Chile Flashcards
(42 cards)
Name of the cold maritime current that cools the coast of Chile?
Humboldt Current
When was the Chilean wine law established?
1995
How can the Chilean wine law be most efficiently described?
the 75% rule: vintage, variety, and denomination of origin must, if listed on the bottle, comprise a minimum 75% of the blend
Why do many wineries observe an 85% minimum for all three categories (vintage, variety and denomination of origin)?
In order to comply with EU standards for export.
Are hybrid varieties allowed according to the Chilean wine law?
No, only permitted varieties may be used.
The Chilean law requires all wines to show a minimum alcohol content of…
11.5% abv
Minimum ABV content for wines labeled Reserva and Reserva Especial and wines labeled Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva?
Reserva and Reserva Especial
12% abv
Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva
12.5% abv (also wines spend mandatory time in oak)
Is Chile a white grape or a red grape dominant vineyard?
Red grapes account for over 70% of the total acreage in Chile.
Part of which desert occupies the northern most territories of Chile’s land mass?
The Atacama Desert
What is absolutely essential to viable grape growing in the Atacama region?
Irrigation
From North to South, list Chile’s 6 regional DOs.
Atacama
Coquimbo
Aconcagua
Valle Central (Central Valley)
Sur (Southern Regions)
Austral Region
List Atacama’s 2 subregions/DOs
Valle de Copiapó DO
Valle del Huasco DO
The Elqui and Limarí Valleys are subregions/DOs of which larger regional DO?
Coquimbo
Which grape variety is gaining attention in the Elqui’s cool, high-altitude vineyards?
Syrah
Which growing conditions make the coastal Limarí valley a good match for Chardonnay?
limestone soils and cool coastal climate
What is Coquimbo’s third subregion after Valle de Copiapó DO and Valle del Huasco DO?
Valle del Choapa DO
Where does the Aconcagua DO takes its name from?
The Aconcagua River (not the nearby Argentinean peak—the highest mountain in the Americas)
List Atacama’s 3 subregions/DOs
Valle del Aconcagua DO
Valle de Casablanca DO
Valle de San Antonio DO
What is the general soil type of the Valle del Aconcagua DO?
Alluvial
Which 2 grape varieties dominate Aconcagua Valley’s plantings?
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Which specific commune is home to Errázuriz and in which subregional DO does it fall into?
Panquehue in the Valle del Aconcagua DO.
Which Chilean wine placed ahead of both Château Lafite and Château Margaux in the 2004 Berlin Tasting?
Errázuriz’s “Seña”, an iconic Bordeaux-style blend.
What was the first vintage of Errázuriz’s “Seña”?
1995
The combined effort of which two gentlemen led to the creation of Chile first icon wine, Errázuriz’s “Seña”?
Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick
