Wine Wednesday!
European immigrants brought the first vines to Chile in the mid-1500s. Until the late 1990s, most of Chile's wine was consumed by its residents. As the winemakers started planting more vines and exporting more wine, the world began to see how wonderful these wines were. Many of the earliest grapes grown were from the Bordeaux region of France. Due to Chile's climate with the warm inland region on one side and a cool coastal climate on the other, Chile is able to successfully grow many different grape varieties.
Carménère is the country's signature varietal. In the 1990s when genetic mapping became available, they figured out that much of the country's Merlot vines were actually Carménère. It has a distinctive green edge but the two wines both have smooth red fruity tones. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay are also widely seen. Some of Chile's best exports are blends in a Bordeaux-style.
One little creature that is the bane of wine existence is an aphid-like louse called phylloxera. This menace attacked most of the worlds vineyards in the 1800s. Chile was completely shielded from this pest, by the Andes mountains to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atacama Desert to the north, and Patagonia to the south. As a grapevine ages, the fruit it produces becomes more concentrated. These vines have survived longer than the most prestigious vines in Europe, that all needed re-planting after the devastation, and as a result, these preserved Chilean vines are prized around the world.
The wine regions of Chile (all of which are valleys that run east to west) are seen below.
The map below is courtesy of WineFolley.com
Some of the important valleys worth mentioning are:
*Central Valley- which is the most established wine making region that is located in and around the city of Santiago.
*Maipo Valley- mostly west of Santiago, is known for it's world class Cabernet Sauvignon. Desert-like conditions assist with the complete ripening process here. Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is typically earthy with notes of dark cherry, and spices. These wines can age for many decades.
*Rapel Valley- which is divided into 2 other valleys, the Cachapoal Valley and the Colchagua Valley, is located south of the Maipo valley, and is well known for it's incredible Merlot and Carménère.
*Casablanca Valley- 20 miles from the Pacific coast and west of Santiago, is relatively new to winemaking. It is up and coming with crisp white wines such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
I grabbed 2 Chilean wines for this blog. 1 red and 1 white:
The first is 2020 Copper Valley, a Chardonnay from Central Valley Chile (approximately USD $15.00). While this wine is extremely young, it was extremely drinkable. Mildly sweet, with nice minerals, pineapple, and citrus flavors. This would be a fantastic wine on a hot summer day paired with shellfish. It may need to sit for a while longer. I'll be anxious to let the other bottle I purchased sit for a couple years, as long as I don't get desperate and pop the cork one night before then. It really was good.
The second is a 2019 Rio Alto Reserva Merlot, from the Aconcagua Valley (which is north of the Maipo Valley) (approximately USD $12). This wine was delicious. Full-bodied, smooth, and well balanced. There are some earthy notes here as well. For $12???? I think I just found my "everyday" wine.......
There are many more Chilean wines I'd like to try..... my next purchase will hopefully be a nice Carménère from the Colchagua Valley of Rapel.
Thank you for following our Wine Wednesday trend! Up next week, I will switch gears a little and discuss the importance of selecting the proper wine glasses for the different varietals, and why it actually makes a difference in your wine tasting experience. Have a great rest of the week! -Saluti!
Xoxo -Lisa