The Winery Viña Francisco de Aguirre of Limarí Valley of Coquimbo

Discovering the wine region of Limarí Valley

Limarí Valley is one of the Northernmost winegrowing regions in Chile, located 200 miles (320km) north of the Chilean capital, Santiago. This location places it at a latitude of 30° South, well beyond the latitudes traditionally associated with winegrowing. To provide context, the equivalent parallel in the Northern Hemisphere passes through Egypt, Iraq and northern Mexico. Despite all of this, Limarí Valley is not Chile's most northerly region; a further 50 miles (80km) north Lies the Elqui Valley.

Chardonnay is the star Grape variety in Limari Valley wines, producing wines with a certain minerality thanks to the relatively cool Climate and the limestone content in the soil. Syrah is also successful here, producing savory styles in the cooler, coastal vineyards and fuller, fruit-driven styles in Warmer, inland sites. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – Chile's most successful varieties also feature, alongside the Chilean signature grape, Carmenère. Because of its proximity to the equator (not to mention the world's driest desert – the Atacama), the Limarí Valley is hot and relatively Dry.

It is cooler and greener than the land on either side of it, thanks almost entirely to the narrow gap the Limarí River has created in the coastal hills. On either side of this gap, the coastal ranges rise to almost 2300ft (700m), preventing cooling Pacific breezes from reaching inland areas. On summer mornings, the coastal "Camanchaca" fog creeps through the gap and up into the valley. The fog refreshes the local vineyards with cool, moist air for much of the morning, until the sun has risen above the Andes and begins re-establishing the warm, dry, desert-like conditions with which northern Chile is more often associated.