Bío Bío Valley, which is one of Chile's most Southern wine-producing regions, has enjoyed a dramatic rise to fame since the start of the New millennium. The global appetite for its crisp, Aromatic wine styles is the major reason, coupled with the determination of Chilean winemakers to prove they can produce more than Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Just as Casablanca has done with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Bío Bío has provided an excellent place for Chilean winegrowers to work with varieties such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Viognier.
The region Lies 435 kilometers (270 miles) south of the Chilean capital of Santiago, between the Andes Mountains and the Coastal Range.
Itata Valley is just North of Bio Bio, and the Malleco Valley is the only commercial wine region further south. The port city of Concepcion is just west of the region, on the Pacific coast.
Bío Bío Valley is one of Chile's more extreme wine-producing regions, experiencing more wind, rain and climatic variation than most of the rest of the country. The cool Climate – and the extended growing season it allows – is much better suited to the development of Complex aromatics in white wine than the hot, Dry climates of the Maipo Valley or Cachapoal further north.
The region sits at a latitude of 36°S, which is mirrored in the northern hemisphere by the southern regions of Spain and the similarly cool and windy region of Monterey in the United States. Altitude is not a factor that comes into play here; few vineyards require the cooling effect it provides and most sit between 50 and 200 meters (150-600ft) above sea level. It is interesting to compare the differences between Argentina's distribution of white varieties and that in Chile. High altitude allows white grapes to grow quite successfully in Argentina's mountainous regions – some 1,500km (930 miles) north of Bío Bío.
Mainly cultivated in the Languedoc region, carignan originates from Spain. Because of its very resistant branches, it is often called hardwood. Its bunches are quite large. They are compact and winged with a lignified stalk. The berries are spherical in shape and take on a bluish-black colour. Carignan has a total of 25 approved clones, the best known of which are 274, 65 and 9. The carignan buds at the beginning of June and is protected from spring frosts. It does not reach maturity until the third period. Also, this grape variety needs warmth and sunshine. It appreciates dry and not very fertile soils. Carignan vines can live for more than 100 years. Those that are more than 30 years old produce a better wine. This wine is well coloured. It is generous and powerful at the same time. Pepper, cherry, blackberry, banana, raspberry, almond, prune and violet are some of the aromas that this grape variety gives off.
wines from the region of Bio-Bio Valley go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, veal or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of burger roll, tournedos rossini with port sauce or duck casserole with turnips.
Researchers examining remnants of jars dating back to the kingdom of Judah found evidence that royal elites in Jerusalem may have been drinking wine ‘flavoured with vanilla’. It’s already known that wine has a long history in the region, and some studies suggest wines contained added spices or herbs. Yet researchers said they were surprised to find traces of vanillin in some of the ancient storage jars, which were excavated from debris caused by the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE ...
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 ...
The family-owned company made its first foray into Washington State last year when it began buying grapes from select vineyards throughout the Walla Walla Valley. The winemaking team was impressed by the quality coming out of the region, and it has now pounced on the opportunity to acquire land there. It snapped up 61 acres of an existing 117-acre property in Mill Creek. A local firm called Abeja, founded by Ken and Ginger Roberts, bought the land back in 2000 in a bid to grow world-class Cabern ...
