Chilean Wine Regions
The Home of Carménère, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon!
MauleValley
Chile’s largest and most important wine growing region, the Maule Valley has the perfect climate for a variety of grapes. Some Maule Valley vineyards are over 200 years old. The region is known primarily for red wines, and the most popular variety grown here is Cabernet Sauvignon. This region is also known for the país grape, a hardy local fruit that is extremely productive yet yields a medium-quality wine popular with locals but rarely exported.
ColchaguaValley
This warm valley is where you’ll find the largest vineyards of the famous Carménère grape. Originally grown in Frence, the Carménère was thought to be extinct after an 1867 plague killed off most of the French vines. Fortunately, it had been brought to Chile, where it survived. Today, Chile is by far the world’s leading producer of Carménère wine, which is a dark, flavorful red. The Colchagua valley is famous for fascinating wine tours: if you want to visit and learn more about Chilean wine, this is a great place to start.
CuricóValley
At the feet of the mighty Andes Mountains, the scenic Curicó Valley is Chile’s largest producer of white wines, although with almost 20,000 hectares under cultivation, there is plenty of red as well.
ItataValley
The first grape vines were planted in this valley over 450 years ago, making it the oldest continually-producing wine region in the Americas. The wineries are keenly aware of their history and have even begun a back-to-basics approach to making their wines. The Itata Valley is home to the Casanueva Winery, which is somewhat famous for aging some of their wines in underwater cellars! They claim that the underwater aging makes for the perfect way to keep temperatures constant and that the extra pressure gives a unique flavor to the end product.
MaipoValley
One of Chile’s more famous wine regions, the Maipo Valley includes the capital city of Santiago, and is therefore the easiest to visit. There are several wineries within a few hours of the city, and most of them offer tours. Chile’s largest wine producer, Concha y Toro, is located just outside of Santiago: you can even take the metro most of the way there. The region is best known for quality red wines.
CasablancaValley
Known for its Chardonnay, the Casablanca Valley is located a little but northwest of Santiago on the way to the coast. It’s very close to the popular destination town of Valparaiso, and it’s worth a stop at one of the many wineries there if you’re on your way between the two.
