cool enough to preserve delicate flavours and acidity in the grapes. New vineyards for sparkling wines have been developed in Neuquén and Rio Negro in Patagonia. The southerly latitude helps to keep temperatures down. A combination of southerly latitude and high diurnal range (due to continentality) means that days and nights are relatively cool.
In all of these areas, grapes for sparkling wines are harvested one or two months before grapes for still wines to avoid high alcohol levels and to preserve the acidity. Blending wines from different vineyard sites with slight differences in climate is often necessary to achieve a suitable base wine for sparkling wines (for example, blending fruit from warmer and cooler sites). Some wineries have their own vineyards, but many also rely on independent grape growers that sell their grapes.
A range of varieties is used. However, the largest plantings continue to be of Pedro Giménez, though this has reduced over the last 10 years. (Pedro Giménez is one of the Criollas, the group of varieties grown in South America and thought to be descended from European varieties or introduced by Spanish and Portuguese soldiers and explorers. It is not related to the Spanish Pedro Ximénez. The top six varieties are shown in the chart. Chardonnay plantings have grown by more than 30 per cent this century, and Pinot Noir by nearly 80 per cent, but from a low base.
Natural hazards in Argentinian regions include hail and spring frosts in some areas, and nematodes. Relatively little spraying is required against fungal diseases due to the dry climate.
Explain the winemaking for Argentina sparkling wine?
Inexpensive Argentinian sparkling wines are typically made by carbonation. Most commonly, these are made from Pedro Giménez, Chenin Blanc and Semillon. Carbonation is also used to produce sparkling wines with additional fruit flavourings, typically strawberry. Tank method is used for mid-priced products; they are made with a wide range of varieties, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Traditional method is reserved for mid-priced and premium wines. They are made from grapes sourced from the best sites that are typically planted with Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir. The wines may be vintage or non-vintage and the vast majority spend at least 12 months on the lees with many going through extended lees ageing. They usually show ripe apple and lemon fruit, autolytic aromas, medium to medium (+) acidity, medium to medium (+) body and medium alcohol. The great majority are white. A small number of super-premium bottlings have been introduced recently (e.g. Baron B Unique). These wines are made with the selection of the best fruit and are made with slightly longer time on lees than other traditional method wines (e.g. 18 months).
Explain the wine law and wine business for Argentina sparkling wine?
The sparkling wine sector was given a big boost in the decade after 2005 resulting from an agreement between the government and the national wine trade body to remove a domestic tax of 12 per cent on sales in return for investment in sparkling wine by the industry. This agreement was part of a wider policy to promote Argentinian wine and contributed to the recent growth of sparkling wine production and sales. The future of this tax concession is still being debated.
The domestic market consumes virtually all Argentinian sparkling wine and, of that, the great majority is bought from retailers for home consumption. The most popular style is Seco (64 per cent), which in Argentina means less than 11g/L and thus is equivalent to the upper end of Brut in the EU.
Leading companies in Argentina include Moët Hennessy (includes Chandon and ‘Baron B’ brands), Llorente, Mumm (part of Pernod Richard) and Norton. Many large European companies have invested in Argentina to produce still and sparkling wines for the South American market, including Freixenet and Sogrape (Finca Flichman).
