Top 100 wines of South - Page 5
Discover the top 100 best wines of South as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of South and the best vintages to taste in this region.
Discovering the wine region of South
Malleco Valley is a Southern wine-growing region in Chile, some 540 kilometers (340 miles) south of the capital, Central-valley/maipo-valley/santiago">Santiago, in the Malleco province. The region is particularly challenging to Grape growers because of its marginal Climate, high rainfall and Short growing season, but the crisp, fresh wines produced here from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. are beginning to attract international attention.
The wine industry in Malleco Valley is still in its embryonic stages, and there is less than 40 hectares (100 acres) under Vine here.
Most vineyards lie around the town of Traiguén, just south of the Bío Bío Valley; a large portion of these belong to the Viña Aquitania wine estate of Maipo Valley.
The cold climate here approaches the extreme of what is suitable for winemaking, and the relatively short growing season limits what varieties growers are able to Plant in Malleco Valley. The high rainfall – 1300 millimeters (51 inches) a year – is a far cry from the semi-arid Cabernet Sauvignon heartlands in the North of Chile such as Aconcagua or the warmer, drier parts of the Central Valley region, and growers must plan accordingly.
On the positive side vineyards enjoy more hours of sunlight than in more northerly regions, and the nights are considerably cooler than the days.
This diurnal temperature variation slows the ripening period of the grapes, and as a result the wines of Malleco Valley have a fresh, racy Acidity that complements their Varietal character.
Malleco Valley's red clay and sandy soils are volcanic in origin and are reasonably well drained – essential, given the area's high levels of rainfall. The lack of water held in the ground means that the vines have to work harder for hydration, and as a consequence will develop less energy-sapping foliage and lower yields of grapes. The wines produced from these grapes have more-concentrated flavors and excellent structure.
Discover the grape variety: Cabernet franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the oldest red grape varieties in Bordeaux. The Libourne region is its terroir where it develops best. The terroirs of Saint-Emilion and Fronsac allow it to mature and develop its best range of aromas. It is also the majority in many blends. The very famous Château Cheval Blanc, for example, uses 60% Cabernet Franc. The wines produced with Cabernet Franc are medium in colour with fine tannins and subtle aromas of small red fruits and spices. When blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings complexity and a bouquet of aromas to the wine. It produces fruity wines that can be drunk quite quickly, but whose great vintages can be kept for a long time. It is an earlier grape variety than Cabernet Sauvignon, which means that it is planted as far north as the Loire Valley. In Anjou, it is also used to make sweet rosé wines. Cabernet Franc is now used in some twenty countries in Europe and throughout the world.
News from the vineyard of South
LVMH buys Napa Valley’s Joseph Phelps Vineyards
Philippe Schaus, chairman and chief executive of the Moët Hennessy division of LVMH, called Joseph Phelps Vineyards ‘an iconic name and an iconic winery’. Joseph Phelps founded his eponymous winery on a 260ha former cattle ranch in Napa Valley in 1973. He turned it into one of California’s most prominent producers, famed for its flagship Insignia – a Bordeaux-style blend – and its pioneering use of Rhône varieties, which kick-started the ‘Rhône Rangers’ movement in the Golden State. The founder’ ...
Walls and Barnes reach André Simon Food & Drink Book Awards shortlist
The final 11-strong shortlist includes four drink books – Wines of the Rhône by Matt Walls; The South America Wine Guide by Amanda Barnes; Inside Burgundy by Jasper Morris MW and Foot Trodden by Simon J Woolf & Ryan Opaz. Commenting on the shortlist, Nicholas Lander, chair of the André Simon Memorial Fund, said: ‘A number of this year’s food and drink nominees, including Wines of the Rhône, address the urgent environmental and global issues of today in ways that are original, inspiring an ...
Ukraine winery’s mission to deliver bottles to DWWA
Amid the devastation and turmoil since Russia’s invasion on 24 February, Beykush winery on southern Ukraine’s Black Sea Coast has been among those attempting to continue operations as much as possible. Last week, Beykush began transporting thousands of wines to western Ukraine in order to protect them for possible export to other markets, winery director Svetlana Tsybak told Decanter. ‘Yesterday we sent three palettes, about 1,200 bottles, and today the same quantity,’ she said. She also s ...