COLCHAGUA VALLEY AND ITS FAMOUS RED BLENDS NEW WORLD WINE SOUTH AMERICA - CHILE NATURAL BOUNDARIES NORTH Atacama Dessert South WEST America Pacific Ocean EAST Andes Mountains CHILE Pacific Ocean Pacific SOUTH Antartic CHILE DIVERSE TERRAIN COSTAL RANGE ANDES MOUNTAINS • Age 120 to 200 Millions years • Age 80 Millions years (agric soil 1million years) • Rock Granito – Granodiorita • Rock Basalto - Andecita • Formation Geological Old Soils • Formation Geomorfological / Coluvial – Aluvial • PH Acid 5 to 6 • PH Alcaline 7 to 8 CHILE DIVERSE SOIL A MOSAIC OF TERROIRS Andes Mountain Range Diverse Topography Foothills & Piedmont • Coastal Range • Central Valley Central Plain • Andes Mountains Coastal Mountain Range Healthy Soils Coastal Plain • Well-drained • Great airing • Variety of texture Pure Water • Irrigation fron the Andean ice-melt Chile´s unique geography with the Andes we cultivate vineyards, create a rich diversity Mountains, the costal range of mountains of microclimatic conditions that produce a and the large and different latitudes where rich diversity of wines. CHILE DIVERSE CLIMATE • Warm days, cool nights, rainy winters, warm summers, low atmospheric humidity, and broad daily temperature differentials. • Climate and bright sunshine combine to create high levels of antioxidant and flavonols. • During the day, see breezes carried by the cold Humbodlt Current penetrate inland. • During the night, cold air descends from the snow covered peaks of the andes. • Long growing season with scant rains during harvest. COLCHAGUA VALLEY COLCHAGUA VALLEY FACTS CHILE PRONUNCIATION GUIDE kohl-CHA-gwa (Valley); ra-PEL Valley / Central Valley (D.O.) ARGENTINA • The valley is located between Casablanca SANTIAGO Valley 34 ° 15’ and 34 ° 50’ south latitude and Maipo SOUTH Valley AMERICA 72 ° 00’ and 70 ° 15’ west longitude about 140 km south of Santiago. RANCAGUA • It is bounded on the north by the province of Cachapoal CHILE Cachapoal, the west by the Pacific Ocean, east of the Valley Andes and south by the province of Curicó. Colchagua Valley LOS ROBLES • The valley is one of Chile’s best known wine regions and has earned much applause for its full-bodied CURICÓ Cabernet, Carménère, Syrah, and Blend. Maule Valley • Its wines regularly appear with remarkable scores on world’s lists of leading wines. CHILE VALLEYS & VARIETIES COLCHAGUA VALLEY FACTS • The majority of the wineries are concentrated • The agricultural fitness of its alluvial and • One of Chile’s best-known regions for in the west side of the valley, also called the colluvial soils add to hot summers produce premium quality red varieties. center of the valley, although new plantations ideal condition for natural, consistence and climb hillsides and explore the western profitable winegrowing. • Named “World’s Best Wine Region 2005” frontier toward the sea. by Wine Enthusiast. COLCHAGUA HECTARES PLANTED 828 639 1.255 1.381 3.121 44.765 1.294 3.931 104.266 5.280 4.983 30.752 35.563 5.715 26.519 8.159 26.422 19.602 29.467 8.749 CHILE COLCHAGUA Cab. Sauvignon Merlot Chardonnay Malbec Viognier Carmenere Syrah Sauv. Blanc Cab. Franc Others COLCHAGUA HECTARES PLANTED Total Valley Total Valley Total Valley Surface Area Red Varieties White Varieties 65.582 acres 47.219 acres 18.363 acres COLCHAGUA VALLEY Colchagua in HISTORY indigenous language, means valley of small lakes. COLCHAGUA VALLEY It was the southern boundary of the HISTORY Inca Empire. The first pre-Hispanic irrigation system were built by them, thus introducing agriculture into the colchagua valley. COLCHAGUA VALLEY Winegrowing started in this HISTORY valley during colonial times. Jesuits brought the first vines in the 16th century (1542). COLCHAGUA VALLEY Wine was made basically HISTORY with Pais, also known as the missionaries variety, because ir was produced to meet their own clerical needs. COLCHAGUA VALLEY It wasn’t until the 1980s that the HISTORY valley rose to prominence with the founding of new wineries. COLCHAGUA VALLEY In the mid-1990s winery owners HISTORY launched the Colchagua Valley Wine Route to promote wine tourism in the valley. COLCHAGUA VALLEY TOPOGRAPHY • The valley corresponds to the natural • The formation is a transverse valleys of the • The “Cordillera de la Costa”, with less than formation of the Tinguiririca River, which central depression, East –to West (Andes 500 meters high absl (1500 ft), and the Cordi- rises in the Andes mountains, at the base of to Pacific), the valley differs from the rest llera de Los Andes with an average height of Tinguiririca Volcano, which has a height of because it has two transversal foothills 5,000 meters absl (15K ft). 4,300 m., and after 100 Km. Flows into Lake running east to west, continuous chains Rapel. “Cerros” north and chain of hills to the south, • The distance between the Pacific Ocean separated by an average distance of 35 km. (0m) and the Cordillera de Los Andes (5000mt) through the Colchagua Valley is 120 Km. COLCHAGUA VALLEY SOILS • Very diverse terroir, granitic and volcanic • Transversal cordon range. soil handcraft by earthquakes, glaciers and rivers, giving a mosaic of diferent soils. • Between mountains. • Coastal range. • Andes. COLCHAGUA VALLEY GEOGRAPHICAL RELIEF ANDES RANGE Tº media max: 68º F Tº media min: 42º F COASTAL RANGE Tº max: 80º F Tº min: 42º F Tº media max: 71º F Tº media min: 53º F Thermal oscillation: 60º F average Tº max: 82º F SOIL Tº min: 44º F Hillsides Coluvial stones Thermal oscillation: 55º F average BETWEEN MOUNTAINS Volcanic tephra SOIL Tº media max: 75º F Granite Tº media min: 50º F Quartz Tº max: 86º F Tº min: 40º F Thermal oscillation: 65º F average SOIL Sedimentary area Fluvioglacial Volcanic COLCHAGUA VALLEY • Sub-humid mediterranean climate with • Winter snow in the Andes ensures the CLIMATE well-defined seasons. sufficient supply of water for irrigation. • Two transversal mountain ranges acting as • Highly influenced by its topography and a corridor, opening the valley towards the altitude, as well as the Andean an Coastal ocean (43º f difference between day and Mountain Ranges. night). • Risk of frost: 33%. Very rare in spring. • Rainfall is concentrated during the fall and winter months and reaches 600mm per year. (24 in). COLCHAGUA VALLEY - COASTAL ZONE “SCULPTED BY THE BREEZE” TOTAL AREA 9,794 acres. CLIMATE Ocean cold, windy, foggy mornings, sunny, few rain. OSCILLATION T°: 55º F. KEY VARIETIES: Sauvignon Blanc (1,577 acres) Chardonnay (1,025 acres) Carmenere (882 acres) Syrah (879 acres) SUB-ZONES Lolol, Paredones, Pumanque, Litueche. COLCHAGUA VALLEY - COASTAL ZONE “SCULPTED BY THE BREEZE” • Defining Chile´s coastal condition, it come from soils from granitic origin with • In whites wines, promotes wines with significantly extends its wine offer; the some calcareous components and lower PH intense fruitiness, rich acidity, and freshness. maritime influence not only defines its that have give a totally new dimension. climate, but the soils on which the vines • In reds, the juicy fruit, with its strength and grow as well. • Chile’s Sauvignon Blancs are now among elegance, plays the leading role. the most appreciated in the world and offer • The results is higher minerality and even significant and attractive opportunities for saltiness characteristics in the whites that the world market. COLCHAGUA VALLEY - BETWEEN MOUNTAINS ZONE “THE GENEROUS PLAINS” TOTAL AREA 44,532 acres. CLIMATE Moderate temperatures, warm to fresh days, cool nights, very sunny. OSCILLATION Tº: 65ºF KEY VARIETIES Cabernet Sauvignon (21,426 acres) Carmenere (6,097 acres) Merlot (5,515 acres) Syrah (3,954 acres) Garnacha and Mourvedre Very good results with mediaterranean varietals like Garnacha and Mourvedre. SUB-ZONES: Nancagua, Sta Cruz, Palmilla, Peralillo, Marchihue, La Estrella. COLCHAGUA VALLEY - BETWEEN MOUNTAINS ZONE “THE GENEROUS PLAINS” • The Entre Cordillera geographical indication by volcanic clast, fluvioglacial, aluvial and co- tent varieties. Cab Sauv for example are less is fully expressed in the Colchagua Valley. luvial rocks and sediments. interesting, less complex and less deep than the ones from the Andes area. • This is one of Chile’s oldest winegrowing • Transversal mountain ranges made of gra- zone and is marked by the presence of major nite rock and riverbeds, forming micro-reliefs • The wines are elegant and fruity with re- rivers that flow down from the Andes (tingi- that constitute a rich and fascinating mosaic markable ability for bottle aging. ririca). of terroirs. • The perfect blend. The combination of land • Much of this geographic indication covers • Carmenere and Syrah are unquestinably and sea in just the right measure for wines the generous plains with benign mediterra- Colchagua´s Entre Cordilleras most consis- with character and soul. nean climate and sedimentary soils conform COLCHAGUA VALLEY - ANDES ZONE “BLESSED BY THE MOUNTAINS” TOTAL AREA 10,366 acres. CLIMATE Hot days, cold nights and tremendous luminosity. OSCILLATION Tº: 60ºF). KEY VARIETIES Cabernet Sauvignon (3,729 acres) Merlot (1,091 acres) Carmenere (795 acres) SUB-ZONES: San Fernando - Chimbarongo. COLCHAGUA VALLEY - ANDES ZONE “BLESSED BY THE MOUNTAINS” • The Andes’ influence on climate is enor- • Air masses form in the mountains during • The soils are essentially of alluvial and mous; its height work in conjunction with the the early morning hours and drop down into colluvial origin, sometimes with very high Humboldt Current to avoid the formation the valleys during the day, settling in the spa- concentrations of stones., they tend to offer and free movement of clouds that would ces between mountains and hills. good drainage and little organic matter. cause significant rainfall. • Vineyards are planted at the foot of these • In addition to affecting the climate, the tre- hills where there is good ventilation, which in • Many offer great structure, elegance, and mendous size and altitude of the Andes, crea- turn controls temperatures, protects against personality with long aging wines. tes a major factor in preventing the existence frosts, and creates a big variation between of disease and pests such as phylloxera.