Cassidy on April 10, 2013 0 Comments After spending six months in South America, I developed a deep appreciation for the history of wine throughout the region. Although the majority of my time abroad was spent in Ñuñoa, a small province of Santiago, Chile, I managed to experience many of the other wonders of country– from the northern Atacama Desert to southern Patagonia. What still remains one of my favorite places is Cajón de Maipo, a canyon located in the Maipo Valley about an hour outside of Santiago. Zip lining, camping, beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and a little place called Cascada de las Animas were all attractions I found myself enjoying. But, of course, it was the wine that truly brought me back to the valley time and again. A history as long as its coast… Wine has been produced in Chile for over four centuries, beginning with the Spanish Conquerors who brought vines to produce wine for Catholic masses. For the next 100 years, cultivation moved south, progressing past the Bio Bio River. With Chile’s great diversity of microclimates, the country progressed by the late 19th century into a very successful wine industry and is now the 9th top wine producer in the world, just above Portugal. Over the centuries, 14 wine regions, each attaining their own specialties, have emerged across the vast Chilean countryside. Coquimbo Regions Elquí Valley – Cool climate. Syrah and Savignon Blanc Limarí Valley – Cool climate. Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Choapa Valley – Desert-like climate. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aconcagua Regions Aconcagua Valley – Mediterranean climate. Coastal Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Syrah & Carmenere Casablanca Valley – Cool Mediterranean climate with cool foggy mornings. Top quality Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, & Pinot Noir. San Antonio Valley – Cool oceanic climate. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. Central Valley Regions Maipo Valley – Mediterranean climate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, & Syrah. Cachapoal Valley – Mediterranean climate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, & Carmenere. Curicó Valley – Mediterranean climate. Cabernet, Carménère, Syrah, & Sauvignon Blanc. Maule Valley– Mediterranean climate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, & Carignan. Colchagua Valley– Mediterranean climate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah, & Malbec. Southern Regions Itata Valley– Mediterranean climate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Chardonnay. Bío-Bío Valley – Mild Mediterranean climate, most saturated of all Chilean wine valleys. Malleco Valley – Mediterranean climate, very rainy. Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. Chilean wine continues to intrigue and impress wine lovers worldwide. Although a few years have passed since my adventures across the diverse country, I continue to seek out Chilean wine to savor and reminisce. From Chardonnay to Cabernet, I urge you to experience what each type of Chilean wine has to offer. As they say in Santiago, “¡Salud!”
