Chile + Argentina

Question 1

Chile is wedged between which 2 natural boundaries?

Answer 1

• Pacific Ocean to the west

- Andes Mountains to the east

Question 2

when did viticulture first arrive in Chile?

who brought it there?

Answer 2

• mid-1500s (16th century)

- brought to Chile by Spaniards

Question 3

how long is Chile?

Answer 3

2,670 miles long

± 4300 km

Question 4

how wide is Chile?

Answer 4

at its widest point, just about 100 miles wide

± 160 km wide (1 mile = 1.6 km)

Question 5

what is the name of the ocean current that cools down Chile?

Answer 5

Humboldt Current

It ushers in cool, moist air + fog

Question 6

what is the name of the desert at the northern end of Chile?

Answer 6

Atacama Desert

Question 7

what is the name of the mountain range that creates a rain shadow in Chile?

Answer 7

Coastal Range

Same name as the range in the Pacific Northwest!

Question 8

thanks to the rain shadow from Chile’s coastal range, what is the climate for the wine growing areas between the coastal range and the andes?

Answer 8

warm mediterranean

Question 9

does the climate in Chile become hotter or cooler as you move further south?

Answer 9

cooler

Question 10

in chile, where are vineyards planted?:

a. valley floors
b. foothills/ hillsides
c. high elevation
d. all of the above

Answer 10

all of those areas.

The wines’ expressions, colour, and intensity will vary from all of these sites.

Question 11

in the 19th century, the majority of the vines that were planted in Chile came from…..

Answer 11

bordeaux

Question 12

what are the 2 main white grapes in Chile?

Answer 12

1. chardonnay
2. sauvignon blanc

white grapes account for only 25% of all plantings in Chile

Question 13

what are the 3 main red grapes in Chile?

Answer 13

1. cabernet sauvignon
2. merlot
3. carmenere

Question 14

for a long time, many thought that the carmenere planted in Chile was this other grape.

Answer 14

merlot

Question 15

what vineyard pest does not exist in Chile?

why?

Answer 15

phylloxera
phylloxera does not exist in Chile thanks to:
- Chile’s geographical isolation
- Chile’s strict agricultural quarantine laws

Question 16

where does Chile’s irrigation water come from?

Answer 16

andes snowmelt

Question 17

what wine laws (or appellation system) does Chile use?

Answer 17

DO (Denominación de Origen)

Question 18

are hybrids allowed to use the DO System in Chile?

Answer 18

no, only Vitis vinifera

Question 19

what are the 6 regional DOs in Chile from north to south?

Answer 19

1. Atacama
2. Coquimbo
3. Aconcagua
4. Valle Central
5. Sur
6. Austral

Question 20

of Chile’s 6 DOs, which 2 are most important?

Answer 20

1. Aconcagua DO
2. Valle Central DO

both have noteworthy subregions nested within them

Question 21

if a bottle of chilean wine has one of the 6 DOs listed on the label as its DO, what minimum percent of the wine must come from that DO?

Answer 21

75%

Question 22

If a bottle of Chilean wine has a grape listed on the label, the wine must be what minimum percent of that stated grape?

Answer 22

75%

Question 23

If a bottle of chilean wine has a vintage listed on the label, the wine must be what minimum precent of that stated vintage?

Answer 23

75%

Question 24

Even though Chile subscribes to the 75% minimum rule for stated grape, vintage, and DO, what minimum do they actually follow?

Answer 24

Chile exceeds that minimum and follows the EU’s 85% rule for stated grape, vintage and DO.

Question 25

what are the nested subregional DOs of Aconcagua?

Answer 25

1. Casablanca Valley DO 2. San Antonia DO Note that Aconcagua DO also has the nested, subregional Aconcagua Valley DO

Question 26

Casablanca Valley DO and San Antonia Valley DO share the same climate. What is the climate? Where are they located (near or far from the coast)?

Answer 26

Cool maritime, very near the coast and west of the Coastal Range

Question 27

what are the main grapes, both red and white, of Casablanca Valley DO and San Antonio Valley DO?

Answer 27

1. chardonnay 2. sauvignon blanc 3. pinot noir

Question 28

valle central DO in Chile is located between two mountain ranges: the ... to the east and the ... to the west

Answer 28

Andes Mountains to the east | Coastal Mountains to the west

Question 29

Valle Central makes what percent of Chile's overall wine production?

Answer 29

80% | Most of it is everyday table wine

Question 30

what is the climate of Valle Central?

Answer 30

warm - hot

Question 31

is valle central better known for white grapes or red grapes? What are the grapes?

Answer 31

Red grapes: - cabernet sauvignon - merlot - Carmenere

Question 32

what are the 4 DOs of valle central from north to south?

Answer 32

1. Maipo Valley DO 2. Rapel DO 3. Curicó DO 4. Maule DO

Question 33

what is valle central's most important subregion?

Answer 33

Maipo Valley DO

Question 34

what grape is Maipo Valley DO best known for?

Answer 34

cabernet sauvignon

Question 35

which South American country is the largest in terms of wine production? Hint: it's also the 5th largest producer in the world

Answer 35

argentina

Question 36

when were vineyards in Argentina revived, and by whom?

Answer 36

- late 1800s - By Italian and Spanish immigrants who were fleeing their European countries from famine; they brought their traditions of winemaking (and vine cuttings!) from their homelands

Question 37

which South American country is on the eastern side of the andes

Answer 37

argentina

Question 38

the andes mountains create a ... ... for Argentina, making the wine regions on the eastern side very warm, dry , and sunny

Answer 38

rain shadow

Question 39

the rain shadow Argentina experiences frost he andes means that it's a very warm and dry region. because of this warmth, where is the best place for grapes to grow?

Answer 39

high altitudes so the grapes can benefit from cool nights (diurnal shifts)

Question 40

what is the average altitude at which grapes are grown in Argentina?

Answer 40

3000 ft asl (915 meters)

Question 41

what is the white grape Argentina is known for? | What's it like?

Answer 41

- torrontés | - intensely fragrant and floral

Question 42

what are the 4 red grapes of Argentina?

Answer 42

1. malbec 2. bonarda 3. cabernet sauvignon 4. syrah

Question 43

why don't Argentina's vineyards suffer from fungal disease?

Answer 43

because Argentina is in a rain shadow which keeps vineyards dry and low in humidity

Question 44

because Argentina is in a rain shadow, it doesn't get a lot of rain. Is Argentina allowed to irrigate, and if so, from where do they source the irrigation water?

Answer 44

- irrigation is necessary in argentina | - snowmelt from the andes

Question 45

what irrigation systems are used to irrigate the vineyards in Mendoza IG?

Answer 45

1. flood irrigation (aka furrow irrigation) | 2. drip irrigation

Question 46

what is the Zonda? | What can it do?

Answer 46

- a strong wind that blows down from the andes into Argentina in the lat spring / early summer; - can adversely affect the flowering stage in a vine's annual cycle by blowing off flowers (which means a smaller crop yield at harvest)

Question 47

what is a weather hazard in Argentina?

Answer 47

summertime hail, which can destroy berries and perforate leaves making them unable to photosynthesize

Question 48

what wine laws are used to demarcate regions in Argentina?

Answer 48

- IG (Indicaciones Geográficas) | - DOC (Denominacíon de Origen Controlada)

Question 49

What do the IGs and DOCs demarcate in Argentina?

Answer 49

``` IGs = wine growing areas that are delimited by geographical or political boundaries DOCs = wine growing areas that grow specific grapes, practice particular viticultural methods, and have specific ageing requirements. ``` Basically, the DOC is more strict and focused than the IG system

Question 50

name 3 important IGs in Argentina

Answer 50

1. Salta IG 2. Mendoza IG 3. Patagonia IG

Question 51

what is the important subregion of Salta IG?

Answer 51

Cafayate Ig

Question 52

salta IG is argentina's most ... region a. northern b. southern c. western

Answer 52

a. norhternmost

Question 53

what is the climate of salta IG? | Where are grapes grown in Salta?

Answer 53

overall it's a warm climate, but grapes ar grown at high elevations so they can benefit from cooler air.

Question 54

salta IG's vineyards are known for being some of the ... est ... in the world

Answer 54

highest elevation some are planted at nearly 10,000ft asl

Question 55

what are the grapes that grown in Salta IG?

Answer 55

Torrontes | malbec

Question 56

what is the climate of Mendoza IG?

Answer 56

super dry and continental the vineyards elevations plays a role, though, in temperatures and diurnal shifts

Question 57

what is the main red grape of Mendoza IG?

Answer 57

malbec

Question 58

which IG of Argentina is the largest viticultural region?

Answer 58

Mendoza IG

Question 59

at what elevations are most vines in Mendoza IG planted?

Answer 59

2,000 - 4,000 ft asl

Question 60

what are Mendoza IG's important subregions?

Answer 60

1. Luján de Cuyo DOC | 2. Uco Valley IG

Question 61

Patagonia IG is Argentina's most .... region a. northern b. southern c. western

Answer 61

b. southernmost

Question 62

what are the grapes grown in Patagonia IG?

Answer 62

1. torrontes 2. malbec 3. cabernet sauvignon 4. pinot noir

Question 63

why is elevation so important for viticulture in Argentina?

Answer 63

Because Argentina's wine regions are so warm, sunny, and arid, if the vineyards were on the valley floor they'd just sunbaked. ! Planting the vineyards at higher elevations helps with maintaining freshness in the grapes and slows their development overnight