Chile - Principal Wine Regions - Central Valley
5 important questions on Chile - Principal Wine Regions - Central Valley
Central Valley in Chile
- Large region
- largely sheltered from maritime influences by the coastal ranges
- grapes grow on warm, fertile, well-irrigated plans
- traditionally ripe, fruity, inexpensive red wines > successful on export market
- now some producers explore other sites/soils > complexity
- sub-regions:
- Maipo Valley
- Rapel Valley
- Cachapoal Valley
- Colchagua Valley
- Curicó Valley
- Maule Valley
Maipo Valley in Central Valley, Chile
- Surrounds capital Santiago
- protected by coastal range > warm and sunny
- black rapes dominate
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- from valley floors > high but soft tannins
- intense aromas of cassis and often a minty character
- good - very good
- inexpensive-midpriced
- Carmenere - Syrah
- Merlot for inexpensive wines
- surrounded by mountains > sites up to 1.000m
- nights cooled by mountain breezes
Rapel Valley in Central Valley, Chile
- northern of Rapel Valley
- warm, cut off from maritime influences
- fertile valley floor > large volume, inexpensive wines
- CS, Carmenere, Syrah
- higher quality CS and Syrah from cooler eastern end at Andean foothills
- larger
- variety of wines
- warm fertile central part vs cooler, less fertile areas
- produces some of Chile's finest-quality and expensive wines
- Alpata = south-facing amphitheatre with cool breezes and poor soils
- Higher grades + faster learning
- Never study anything twice
- 100% sure, 100% understanding
Curicó Valley in Central Valley, Chile
- Inexpensive, high-volume red wines
- warm and dry
- several rivers > irrigation water easy to source
- range of grape varieties
Maule Valley in Central Valley, Chile
- Most vineyard plantings than else in Chile
- reputation cheap high-volume wines > now increasingly produces very good quality wines
- warm and dry
- sometimes sufficient rainfall in winter to 'survive' summer drought
- old bush vines País and Muscat of Alexandria
- Carignan bush vines revival
- VIGNO > growers association that promotes old vine, dry-farmed Carignan
The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:
- A unique study and practice tool
- Never study anything twice again
- Get the grades you hope for
- 100% sure, 100% understanding