Chile Flashcards
(77 cards)
In the Southern Hemisphere, does where does Chile rank as far as production?
2nd behind Argentina
More wine is exported than is kept for domestic consumption
In volume and value, how much wine does Chile export to the US market in relation to Argentina?
Chile exports more wine, in both volume an value, to the United States than any other South American country.
Who brought Vitis vinifera to the Americas? To Chile? When?
To the Americas (Mexico via Hernan Cortes) is 1521. Then Peru in the 1560’s, first for wine but then for brandy (Pisco)
Pedro de Valdivia conquered Chile beginning in 1540. His follower planted vineyards begging in 1549.
How did the Catholic Church effect wine production in South America?
The Catholic Church effected distribution. Religious orders were generally exempted from various embargoes on trade and bans on production place on the nascent South American wine industry by the Spanish crown.
What was wine’s role in the newly established (conquered) country of Chile?
The mission vineyards needed to supply sacramental wine for the Christian mass but wine also played a role in preserving the lifestyle, culture and diet of the hot country of Spain.
The driving force in missionary wine production in South America was just as likely economic rather than religious - transubstantiation aside, the west coast of South America was long way from Spain.
When did Chile achieve independence from Spain?
1818
By when were most French varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere (Chilean Merlot), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon growing in Chile?
By the mid 1800’s.
Which is Chile’s oldest winery still in operation today? When was it founded?
Viña Ochagavía. Founded in 1851 by Silvestre Ochagavía sometimes referred to the “father of Chilean Wine”.
When was Concha y Toro founded?
1883
Those considered the “Founding Fathers” of the Chilean Wine industry all have a similar origin story that is….
Wealth born in the rapidly expanding mining industry of the 19th century, a desire to mirror French “château” culture, and an influential political career. …And then he became a senator and founded a winery: Some variation on the theme is avowed at every winery of the period.
Money begat political power begat money, and a vineyard was an outward sign of one’s wealth and cultural sophistication. The story reverberates in modern times, as several of Chile’s 19th-century wineries still control the lion’s share of the market. A few of the physical wineries themselves are protected as national historic landmarks.
The domestic wine consumption of Chile is dominated by which three producers (and associated brands)?
Concha y Toro, Santa Rita and San Pedro
Together these account for 85% of domestic market consumption.
Concha y Toro commands the largest market-share and possesses South America’s largest vineyard holdings, with over 9.000 ha of vines spread through Chile and Argentina.
What is MOVI?
Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes (MOVI), “an association of small quality-oriented Chilean wineries who come together to share a common goal to make wine personally, on a human scale.” In a country dominated by massive wineries, MOVI membership signals a different outlook.
Often these wineries represent personal projects for winemakers working by-day for larger firms.
Was Chile affected by phylloxera in the last 1800’s when Europe was being ravaged by it?
No. Then and since, Chile has not been affected by phylloxera.
In the late 1800’s when Chilean Wine was beginning to be exported, it seemed promising. What changed in the 20th century?
WWI and WWII, a temperance movement and an anti-alcohol law established in 1938 that set production quota caps and limited planting rights; its effect was to keep prices high but quality low.
What was a turning point for Chile’s wine industry?
The military coup of 1973 that established Augusto Pinochet as dictator. His economic policies, a sharp departure from Allendes (predecessors) socialist aims, reformed and liberalized the free market.
Some in Chile today argue that, despite grave human rights violations and the legacy of desaparecidos left in his government’s wake, Pinochet and his brand of capitalism set the stage for the Chilean wine export business, which had languished for decades, to take center stage.
In 1979, who’s project marked a jolt towards modern technique and quality?
Miguel Torres, a central figure in the modernization of Spain’s wine industry, founded a Chilean project in Curicó and introduced new technologies like temperature-controlled, stainless steel fermentation tanks, new barrique and pneumatic presses to the country.
Which is Chiles largest export market?
The US.
Followed by UK, China, and Japan
International investment flowed to Chile and many new projects with established European wineries began. Give three examples of these projects.
Barons de Rothschile-Lafite (1988) - taking over the Colchagua estate of Los Vascos.
(Grand) Marnier-Lapostolle founded Lapostolle (in Cochagua) in 1994
Bruno Prats (former owner of Château Cos d’Estournel) and Paul Pontallier (current managing director of Chateau Margaux) launched Viña Aquitania in 1990
Baron Philippe de Rothschild created Almaviva in conjunction with Concha y Toro in 1997
Robert Mondavi joined Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errázuriz to found Seña in 1995.
(Burgundy based) William Fevre Chile established 1991, Maipo Valley
(Burgundy based) Louis-Michel Liger-Belair partners with Pedro Parra in Aristos and consults for Errazúriz
Between 1990-2000 what was the trend of Chile’s wine production?
It rose significantly both in production and export.
Chile’s production ramped up from 350,000 hl to 642,000 hl; in that same period the total percentage of wine exported climbed from 7% to over 40%
Where does most of Chilean viticulture occur?
Zona Central ( a span of one to three hour drive from the capital city of Santiago)
What are the two most prominent geographical forms in Chile?
The Andes Mountains and the Atacama desert.
What are the two mountain ranges that run parallel along the length of the country?
The Andes and the Cordilleras de la Costa (Coastal range).
The Coastal range isn’t very tall 3,100 at the tallest, but it plays an important role as a offer to coastal influence and as a rain shadow, while the Andes completely block any weather systems from the east.
Mountains cover 80% of Chiles land mass.
When was Chile’s DO system established?
1994
The entire Chilean coastline to the West of the Coastal Range is directly effected by which current?
The Humobldt Current
A cold water ocean current that flows northward up the coast. The current cools the air passing over it, limiting precipitation and contributing to an inversion layer that traps colder air near the earths surface.
The Humboldt Current moderates climate ups nd down the country’s coastline, keeping overall average temperatures milder than in the inland valleys and suppressing diurnal shifts.
