Chile Flashcards
When were vines first brought to Chile? Who by? What styles of wine were made?
Spanish settlers brought vinifera in the 1550s, before taking it across the Andes to Argentina.
Earliest vineyards were first planted in N Chile before spreading south to the Central Valley and later the southern regions where large amounts of cheap wine were made.
These wines were unsophisticated by modern standards and made in an oxidative style from varieties such as Pais (Criolla Chica in Argentina) and Muscat.
What events in the 19th century saw a boom in Chile’s wine production?
Chile gained independence from Spain, and were then free to exploit the country’s vast mineral resources, and some re-invested their new-found fortunes into vineyards. In 1851, one of them, Silvestre Ochagavia Echazarreta, imported vines from Bordeaux and brought a French winemaker with them.
Meanwhile, an experimental nursery had been established in the 1830s, including stocks of European vines, meaning that when phylloxera ravaged Europe later in the century, many European winemakers were drawn to Chile.
As a result, by the start of the 20th century the wine industry was booming, though the majority of production was basic, cheap wine consumed locally.
What events led to the pulling up of vines in the 1980s?
By the middle of the century domestic demand was decreasing and Chile was isolated politically from the rest of the world.
About half of vineyard area had been pulled up by the early 1980s, including in some of what are now considered the best wine growing regions.
What events took place in Chile in the 1980s and 90s, and how did they change the wine industry?
The return to democracy and the free market.
P began investing heavily in new technology and shifted their focus to quality wine on the export market.
Large areas of new vineyards were replanted.
New vineyard areas were established, eg in Casablanca, San Antonio and Limari Valleys.
There has been further development in new coastal and mountain regions, and the traditional regions of Itata and Maule are being rediscovered for quality.
How has winemaking changed in recent years?
Previously accused of producing cheap and reliable wines that were a little formulaic or uninspiring.
The past decade has seen a move, in line with global trends, to less extraction, less oak and a more elegant style of wine.
Chile has also produced a number of outstanding wines that compete with the best in world markets, and has expanded its range with aromatic whites from cooler, more southern areas.
What is the size of Chile, and what is the size of vineyard areas?
The narrowest and second longest country in the world, extending 4,300 km from N to S, but only 175km wide.
Hemmed in by the Atacama Desert to the N, Andes to the E, Pacific to the W and the glaciers of Patagonia so the S, the main vineyard area is only 1000km long, stretching from Elqui Valley in the N (30 degrees S) to the Malleco Valley (38 degrees), and rarely more than 100km wide.
However, in recent years a number of vineyards have been planted in the Atacama desert and further S in Cautin and Osorno
What is the general climate of Chile?
Despite covering 8 degrees of latitude the climate is broadly similar. Most have a warm Mediterranean climate with a long, dry growing season, although it becomes cooler and wetter further south.
The low latitude means sunlight is intense.
Annual rainfall varies with northern areas being drier (as low as 80mm in Elqui) and coastal, southern areas being wetter (1200mm in Bio Bio).
Why can vintage variation be significant in Chile?
Like other Pacific countries, it is affected by the El Nino/La Nina phenomenon, which occurs every 2 to 10 years.
The former brings much higher than average rainfall, the latter lower or drought conditions.
This, coupled with the fact P are planting in more climatically extreme parts of the country, mean VV can be significant.
Where are most vineyards planted? How does this influence climate?
Many are on valleys running E to W, so most of the climatic variation depends on where the vineyards lie from E to W.
The Pacific Ocean and Andes mountains provide a significant cooling influence at either end of the valley, lengthening the growing season and allowing grapes to retain acidity while ripening aromas.
What natural factors affect climate?
Along a significant stretch of the coast run a range of low-lying mountains (300-800m) forming a barrier against the influence of the ocean. The vineyard area to the W of these is fully exposed to ocean influences.
The Humboldt current runs up from Antarctica bringing cold water and cool air. As warm air rises from land in the day, cool air is sucked inland. It also creates morning fog which moderates temperatures until burned away by the afternoon sun, and also increases humididty.
Where is best for production of high volume, inexpensive wines?
The coastal range and Andes effectively merge to the N of Santiago (in Coquimbo and Aconcagua), but to the S they part to create a large, warm, dry and sunny central valley.
Where received cooling influences?
Fogs and breezes entering the valley, moderating vineyards just to the E of the coastal ranges.
Planting on the slopes of coastal ranges or hills also provides a cooling influence either through altitude or aspect, and vineyards here can yield higher quality grapes.
What are the growing conditions of E vineyards?
Planted on or near the foothills of the Andes.
Cool mountain air descends at night leading to high diurnal ranges, and altitude, where relevant, can moderate temperatures.
What is the range of soils?
River valleys offer fertile soils mainly alluvial in nature, with areas of clay, sand, silt and gravel.
The soil on slopes is less fertile: in coastal ranges there is more gravel with sand and silt, whilst in the Andes, the soil is volcanic, mainly granite.
There is little limestone in Chile, but most significant outcrops can be found in the Limari Valley in the N.
Why has there been recent increased interest in single vineyard wines?
In recent years there’s been remarkable advance in the understanding of terroir.
What is the current size of Chile? How much does this produce, and how have both these figures fluctuated?
Roughly 137,000 ha under vine.
Area increased rapidly in the 1990s and early 2000s, but has since slightly declined.
Production has also increased greatly, ranging from 3-6m hL in the 1990s to 9-13m hL in the 2010s. There can be marked fluctuations in production each year depending on the effects of El Nino.
What do the sunny and dry conditions across the majority of wine regions result in?
Ideal for producing ripe, healthy grapes. Intense sunshine means grapes ripen reliably with high levels of tannins and anthocyanins.
In many areas, the dry conditions means theres very little risk of fungal disease and so no need for spraying. However, in coastal areas where there’s higher humidity fungal disease can be an issue.
Overall, sustainable and organic viticulture is widely practised and enthusiastically promoted by leading producers and trade bodies.
What is the state of water availability?
Due to low rainfall, just over 85% of vineyards are irrigated. The exception is in Itata, and to a lesser extent Bio Bio and Maule where vineyards can rely on rainfall and the old vines have root systems deep enough to survive drought years.
Like Argentina, Chile has access to supplies of pure water from melting snow running down the Andes by many river valleys crossing the country.
Where rivers are not present in a region (eg, Casablanca) irrigation may come from aquifers via wells.
However, as a result from climate change, years have been getting drier and snowfall is reducing in the Andes, reducing access to water.
What is a key hazard across the country?
Forest fires. Commercial forestry is a huge industry and large plantations (primarily pine and eucalyptus) can fuel major fires.
Vineyards are not usually directly affected, but those nearby can be affected by smoke taint.
What is the history of grafting in Chile?
It has remained largely phylloxera free due to geographical barriers and strict quarantine control: considerable plantings of old, ungrafted vines of Pais, Muscat, Carignan and Cinsault in Itata and Maule.
However, many vineyards were planted relatively recently and are grafted to protect against nematodes.
What is the key training method?
Traditionally seen a wide variety, VSP is now most common.
What is the key method of harvesting?
Mechanisation where possible in the flat vineyards, and increasingly being used in the Central Valley where labour is becoming increasingly hard to find.
Overall the proportion of machine harvesting is low.
What is the breakdown of top plantings in Chile?
Black dominates, with 75% of plantings.
Cab Sauv 41%
Sauv B 15%
Merlot 12%
Chardonnay 11.5%
Carmenere 11%
Pais 10%
Syrah 8%
Which variety was popular until the 1990s? Where is it now?
Most planted was Pais. Traditionally used for inexpensive wine on the domestic market.
Around 75% of vines have now been pulled up since the 1980s.
However, it is undergoing a revival with some good quality wines being made from old vines in Maule, Itata and Bio Bio
Which varieties came to popularity in the 1990s? What confusion followed?
Since the 1990s, there has been a significant shift in focus to international varieties, particularly the Bordeaux varieties. There have been some issues with vine identification in Chile. Carmenere was confused with Merlot and called Chilean Merlot until it was identified
in 1994. Similarly, the majority of the vines called Sauvignon Blanc by the Chileans were almost certainly Sauvignonasse and occasionally Sauvignon Gris and have only recently been correctly identified.
What is the current state of plantings?
Seeking diversity. Though the top 4 varieties make up 60% of plantings, P are increasingly experimenting with a broad range of different varieties from aromatic whites such as Muscat, Gewurz and Riesling, and to black Med varieties such as Carignan, Cinsaut, Grenache and Mourvedre.
What range of styles are being produced now?
Increased diversity. Chile has become a leading supplier of inex fruity wines made in temp controlled steel intended for early drinking.
However, it is capable of making wines in the mid category, and outstanding wines in premium and super.
A growing number of P, including the largest wineries, are experimenting with less new oak, greater use of old oak, concrete and, occasionally amphorae; greater use of whole bunch and extraction for reds; use of extended skin contact and lees for whites.
Rose and sweet wines are being increasingly produced.
What is the most planted variety in Chile, and what are the profiles of different methods of production?
Cab Sauv, producing Chiles finest and most expensive wines, either as single varietal or in a blend with Carmenere, Merlot or Syrah.
Mid and premium tend to be full bodied with high but ripe tannins and pronounced dark fruit, especially blackcurrant, often with herbaceous characteristic. Maturation in at least a proportion of new oak brings toasty, spicy notes.
Inex, fruity wines come from Central Valley. They may show dark fruit and herbaceous, but with less structure, complexity and intensity.
What have proven to be the best sites for Cab Sauv?
Near the Andes, where poor thin soils have helped keep vigour in control, and cool nights have slowed ripening and retained acidity.
What different styles of Merlot are produced?
Inex from the Central Valley has done especially well on export markets with soft tannins, medium body and dark fruit flavours.
Also widely used in blends.
More complex, fuller bodied examples with riper fruit charcs are made by producers keeping yields low.
What is the history of Carmenere? What is it’s profile?
Only officially identified in Chile in 1994, before that it was mistakenly planted as Merlot for many decades.
Often used in blends, though increasingly used as a single varietal. Good and v good examples tend to be full bodied with high levels of tannins, medium acidity and ripe dark fruit (blackberry), herbaceous (bell pepper, eucalyptus) and notes of spice, roasted coffee or dark chocolate when oaked.
Which variety is site selection important for?
Carmenere, as it ripens 3 weeks later than Merlot and needs warm (but not too hot), sunny sites, otherwise is overly herbaceous with harsh tannins. If allowed to get too ripe, it can become overly alcoholic.
Why will Carmenere styles evolve in the future?
Research into clonal selection, site selection, harvest dates, less extraction and oak use in the winery.
What is the history of Syrahs plantings? Where is it planted and what’s the profile?
Only first planted in the mid 1990s, but have been increasing rapidly.
Produces a range of styles: cooler climates San Antonio, Casablanca, Limari and Elqui with higher acidity, fresher black fruit and notes of pepper and clove, to the warmer climate style of Colchagua Valley, fuller bodied with more intense, riper black fruit.
What is the profile of PN?
Improving rapidly, especially in cooler areas such as Casablanca and San Antonio.
The best wines show red fruits with herbal characters and medium to high alcohol.
What is the most planted white grape? Plantings and profile?
Sauv B. Thrives in cooler areas such as Casablanca, Limari and San Antonio, where it can produce very good wines with high acidity and flavours ranging from citrus to tropical sometimes with a hint of wet stones or herbal characs.
Some P use lees and oak to add complexity.
Large amounts of inex Sauv B are made in Central Valley.
