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Colchagua Valley Wine Region

The ‘Napa Valley’ of Chile!

Colchagua Valley, in the central part of Chile, can be called as the ‘Napa Valley of Chile’.

This is because; it looks more or less like the world-famous ‘Napa Valley’ for its widespread vineyards with valley-floor Rivers and foothills.

Colchagua Valley takes the southwestern half of the Chile’s larger wine region called ‘Rapel Valley’.

‘Colchagua Valley’ is one of the two sub-regions of Rapel valley with other one being the ‘Cachapoal Valley’.

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Although this is a fairly new wine region of the country, this is considered to be the most promising land for viticulture today. Let’s see about the viticulture of Cachapoal Valley in detail here….

Looking Cachapoal Valley as a Viticultural Zone

Looked at just about 100 miles from Santiago, the viticultural area of Cachapoal Valley is stretching for 70 miles in south-east and north-west directions at the widest point.

In its western side, the viticultural zone is found to be bordered by the coastal hills which are running along the entire length of the valley.

In the eastern side, the region’s vineyards are found to be limited by the foothills of the ‘Andes Mountains’.

When it comes to climatic conditions, we could see that the region is enjoying a perfect Mediterranean type of climate that supports well the viticulture in the Valley.

The region’s vineyards are experiencing a warm and dry climate. However, they also receive some cooler breeze from the ocean.

In addition, the vineyards are continuously refreshed by the rivers and rainfalls. The viticultural zone of Cachapoal Valley has desirable terroirs for vine cultivation.

The soils of this region are found to be rich in granite, clay, and schist. This diversity in the soils and microclimates are supporting the growth of a wide variety of grapes in this valley.

Vineyards of Cachapoal Valley

Similar to several of the wine regions in the world, the steeper slopes that are located at the edges of the coastal mountains are found to be the best place for vine cultivation in the Cachapoal Valley too.

In this region, the vineyards are found to be enjoying the benefits of sunlight and free-draining soils.

As a result, the grapes that are got from the harvests are found to be berries with a higher concentration of flavors.

In the Cachapoal Valley, the vineyards are found to be planted at the altitudes of 650 to 3110 feet above the sea level with a majority of vineyards having planted in the center of the valley.

However, during the recent times, new plantations are found to be extended into the hillsides and coastal regions.

In general, the cooler climates are preferable for the white wine varieties while the warmer and drier climates are preferred by the red varieties.

With this in mind, the white varieties of Cachapoal Valley are planted in the western parts and the red varieties are planted in the eastern parts of the valley.

The most reputed vineyards of the Cachapoal Valley are:

· Lapostolle
· Montgras
· Montes
· Laura Hartwig
· Viu Manent
· Neyen
· Vina Estampa
· Vina Casa Silva

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Major Grape Varieties of Cachapoal Valley

Although the terroirs of the region are supporting a number of high-quality grape varieties, additional efforts are being put on the ‘Bordeaux’ varieties here.

The red varieties of this region are found to be more powerful with ripe tannins while the white varieties are found to be lighter.

As such, the major grape varieties of the Cachapoal Valley are:

· Cabernet Sauvignon
· Carmenère
· Syrah
· Merlot
· Malbec
· Chardonnay
· Sauvignon Blanc
· Petit Verdot

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Author

Tharani Rajamanickam

Tharani Rajamanickam

Winewriter

I am Tharani, I have Bachelors degree in Biotechnology. I am passionate about the wine industry and continue to explore, learn and share and I bring in a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help you keep updated with best wines in the world. Stay tuned..

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