Page Two of Chile Is Hot: Good-Value, Familiar-Varietal Wines Grab Consumers’ Attention
REGIONS
Chile is almost 2,700 miles long, and most of its vineyards lie along a 1,000-mile-long stretch of land from the Elqui Valley in the north to the Malleco Valley in the south. Here are the most important valleys, from north to south, and the varietals that fare best in them.
The Elqui Valley, just below the Atacama Desert, has recently been attracting new attention, especially since 2005, when a Syrah produced there won the Wines of Chile “Wine of Show” award. Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah
Vines were planted in the Limarí Valley in the mid-1500s, but today it’s a hot emerging region that’s been reinvigorated by new technology. It’s very warm and dry (it’s closer to the Equator than most Chilean wine country) yet benefits from cool morning fog and ocean breezes. Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Syrah
The first recorded vintage in Chile’s history was made in the Aconcagua Valley in 1551. The region is known for good red wines from a generally hot, dry interior area that includes some cooler high-altitude sections. Whites are now being produced near the coast. Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
First planted in the 1980s, the Casablanca Valley is the top white-wine region for cool-climate varieties. It’s close to the ocean and is influenced by maritime breezes and early morning fog. Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir
The San Antonio Valley (includes Leyda) is an exciting new region that’s being enthusiastically developed. It’s achieved astounding success since its first wines were released in 2001. Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah
The Maipo Valley is Chile’s best-known region, where many large wineries were founded in the mid-1800s. A warm, sunny area, it’s Chile’s only winemaking region without any coastline. Varietals: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon; also Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Carmenère, Syrah and Malbec
The Cachapoal Valley (northern part of Rapel Valley), a red-wine region, has many microclimates and many wine styles. Some of Chile’s best wines hail from this valley. Varietals: Merlot, Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon
The Colchagua Valley (southern part of Rapel Valley) is a large, important new red-wine region that’s esteemed for its world-class, full-flavored reds. Colchagua includes the prestigious Apalta sub-zone, one of Chile’s best terroirs. Varietals: Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec and Pinot Noir
The Curicó Valley, whose vineyards were established in the 19th century, is a large wine region with diverse microclimates. It marks the start of Chile’s cooler, wetter winemaking regions. With more than 30 grapes grown, both reds and whites flourish here. Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon are mainstays, Carmenère is more recent
The Maule Valley, Chile’s largest winemaking region, boasts some vineyards dating back centuries. It comprises many diverse microclimates, where both reds and whites thrive. It was a big producer of bulk wines and is currently being revitalized. Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère and Carignan
Growing conditions in the Itata Valley suit local varietals like País and Moscatel de Alejandria especially well. Main varietals for export: Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
The Bío Bío Valley is an up-and-coming, cool area touted as the next Casablanca. Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Winemakers have recently discovered the Malleco Valley. It gets high rainfall and has a longer-than-usual growing season. Its climate has been compared to that of Burgundy. Varietals: Excellent for Chardonnay; good potential for Pinot Noir
Chile, Part 2: Recommended Wines That Are Easy to Like, Easy on Your Pocketbook
©2009 Sharon Kapnick for SeniorWomen.com
