WINES OF THE WORLD I

Week Six

Chile, Argentina

& South Africa

SOUTHAMERICA

©WSET®2003

Vine Growing Areas

Intense Vine Growing Areas

N

0 1000 Km

0 500 Miles

35S 35S

30S 30S

25S 25S

Montevideo

BuenosAires

Santiago

San Juan

Mendoza

ACONCAGUAREGION

CENTRALVALLEY REGION

MAIPO VALLEY

CASABLANCAVALLEY

MENDOZA

SAN JUAN

RIO NEGRO

RIO GRANDE DO SUL

CHILE

BRAZIL

PARAGUAY

ARGENTINA

URUGUAY

A T L A N T I CO C E A N

P A C I F I CO C E A N

CHILE History

Missionaries planted pais (mission grape) in mid-1500s

French influence is great since mid-1700s; vines brought over, and viticulture and viniculture styles, etc.; even came over to make wine during phylloxera outbreak in France

Chilean bureaucracy until 1980s kept them behind rest of the world; international investment started coming in and is now know for more than “cheap” wine

CHILE Cheap labor still

Majority of wine produced is exported; different than what locals drink

Nicknamed “Bordeaux of South America” because of consistency, quality and grapes 

Long, narrow country; Andes separate it from Argentina

Free from major pests (phylloxera) and diseases due to seclusion and natural boundaries (valleys between ocean and Andes Mountains, desert and ice; irrigation from melted snow from Andes contributed too 

CHILE More than 20 grape varieties and some had

been misidentified (carmenere for one)since when they were brought over hundreds of years ago Whites - chardonnay, sauvignon blanc

Reds - carmenere, cabernet sauvignon, merlot

Many wine regions of importance, but most are located in the Vale Central; 600 mile long grape-growing area that is about the same size as California

Warm, dry, sunny, Mediterranean-like climate, but does vary from North to South

Cabernet sauvignon with beef!

SOUTHAMERICA

©WSET®2003

Vine Growing Areas

Intense Vine Growing Areas

N

0 1000 Km

0 500 Miles

35S 35S

30S 30S

25S 25S

Montevideo

BuenosAires

Santiago

San Juan

MendozaCASABLANCA

VALLEY

MENDOZA

SAN JUAN

RIO NEGRO

RIO GRANDE DO SUL

ARGENTINACHILE

BRAZIL

PARAGUAY

ARGENTINA

URUGUAY

A T L A N T I CO C E A N

P A C I F I CO C E A N

VALE CENTRAL

ARGENTINA History

Missionaries planted criolla (mission grape) in late-1500s

Heavier influence from Spanish and Italians with grape vines brought over

Went from cheap bulk to finer wines in mid-1990s

Local consumption has decreased dramatically over the past few decades, so need to export now

Foreign investment and modernization like Chile

Mendoza is the center

Two companies dominating market

ARGENTINA Argentina, Andes, Altitude

Sunny and above sea level in foothills

In rain-shadow of Andes

No where near large body of water like other major wine regions

Irrigation needed; dry, but higher yields with

Phylloxera – not a problem which is similar to Chile

ARGENTINA Grapes

Malbec – full-bodied, brambly; the star

Torrontes – medium-bodied, dry, similar to gewurztraminer

Criolla – mission grape

Italian (bonarda, barbera, sangiovese), tempranillo and International (cabernet sauvignon)

Big red wines with beef (asado)

34S 34S

32S 32S

BOBERG REGION

COASTAL REGION

BREEDE RIVER VALLEY REGION

Other Vine Growing Districts

SOUTH AFRICACAPE PROVINCE

N

0 50 100 Km

0 50 Miles©WSET®2003

Cape Town

Stellenbosch

PaarlFranschhoek

Swellendam

ElginHermanus

WalkerBay I N D I A N

O C E A N

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

ROBERTSON

SWELLENDAM

KLEIN KAROO

WORCESTER

PAARL

TULBAGH

CONSTANTIA

STELLENBOSCH

SOUTH AFRICA History

Making wine for over 300 years,

Heavily influenced by Old World techniques and purchases; on trade route

Apartheid

Gaining sales again, but quality suffered; since 1990s, trying to regain world-wide respect

Large cooperatives dominate

SOUTH AFRICA Most vineyards located in south and

western coastal areas

Influenced by coastal breezes off Atlantic and Indian Oceans

Key grapes

Whites – chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc

Reds – pinotage (cross between pinot noir and cinsault)

Influence on cuisine by Dutch, English and local culture