The Winery Zalacaín of Rapel Valley of Central Valley

Discovering the wine region of Rapel Valley

Rapel Valley is a large wine-producing region in Chile's Central Valley. Made up of the Colchagua and Cachapoal valleys, the area produces roughly a quarter of all Chilean wine. The Warm, Dry region makes a wide range of wine styles, ranging from everyday wines to some of Chile's most expensive and prestigious offerings. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenère are the most important grape varieties planted here.

In general terms, Rapel Valley wines are produced primarily from red varieties, but there are some plantings of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Plantings of Malbec are also on the rise, presumably seeking the success enjoyed by this variety in Mendoza, just the other side of the Andes. Rapel Valley runs directly South for 60 miles (100km) from the edges of Maipo Valley to the furthest edge of the Colchagua province. Flanked on both sides by mountain ranges – the Andes and the Coastal Range – Rapel Valley is sheltered from the cold influences of the Pacific Ocean.

The region takes its name from the Rapel River, a confluence of the Tinguiririca and the Cachapoal, whose courses divide the valley into two sub-regions, Colchagua Valley in the south and Cachapoal Valley in the North. As is the case in most Chilean wine regions, the river is a vital resource, bringing fresh, mineral-rich meltwater down from the upper Andes. Rapel Valley's two sub-regions are quite distinct from each other. In Cachapoal Valley, the best vineyards can be found primarily in the east, where the Andean foothills provide a well-drained, sheltered location for viticulture.