The Central Valley (El Valle Central) of Chile is one of the most important wine-producing areas in South America in terms of Volume. It is also one of the largest wine regions, stretching from the Maipo Valley (just south of Santiago) to the southern end of the Maule Valley. This is a distance of almost 250 miles (400km) and covers a number of Climate types. The Central Valley wine region is easily (and often) confused with the geological Central Valley, which runs north–south for more than 620 miles (1000km) between the Pacific Coastal Ranges and the lower Andes.
A wide variety of wine styles and quality can be found in this large area, from many different terroirs. They range from the fashionable (and relatively expensive) Bordeaux-style wines produced in northern Maipo, to the older, more-established vineyards of Maule; from the coastal plains of western Colchagua to the Andean foothills of Puente Alto. With experimentation so popular in the modern wine world, however, it is the newer, cooler-climate areas which are receiving most attention, with the emphasis on the Andean foothills and the river valleys tempered by the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean.
The Central Valley is also home to a variety of Grapes, but plantings are dominated by the internationally popular Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Chile's 'icon' grape, Carmenère, is also of importance here, just as Malbec is to Mendoza, on the other side of the Andes. The cooler corners of the Central Valley are being increasingly developed, as winemakers experiment with varieties such as Viognier, Riesling and even Gewurztraminer.
Because the area covered is so large and the terrain so varied, the name 'Central Valley' on a label is unlikely to communicate anything specific about the style of wine in the bottle. Also, with a number of independently recognized sub-regions now in place (such as Colchagua and Cachapoal), most wines of any quality are able to specify their sub-region of origin rather than the Generic Central Valley.
wines from the region of Central Valley go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, spicy food or lamb such as recipes of spaghetti with beef balls, balinese-style bonito or lamb stew with melting peppers.
On the nose in the region of Central Valley often reveals types of flavors of cream, dried herbs or black licorice and sometimes also flavors of espresso, baking spice or rosemary. In the mouth in the region of Central Valley is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) invites you to enjoy this video in which Jean-Pierre Renard, Expert Instructor at the Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, explains the topographical and geological characteristics of the Rully appellation. Here the vineyard is planted on different hills which have very different gelogicial characteristics. It partly explains the great diversity in the expression of the Rully wines. This video is taken from the “Rendez-vous avec les vins de Bourgogne” program (February 20 ...
Sequence from the video « At the heart of the Mâcon terroir » which offer a stroll at the heart of the Mâcon terroir. It offers a focus on Mâcon-Chaintré, one of the 27 geographical denominations of the Mâcon appellation. Travel through the terroirs of the Mâcon appellation by watching the full video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF20y1aBZh8 Both are available in French and English. Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWi ...
Let’s have a look at Saint-Véran vineyard and discover the magnificent and very diverse landscapes of this appellation situated in the South of Bourgogne. Saint-Véran is one of the 5 Village appellations with Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Vinzelles, Pouilly-Loché and Viré-Clessé. Like them, it produces only white wines from the Chardonnay grape. What makes it special is that the vineyard is cut in two dinstinct parts by the vineyard of Pouilly-Fuissé. As anywhere else in the vineyard in Bourgogn ...
