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Chile weather

Between the Andes and the sea, a beautiful wine region

By Helena Baker
For The Prague Post
June 4th, 2008 issue

COURTESY PHOTO
Vineyard manager Juan Adarzua watches over the crop at Manso de Velasco.
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With a coastline almost 4,500 kilometers (2,796 miles) long and a width sometimes less than 100 km, Chile appears as a long spine on the map of South America. Its remoteness and relative isolation help explain why Chilean wines are appearing more often on menus these days, and were being poured for industry professionals at a tasting in Prague last week.
Parched autumn weather means that vines in Chile are barely affected by mildew and humidity in the ripening season. Because of the bone-dry Atacama Desert to the north, the vast Pacific Ocean rolling along the west, the Andes rising like a massive wall to the east and the Antarctic wastes of Patagonia down south, Chile finds itself naturally isolated. It is therefore the largest wine region in the world never to have been infected by the vine-destroying aphid Phylloxera vastatrix.  
All this adds up to Chile’s status as a true viticultural paradise.  
The vineyard climates generally compare to those of Sicily or Algeria, though the cooling Humboldt current from the Antarctic and the mountain barrier make for much more amenable conditions than would otherwise seem possible. On the downside, most regions depend on irrigation — an ingenious patchwork of canals and ditches originally dug by Inca farmers, which provide only an irregular supply of meltwater from the Andes.
Winemakers traditionally planted starting just south of the capital, Santiago, in the extensive plateau of the so-called Central Valley and its subregions, named after the rivers of Maipo, Maule and Rapel. Further expansion at the end of the 20th century to the cooler Aconcagua, Casablanca and San Antonio valleys to the north, and the Itata and Bío Bío valleys in the south, produced crisp, aromatic Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs. Dynamic new wineries from even further afield are now picking up awards: Areas like the Elqui and Limarí valleys in the north, and Malleco, more than 1,000 km south of Santiago, produce some very fine Rieslings.     
A young Miguel Torres from Penedes in Spain was the first foreigner to spot the international potential of Chile, setting up shop in Curicó back in 1979. He introduced new concepts of hygiene and the use of stainless steel, much to the dismay of local bodegueros who had been producing wine for generations without such novelties. More recently, a host of foreign investors have arrived, from France, Holland, the United States, and even the Czech Republic (Vinselekt Michlovský).  
Winery of the month: Vinařství Barabáš  
In a land where every self-respecting winemaker, large or small, squeezes juice from at least 14 individual grape varieties, Jiří Barabáš is an anomaly. He started out eleven years ago with a few hectares of nothing but Sauvingon Blanc — primarily because he thought this interesting variety was poorly represented here. Barabáš recently planted Riesling, Pinot Noir and Merlot vines that will soon add to his portfolio. In the meantime, the Sauvignon king continues to dedicate himself to the grape that earned him so much success. He currently produces around 15,000 bottles of Sauvignon, priced around the 200 Kč ($12.45) mark and available in restaurants, wine stores and (naturally) his own cellar in Hodonice, near Znojmo. As they say, specialization pays. Let’s hope diversification does not dilute the present quality.        
Wines of the month
White: Mistelle de Muscat
Producer: Vinařský dvůr, Němčičky
Jan Stávek of Němčičky is one of only three producers in the country with a concession to produce liqueur wines. This example is a classic solera (dating to 1999) of Moravian Muscat, with a touch of Grüner Veltliner added for good balance. It has an attractive muscat nose and a lovely long taste. Serve nicely chilled as an aperitif. (190 Kč for 0.5 liters)
Red: Clos Saint Joseph 2005, AOC Côtes de Provence   
Producer: Antoine Sassi, Villars-sur-Var, Alpes Maritimes, France
This is a limited edition of about 20,000 numbered bottles, made from old vines at high altitude, by father and son Antoine and Roch Sassi. They work off four hectares of solitary vineyard north of Nice, where chalky, gravel soils hold the heat of the day. Spicy nose of blackberries and cherries, with a touch of mint, laced with a dash of licorice. Nice, chewy palate, good structure, not heavy and pleasantly drinkable, with a persistent finish. (400 Kč)
Events diary
Open-cellars days are proving ever more popular in Moravian wine villages. The fourth such festival takes place in Nový Poddvorov, a small locale near Čejkovice, Saturday, June 21. Wine cellars open their doors to all who wish to sample bottles from this picturesque corner of Slovácko. Dulcimer music, refreshments and other entertainments will set the festive tone, although flowing wine won’t hurt. For more information, see Vinohrad.info.
Meanwhile, closer to home, L’Aperitif a’ la Francaise, a festival celebrating wine, food and all things French, takes place this weekend in Prague. It’s an informal, open-market affair: booths selling bottles of French regional vintages, specialty foods and other items — along with deals at Brasserie M. The event runs June 6–8 in Ovocny trh, the plaza behind the Estates Theater in Old Town.
Helena Baker’s wine column appears the first Wednesday of each month. She can be reached at features@praguepost.com    

Helena Baker can be reached at features@praguepost.com


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