D3 - Chile Flashcards
Examines the regions, grapes, methods of production, and styles of Chile.
- What is the general climate of Chile?
- How does it change moving south?
- Warm Mediterranean climate with a long, dry, sunny growing season;
- Becomes cooler + wetter moving south.
Which areas of Chile see more rain: coastal or inland areas?
Coastal areas.
Due to Chile’s low latitudes, the sun here is _____.
Intense.
El Niño and La Niña: which brings more rain and which brings less rainfall/more drought?
- El Niño brings more rain;
- La Niña brings less rainfall/more drought.
Vintage variation and production volume changes can be significant in Chile.
Climatic variation in Chile runs east-west – why?
The wine growing regions run east-west because the Andes’ valleys run east-west, and the Pacific Ocean and the Andes bookend the valleys as cooling influences (extending the growing season which helps grapes retain acidity).
What are the cooling influences in Chile?
- Humboldt Current;
- Cool morning fog that’s sucked inland as warm inland air heats up and rises;
- Vineyard aspect and elevation for those planted on slopes of coastal range or hills in the valleys;
- Elevation for vineyards planted on or near foothills of Andes (downdrafts, diurnal range).
Describe the soils in Chile’s:
- River Valleys
- Coastal ranges
- Andes
- River Valleys → mainly alluvial with areas of sand, clay, silt, and gravel;
- Coastal ranges → gravel, sand, silt;
- Andes → granite.
The high solar interception in Chile means red grapes ripen with high levels of _____ and _____.
Tannins and anthocyanins.
The mostly dry conditions of Chile’s inland wine growing regions mean this pressure is low; but it’s high here:
Fungal disease pressure; high in coastal regions.
Besides drought, what else is an environmental hazard in Chile?
Forest fires.
The trends seen in Chile over the last 10-20 years include:
- Increased plantings of Bordeaux varieties;
- Italian varieties being planted;
- Non-traditional varieties being planted;
- Less oak, less extraction;
- Old oak, concrete, amphorae;
- Increased diversity of wine styles.
Where are the best sites for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile?
Near the Andes → poorer soils help keep vigor under control; cool nights slow ripening and retain acidity.
Briefly describe a mid-priced to premium Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Full bodied;
- High and ripe tannins;
- Pronounced dark fruit (especially blackcurrant);
- Herbaceous (mint/eucalyptus);
- New oak maturation.
Why is site selection important for Carmenere in Chile?
- Ripens 2-3 weeks later than Merlot;
- Needs sunny, warm (not too hot) sites or can become overtly herbaceous with harsh tannins;
- If it gets too ripe, can be overly alcoholic.
Why do Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay do so well in coastal areas of Chile?
Both retain their acidity when planted in these cooler coastal areas.
What were the 2011 designations that were approved to help define wines that are from the coast, closer to the Andes, and the area in between?
- Costa - for areas with coastal influence;
- Andes - for areas influenced by the mountains;
- Entre Cordilleras - for the areas in between.
- If the region or grape variety is stated on a bottle of Chilean wine, at least ___% of the wine must originate from that region or be made from that grape.
- If the wine is being exported to the E.U, the number changes to ___%.
- 75%;
- 85% if going to E.U.
- Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva wines must have been aged in oak for a minimum of ___ months.
- Their minimum ABVs must be ___%.
- 6 months;
- 12.5% ABV.
- The minimum ABV% for Chilean DO wines is ___%.
- If a wine is labeled Reserva or Reserva Especial the wine’s ABV must be minimum ___%.
- 11.5%;
- 12.0%.
What are Chile’s four main wine-producing regions from north to south?
- Coquimbo;
- Aconcagua;
- Central Valley;
- Southern.
The three DOs of Coquimbo are:
- Elqui;
- Limarí;
- Choapa.
What factors make Coquimbo so challenging to grow grapes?
-
Low latitude → high summer temps + intense sun (ABVs tend to be high)
- Mountains/elevation, Humboldt Current/Pacific help mitigate this;
- Little or no rain → irrigation necessary but climate change is reducing Andean snowfall.
What factors allow the wines from Elqui Valley to have relatively high acidities and fresh fruit flavors?
- No coastal mountains;
- Elqui River funnels in fog far inland;
- Vineyard elevation (up to 2200m) means high diurnal range and intense sunlight.
What are the differences in the western and eastern wine growing regions of Limarí?
- Western → cooled by morning fog and cool breezes;
- Eastern → Andean foothills (~1500m), so elevation is a cooling influence.
What are the three important subregions of the Aconcagua region?
- Aconcagua Valley;
- Casablanca Valley;
- San Antonio Valley.
Central Aconcagua Valley (valley floor)
- Is it cool + wet or warm + dry?
- What is the rainfall amount, and do they irrigate?
- What style of wine is this area known for?
- Hot + dry;
- Low rainfall (250mm), irrigation essential;
- Ripe, full bodied reds with high alcohol and high tannins.
Aconcagua Costa
- What are the cooling influences?
- What grapes are grown here?
- Ocean breezes + morning fogs;
- Fresher, cooler-climate style Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah.
Aconcagua Andes
- What is the elevation?
- What keeps the wines ripe yet fresh?
- 1000m asl;
- Large diurnal range (cool nights).
What factors make Casablanca Valley one of Chile’s coldest wine-growing regions?
Which part of the Valley has the coolest areas?
- Low hills to the west of the region do little to diminish the impacts of the ocean;
- Cool, humid ocean air cannot escape due to hills in north and east;
- Western and low-lying areas are the coolest.
What is a natural hazard found in Casablanca?
Spring frost.
San Antonio Valley
- On which side of the coastal range is it located?
- What effects does this have on the region?
- West of the coastal range;
- Heavy ocean influence which is moderated by sites’ aspects and soil types.
- Where is Leyda Valley?
- What is its climate like?
- Nested within San Antonio Valley;
- Bright afternoon sunshine with foggy mornings + cool breezes → grapes ripen while retaining acidity.
Chile’s Central Valley is best known for what style of wine?
Ripe, fruity, inexpensive red wines.
Which of the following is correct?
Chile’s Central Valley is:
a. Open to maritime influences
b. Sheltered from maritime influences
b. Sheltered from maritime influences
That’s how the grapes get so ripe.
What are the four subregions of Chile’s Central Valley?
- Maipo Valley;
- Rapel Valley;
- Curicó Valley;
- Maule Valley.
Why is Maipo so warm and sunny?
It’s on the east side of the coastal range, so it’s sheltered from maritime influence.
Maipo Valley is best known for what styles of wine?
Depending on the grape, inexpensive (Merlot) to mid-priced (Cab Sauv, Syrah, Carmenere) ripe red wines with high yet soft tannins.
What is Alto Maipo?
What style of wine is it known for?
Higher elevation area at eastern end of Maipo Valley with two subregions: Puente Alto and Pirque that make fresh, ripe red wines (high diurnal range).
What are the two subregions of Rapel Valley?
Which one is warmer, and why?
- Colchagua Valley;
- Cachapoal Valley – warmer because coastal range blocks maritime influence.
- What style of wine is Cachapoal Valley largely known for?
- What is the exception?
- Known for large volumes of inexpensive red wine;
- Peumo → found within Cachapoal River Valley, Peumo is sheltered from cold weather from the Andes but experiences cool coastal winds which reduce frost risk and ensures a long, warm growing season for late-ripening Carmenere.
Where is Cachapoal’s highest quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grown?
The cooler eastern end of the valley in the Andean foothills.
Why does Colchagua Valley produce a variety of wines?
Colchagua Valley reaches from the Andes to Pacific coast
- warm, fertile central part makes large volumes of inexpensive, full-bodied, fruity red wines;
- cool, less fertile areas make quality, higher priced wines.
What factors make Apalta, within Colchagua Valley, an area known for outstanding quality, premium-priced wines?
- It’s a south-facing amphitheater;
- Captures cool breezes from the west;
- Has south-facing slopes that slow grape ripening;
- Poor soils that reduce vigor.
Vineyards in the western end of the Colchagua Valley have cooler conditions because:
They are fully exposed to the coast.
What style of wines is Curicó known for?
Inexpensive, high-volume red wines.
Curicó Valley
- Does it get any coastal influence?
- What are its summers like?
- How well is it irrigated?
- No coastal influence;
- Summers warm and dry;
- Well irrigated (several rivers in the region).
What style of wine(s) is Maule Valley known for?
Generally for inexpensive reds, but trending now are old vine/dry farmed vineyards making very good quality reds.
Maule Valley
- What is its climate like?
- What old bush vines is it known for?
- Similar to Curicó but cooler with more rain (largely falls in winter);
- País and Muscat of Alexandria.
Why is País treated with gentle extraction techniques and carbonic maceration?
It has rough tannins.
What is VIGNO?
A self-regulating growers’ association that promotes old vine, dry farmed Carignan.
What is the name of the area in Maule known for old bush Carignan vines?
Cauquenes – it’s in the south of the region towards the coast.
What are the three subregions within the Southern Region from north to south?
- Itata;
- Bío Bío;
- Malleco.
Why does the climate in Chile become cooler and wetter the further south you go (like in Southern Region)?
The coastal mountains diminish so there is less shelter from the Humboldt Current.
If the Southern Region is so cool and wet, how do grapes ripen here and how is fungal disease mitigated?
- Higher latitude → longer growing season days;
- Open canopy management + ocean breezes help reduce fungal disease pressure.
What grapes dominate plantings in Itata?
- Old vine País;
- Cinsault;
- Muscat of Alexandria.
About how much of Chile’s wine production is exported?
~70%
Chile has a low value-to-volume ratio, but which two countries’ ratios are even lower?
- Spain;
- South Africa.
About 80% of Chilean wine is produced by these four companies.
- Concha y Toro;
- Santa Rita;
- Santa Carolina;
- San Pedro.
What is MOVI?
(Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes)
A group of small producers making quality wine that promote themselves together in the domestic and export markets.
There is little limestone in Chilean soils, but there is one area where can you find significant outcroppings of it.
Where can these limestone outcroppings be found in Chile?
Limarí Valley
What parts of Chile are becoming known for very good quality Chardonnay?
Cool coastal areas, particularly Limarí Valley thanks to its limestone soils.
Production in Chile has increased greatly, from between 3-6 million hL in the 1990s to over __ million hL in the 2020s.
13 million hL
