WSET Diploma Chile Flashcards

1
Q

How would you describe the 4 key geographical features of Chile?

A
  1. To the West is the Pacific Ocean
  2. Just inland are the Coastal Mountain Ranges
  3. To the East are the Andes Mountains
  4. South of Santiago is a large depression between the two mountain ranges called ‘Central Valley’.
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2
Q

Apalta is a region on the ____side of ____Valley.

Identify 2 top producers from Apalta and their top wines.

What kinds of wines are these?

A

Eastern side of Colchagua Valley.

Casa Lapostolle’s “Clos Apalta”

Viña Montes “Alpha M”

Bordeaux-style blends

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3
Q

Which region is developing a reputation for Old Bush Vine Carignan in Chile?

A

Maule Valley

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4
Q

What are the 2 sub-regions of Curicó?

A

Lontué and Teno

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5
Q

What is a constraint to grape growing in Coquimbo Region?

A

Irrigation is essential but very expensive due to lack of water resources.

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6
Q

What are growing conditions like in the Aconcagua Valley?

What 3 grapes would you find there?

A

The vineyards on the fertile valley floor are some of the warmest growing conditions in Chile.

Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Carmenère

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7
Q

What grape has Leyda Valley gained an excellent reputation for growing?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

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8
Q

What it the term in Chile for Wines of Origin?

A

Denominaciones de Origen (DO)

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9
Q

Which Chilean grape variety used to be confused with Merlot?

A

Carmenere

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10
Q

What 3 things provides the cooling in Coastal areas and inside much of the Inland Mountain ranges?

A
  1. The cold Humboldt Current flows up from Antarctica
  2. Prevailing winds blow cool air inland along river valleys
  3. Coastal areas can experience fog
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11
Q

Who produces “Clos Apalta?”

A

Casa Lapostolle

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12
Q

Which southern Chilean region is most focused on Pinot Noir production?

A

Bio Bio Valley

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13
Q

Topographically, what are conditions like between the Coastal mountains and the Andes?

A

More sheltered. Large expanses of flat land that is easier to cultivate

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14
Q

The País grape is also known by which 3 synonyms?

A

Mission

Criolla Chica

Listan Prieto

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15
Q

Which subregion of Coquimbo has lowest wine production?

A

Choapa Valley

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16
Q

Montes, Neyen, and Lapostolle all call what DO zone home?

A

Colchagua Valley

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17
Q

Which region is famed for its Carmenere?

Identify a top producer / wine made from Carmenere:

A

Colchagua Valley

Viña Montes’ “Purple Angel”

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18
Q

Los Vascos winery is owned by which famous First Growth property in Bordeaux?

A

Chateau Lafite Rothschild

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19
Q

Rapel Valley is subdivided into 2 zones, what are they?

A

Cachapoal Valley and Colchagua Valley

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20
Q

What is special about Chilean grapevines and root stock?

A

Chile’s vines are all ungrafted and phylloxera-free.

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21
Q

What is the white wine that makes Limari Valley stand out?

A

Chile’s best Chardonnay

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22
Q

How would you describe the climate of Chile? What is the one risk of the climate?

A

Generally Warm Mediterranean

Dry, sunny, growing season = Grapes reliably ripen and low fungal risk.

RISK - Drought; in some places water is in short supply

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23
Q

What 3 sub regions make up Coquimbo Region and what contributes to them making good wine?

A

Elqui Valley, Limari Valley and Choapa Valley.

Brilliant sunshine and marked cooling from sea breezes or mountain air

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24
Q

How would you describe the climate of Aconcagua Valley?

A

Flat, fertile and very warm

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25
Q

Which famous Spanish wine family own extensive vineyards in Chile?

A

Miguel Torres

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26
Q

Which wine region near Santiago has the warmest climate?

A

Maipo

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27
Q

Pisco production is most prominent in which Chilean region?

A

Atacama

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28
Q

What is Chile’s most planted white grape?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

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29
Q

What are conditions like in Curicó Valley and Maule Valley and what is mainly grown there?

A

It’s warm and the soils are fertile. Mainly grapes for bulk red and white blends, but Cabernet Sauvignon has become the star variety, producing full-bodied, intensely concentrated wines from ancient, low-yielding vines.

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30
Q

Which Chilean winery is not only the largest in Chile, but also in the whole of South America?

A

Concha y Toro

31
Q

Chile is now in the ____ largest exporter of wine and the ___ largest producer.

A

5th / 7th

32
Q

Which of these wine regions is the most southerly - Maipo, Limari, Bio Bio?

A

Bio Bio

33
Q

What is the climate like in Chile’s Southern region and which grapes perform well there?

A

Cooler and wetter the further south they are located.

País and Muscat of Alexandria are most planted

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are cultivated in tiny amounts in Malleco Valley.

34
Q

Where are the best vineyards in Maipo Valley located and what are they renowned for producing?

Many established houses are based due to:

3 major producers are:

A

Located in the Andean foothills

A reputation for producing Cabernet Sauvignon with a ‘minty’ character

Its proximity to Santiago.

Concha y Toro

Santa Rita

Cousiño Macul

35
Q

What 2 black and 2 white grapes do well in Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley?

A

Syrah / Pinot Noir

Sauvignon Blanc / Chardonnay

36
Q

Arrange the following regions from north to south (1 = northernmost, 5 = southernmost).

A. Casablanca Valley

B. Curicó Valley

C. Limarí Valley

D. Itata Valley

E. Maipo Valley

A
  1. Limari Valley
  2. Casablanca Valley
  3. Maipo Valley
  4. Curicó Valley
  5. Itata Valley
37
Q

Almaviva Winery is a joint project between:

What type of wine is produced?

Where are they located (sub-region / DO)?

A

Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild.

Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend, with Carmenére, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Puente Alto DO / Maipo Valley / Central Valley

38
Q

Which 3 sub regions make up Chile’s Sur Region?

A

Itata Valley

Bio Bio Valley

Malleco Valley

39
Q

The DO regions in Chile can be subdivided and subdivided again, what are the terms for these subdivisions?

A

13 Sub Regions then subdivided into Zones

40
Q

Arrange the following regions from north to south (1 = northernmost, 4 = southernmost).

A. Itata Valley

B. San Antonio Valley

C. Maule Valley

D. Bío Bío Valley

A
  1. San Antonio Valley.
  2. Maule Valley
  3. Itata Valley
  4. Bio BIo Valley
41
Q

Roughly speaking how would you describe the climate of Chile?

A

The climate of Chile is diverse but can be described generally as warm Mediterranean

42
Q

Carmenère is usually harvested after Cabernet Sauvignon.

Why is this?

A

Underripe Carmenere grapes produce wine with unpleasant, undesirable green flavors. Harvesting it later minimizes these green flavors and maximizes fruit notes.

43
Q

Viñedo Chadwick, Almaviva, and Concha y Toro’s “Don Melchior” are all produced out of what Chilean subregion?

A

Maipo Valley

44
Q

How would you describe the climate of Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys?

A

Cool, between the sea and Coastal mountain ranges.

45
Q

Concepción, Chile’s 3rd largest city, is closest to what wine region?

A

Itata Valley

46
Q

Limari Valley has a growing reputation for high quality ____.

What 2 climatic features contribute to its success?

A

Chardonnay.

Limestone soils / Cooler Coastal Climate

47
Q

Elqui Valley has a growing reputation for high quality ____.

What climatic feature contributes to its success?

A

Syrah

Cool, high-altitude vineyard sites.

48
Q

What are the 4 sub regions (and 2 sub-sub-regions) of the Central Valley Region?

A

Maipo Valley

Rapel Valley - divided into Cachapoal and Colchagua

Curicó Valley

Maule Valley

49
Q

What is the most widely grown grape variety in Chile?

A

Cabernet Sauvignon

50
Q

Identify 3 Chilean wineries that were founded in the 19th Century:

A
  1. Concha y Toro
  2. Cousiño Macul
  3. Santa Rita
51
Q

The VIGNO association exists to preserve old vine _______ in ___ Valley.

A

Carignan / Maule

52
Q

In which century were vines first planted in Chile?

A

16th Century

53
Q

Which Chilean region lies directly across the Andes from Argentina’s Mendoza?

A

Maipo Valley

54
Q

What 1 white and 1 red wine would you expect from Elqui Valley?

A

Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah

55
Q

Between 1995 and 2015 the number of wineries in Chile grew from ___ to approximately ____.

A

12 to 340

56
Q

Wines indicating a DO region in Chile must contain what minimum percentage of a variety to include it on a label?

A

75%

57
Q

Which Chilean winery produces “Casa Real?”

What grape is used?

What is the wine’s DO?

A

Santa Rita

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Maipo Valley DO

58
Q

What weather is potentially associated with El Niño and La Niña?

A

El Niño years - Rainfall can be very heavy

La Niña years - Drought may occur

59
Q

The winery of Errázuriz is located in which commune of which DO?

What is their claim to fame?

Which other top wine do they produce?

A

Panquehue.

Errázuriz’s “Seña,” an iconic Bordeaux-style blend and one of the premier reds of Chile, placed ahead of both Château Lafite and Château Margaux in the 2004 Berlin Tasting—a milestone for the Chilean wine industry likened to the famous 1976 Judgment of Paris.

“Viñedo Chadwick”

60
Q

How would you describe the climate in Cachapoal Valley?

A

Warm, surrounded by mountains, no ocean influence

61
Q

What 4 labelling terms can be seen on Chilean wines?

What do these terms indicate?

A

Reserva

Reserva Especial

Reserva Privada

Gran Reserva

Wines labeled Reserva and Reserva Especial must have a minimum 12% abv.

Wines labeled Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva require a minimum 12.5% abv.

In addition, Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva wines spend mandatory time in oak.

62
Q

Working from North to South what are the 6 main DO regions of Chile?

A

Atacama DO

Coquimbo DO

Aconcagua DO

Central Valley (Valle Central) DO

Sur DO

Austral DO

63
Q

What factors contribute to Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley being cooled?

What climate to they have?

A

They lie between the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Mountains benefitting from morning fogs and afternoon winds from the Ocean.

Cool maritime climate

64
Q

What are the 3 sub-regions of the Aconcagua Region and what is the renowned Zone within one of the subregions?

A

Aconcagua Valley

Casablanca Valley

San Antonio Valley containing Leyda Valley Zone

65
Q

What is the climate like in Cachapoal Valley and Colchagua Valley and what 4 black grapes are largely grown there?

A

Cachapoal: Northerly warm area, cut off from ocean breezes.

Colchagua: More southerly, central part of valley is warm and open to some ocean influence.

Carmenére / Merlot on warm valley floor Cab Sav and Syrah is cooler parts

66
Q

Puente Alto is located in which Chilean region?

A

Maipo Valley

67
Q

What best describes a typical Camenére wine?

A

Chile’s signature grape variety. Late-ripening, most successful in warmer areas.

Full-bodied, high tannin

Overtly herbaceous when not fully ripe, but good examples achieve a balance between herbal and black fruit.

68
Q

How would you describe the climate of Coquimbo region?

Where are some vineyards now being planted?

A

Brilliant sunshine with cooling influences from sea breezes and mountain air.

Some vineyards now planted at very high altitude.

69
Q

What provides the cooling in the Chilean foothills of the Andes?

A

Cold air descends from mountains overnight providing a large diurnal range.

70
Q

What is the largest growing area in Chile?

A

Central Valley (Valle Central DO)

71
Q

Which subregion corresponds to Chile’s O’Higgins administrative region?

A

Rapel Valley

72
Q

Until the 21st century, Chile was mostly planted to what grape?

A

País

73
Q

Introduced in 2012 what are the 3 new terms introduced to describe where a wine is from and what do they mean?

A

Costa = From near the coast

Entre Cordilleras = Between the (mountain) ranges

Andes = From the mountain area