The flavor of sweaty saddle in wine of Coquimbo
Discover the of Coquimbo wines revealing the of sweaty saddle flavor during the olphactive analysis (nose) and during the gustative analysis (mouth).
More information on of Coquimbo flavors
The Elqui Valley wine region is located 400 kilometers (250mi) North of the Chilean capital, Central-valley/maipo-valley/santiago">Santiago, at the very southern edge of the Atacama Desert. Its latitude of 29° makes it Chile's northernmost wine region, for now at least; the country's determined wine pioneers are now setting their sights as far north as the Atacama. Traditionally the region focused exclusively on producing Chile's trademark brandy, Pisco, but today Elqui Valley vineyards are producing Bright, intensely Aromatic wines, most notably from Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah.
As might be expected in an arid, largely uninhabited region surrounded by desert, the valley is hot and Dry making irrigation essential in all vineyards here.
The Elqui province is famous for its bright sunshine, pure air and Clear skies as well as a number of astronomical observatories. Vineyards here receive far higher levels of solar radiation than any European wine region, and this seems to translate into the wine style. The vibrant intensity of Elqui Valley wines, when yields and potential Alcohol are kept in check, can be quite remarkable.
The secret to successful viticulture this close to the equator is altitude.
Elqui's vineyards sit up to 2,000 meters (6,550ft) above sea level, which means that the Warm, bright, days are followed by cool, fresh nights. This diurnal temperature variation lengthens the grape growing season, of which allows grapes time to develop intense varietal character, while retaining refreshing levels of acidity.
Wineries all over Chile now focus heavily on the altitude of their vineyards. Altitude has become as much a marketing tool as a key element of terroir.
Other flavors in the same category
News on wine flavors
In recent years, more and more people have been paying attention to Uruguay’s wine scene thanks to the distinctive identity of its coastal regions, which are swept by winds from the Atlantic Ocean and the Río de la Plata. The country’s proximity to the ocean and one of the largest rivers on the planet means that the vintage effect is quite prominent here. Each harvest depends on the rainfall, sun and strength of the winds experienced that year. Today, Uruguay has around 5,966ha under vine distri ...
Ten years on: Chinese wine’s breakthrough moment at DWWA
The prestige attached to winning at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) means that being awarded a Bronze medal for some wineries will mean huge celebrations in China, Japan, India, or Thailand. Since the competition began in 2004, I have often reminded judges on my panel about this – whether they are journalists, sommeliers, educators, Masters of Wine or Master Sommeliers. Scroll down for new tasting notes and scores on Jia Bei Lan vintages: from the Chinese wine label that won big at DWWA 20 ...
World wine production to fall in 2021 as extreme weather hits Europe
World wine production in 2021 is set to fall by 4% versus last year, to around 250 million hectolitres (mhl), equal to 25bn litres and close to the historic low witnessed in 2017, the International Organisation for Vine & Wine (OIV) has estimated. Its figures are preliminary, but they highlight the ‘severe impact’ of ‘adverse climatic conditions’ on the 2021 vintage in parts of Europe, said OIV director-general Paul Roca during a virtual press conference. Europe’s big ...