Chile

Question 1

Name the four wine growing regions in Chile.

Answer 1

Coquimbo, Aconcagua, Central Valley, Southern.

Question 2

What is the climate of Chili’s vineyards?

Answer 2

Warm Mediterranean.

Question 3

What two weather patterns affect Chili’s wine regions in some years?

Answer 3

El Nino and La Nina. Rain in El Nino and drought in La Nina.

Question 4

What is the name of the cool Antarctic current along the coast?

Answer 4

Humboldt. Has a cooling effect where coastal mountains are at their lowest and in the river valleys. Also causes fog close to the coast.

Question 5

What causes a cooling effect on the eastern side of the vineyards?

Answer 5

Cold air that descends from the Andes overnight causing large diurnal temperatures.

Question 6

What types of grape growing is largely practiced in Chile?

Answer 6

Sustainable and Organic.

Question 7

What are the three designations adopted in 2012 based on distance from the coast?

Answer 7

Costa, Entre Cordilleras (areas between the mountain ranges) and Andes. Complimentary terms a producer can choose to use in addition to a DO.

Question 8

What additional labeling terms does Chile recognize?

Answer 8

Reserva, Reserva Especial, Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva.

Question 9

What black varieties are grown in Chile?

Answer 9

Cab, Merlot, Carmenere, Syrah, Pinot.

Question 10

What white varieties are grown in Chile?

Answer 10

Chard and SauvBlanc. Muscat of Alexandria is also used for Pisco.

Question 11

What is the most planted variety in Chile?

Answer 11

Cab. Simple to elegant. Ripe black fruit with herbaceous character. Frequently blended with Merlot, Carmenere or Syrah.

Question 12

Describe Carmenere, Chile’s signature grape.

Answer 12

Late ripening that grows best in warm and sunny sites. Full bodied and high tannins. Can be herbaceous when not fully ripe. Good examples balance black fruit and herbal aromas.

Question 13

Differentiate Syrah from Elqui Valley from Syrah from Colchagua Valley.

Answer 13

The northern coastal Elqui valley is lighter with peppery notes. The hotter Colchagua Valley has greater intensity of black fruit and fuller body.

Question 14

What 2 regions are known for their Pinot and SauvBlanc?

Answer 14

San Antonio and Casablanca Valley. Cooler regions. High acidity and intense fruitiness. SauvBlanc has ripe apple, citrus and tropical flavors. Some herbaceousness. Richness and texture from lees stirring and oak. Also Limari has Chards with structure, elegance and restraint.

Question 15

What are Bio Bio and Itata Valley known for?

Answer 15

Cooler regions known for aromatic varieties (Viognier, Riesling and Gewürztraminer).

Question 16

What are two subregions in the Coquimbo Region?

Answer 16

Elqui Valley and Limari Valley. Borders the Atacama Desert.

Question 17

What features to Elqui Valley and Limari Valley benefit from?

Answer 17

Brilliant sunshine and cooling influences from either sea breezes or mountain air. Biggest challenge is lack of water. Irrigation is essential. Elqui has reputation for Sauv Blanc and Syrah. Limari for some of Chile’s best Chard.

Question 18

What is the second smallest wine region in Chile?

Answer 18

Aconcagua.

Question 19

Name the 3 subregions of the Aconcagua region.

Answer 19

Aconcagua Valley, San Antonio Valley, Casablanca Valley. (Leyda Valley is inside San Antonio Valley)

Question 20

What is the Aconcagua Valley known for?

Answer 20

Warm. Classic red wine. Traditionally cab, but Syrah and Carmenere more now. Rich, ripe, fruit with high alcohol and tannins.

Question 21

What are Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys known for?

Answer 21

Lie b/w the coastal mountains and Pacific. Cooler sites with morning fogs and afternoon winds from the Pacific. White varieties dominate. SauvBlanc in San Antonio valley and its cool Leyda Valley zone. Chard also widely planted. Pinot most planted black. Red berry fruit and herbal notes in cooler sites. And Syrah in the warmer eastern part of Casablanca giving it structure and a peppery edge.

Question 22

Name the important subregions in the Central Valley.

Answer 22

Maipo Valley, Cachapoal Valley, Colchagua Valley, Curico Valley and Maule Valley.

Question 23

Where are the best wines in the Maipo Valley grown?

Answer 23

In the Andean foothills, cooled by the descending air, leading elegance and structure to the red wines. They are known for their minty character.

Question 24

What is Cachapoal Valley known for?

Answer 24

A warm area cut off from ocean breezes. Carmenere ripens well on the valley floor and cab and Syrah in the cooler eastern end of the valley.

Question 25

What is Colchagua Valley known for?

Answer 25

Larger and more varied than Cachapoal. Warm and open to some ocean influence. Full bodied reds, including cab, Syrah and Carmenere. Apalta is located here and has a premium reputation. In the west, the cooling influences from the Pacific produces high quality white wines.

Question 26

What are the two regions furtherest south in the Central Valley?

Answer 26

Curico Valley and Maule Valley.

Question 27

What are Curico Valley and Maule Valley known for?

Answer 27

Inexpensive blended reds and whites, due to warmth and fertile soils. Carignan it the star variety producing full bodied intensely concentrated wines from ancient low-yielding bush vines.

Question 28

What are the 3 subregions of the southern region?

Answer 28

Itata Valley, Bio Bio Valley and Malleco Valley. Cooler and wetter as the get further south.