Lesson 4 Principle Wine Regions of the World a unique gift from nature and the earth’s geology

whites include Chardonnay, Aligote, Dimiat, Rkatsiteli and Muscat

Ottonel. Cabernet Sauvignon (Danube Plain, West and East Thracian Valley), Merlot (East Thracian Valley), Melnik

(Struma Valley Region), Chardonnay (Black Sea Region).

Lesson 4: Principle Wine Regions of the World 4.5 Canada

• Canada: 7,821km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, numerous microclimates produced by mountain ranges and bodies of water.

• Wine Regions: Southern Ontario around the Great Lakes, most notably Niagara Peninsula and the Okanagen Valley of

• British Columbia. Ontario in Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County. British Columbia, Naramata Beach,

• Simikameen Valley, Vancouver Island and Kootenay’s. Quebec, Monteregie, Eastern Townships wineries Les Contans de

• L’est, Lower Laurentials wineries – basses Laurential, Laurentials wineries and Quebec City. Nova Scotia Annapolis

• Valley, Malaagash Peninsula, La Have River Valley and Bear river valley.

• Grape varieties: (a) European vinifera – Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, (b) Amercian or labruscana – Concord and

• Niagara (not good grapes), (c ) Hybrids – Baco noir, Marechal Foch, l’Acadie, Leon Millot.

• Ice wine: began in Germany, Canada now biggest producer, regions most famous are Niagara Peninsula of Ontario,

• Okangen Valley of British Columbia. Grapes are picked at the coldest moment of a winter’s night, as the grape freezes new

• sensations of sweet juice are created.

• Quality Control: VQA Ontario – designated wine authority for Ontario. Originally 3 primary Viticultural Areas or

• appellations of origin: Niagara Peninsula, lake Erie North Shore and Price Edward County. Now they are 8 Viticultural Areas

• (15,000 acres of vineyards) recognised located in southern Ontario and British Columbia they account for 98% of Canada’s

• premium wine.

Lesson 4: Principle Wine Regions of the World 4.6 Chile [ Wine map of Chile ]

Lesson 4: Principle Wine Regions of the World 4.6 Chile (continued)

• Chile’s wealth from wine was invested in French style chateaux, vineyards, French grape varieties are popular Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietal production sold entirely internationally), Chardonnay (good with greta fruit), Muscat of Alexandria (widely planted northerly vineyards for distillation into Pisco brandy) Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc (flabby here). Carmenere (rare Bordeaux variety produces a specail red elegant), Viognier (to suit US Californian tastes), Foreign investment into vineyard planting and modern wineries.

• Only country in world which is Phylloxera free (no grafting needed) geographical layout, Chile also has very strict quarantine conditions

• Chiles unique geographical layout: to the North Aatcama Desert which only sees rain every few years, to the east the cold Andes Mountains (which stops phylloxera from Argentina), to the west the cold Pacific, to the south the rain never stops

• Natural irrigation: natural water comes down from the Andes Mountains (snow capped) in old Indian canal system (canals and gullies which flood the land) built by the Incas, this is water creates a true Garden of Eden setting

• Vineyards are close to these rivers and the valleys are called after the rivers.

• Chile’s Wine Classification

• Chile uses a uniquely flexible classification system for its vineyard regions, which is based on four tiers (wines may name as its source any of these

• four tiers), which include;

• regions: for example, Aconcagua region

• sub-regions: for example, Casablanca valley

• the Area: for example Santa Cruz

• the Zone: for example Colchagua valley.

• Chile’s major regions and wines

• Casablanca, Central Valley (white: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, reds: Pinot Noir), especially Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc. Maipo, Rapel (reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), especially Rapel Cabernet Sauvignon. Chilean Carmenere.

• Northern Zone Aconcagua Valley Region: named after the highest peak of the Andres, at 7,000 metres, visible from Santiago, Aconcagua lies just north of Santiago, this is Chiles real heartland for high-quality grapes. The Casablanca Valley grows the best Chilean reds from Pinot Noir and the good white wines from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

• Central Zone Central Valley (Valle Central) Region: known as the real core red wine growing region in Chile this region produces over 90 per cent of Chiles wine exports. Maipo Valley with its many old Cabernet Sauvignon vines is the centre for fine red wines, Rapel Valley (sub region), which contains the Colchagua Valley famous for single and blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Camenere, these individual wines are expensive. Curico (sub region) grows lots of international varieties, Miguel Torres starting here in 1975. Maule

• Southern Zone Southern Valley Region: this area mainly consists of hillside and vineyards closer to the Pacific Ocean, white wine become more important in the south, its main sub regions Itata and Bio-Bio grow Gewurztraminer and Riesling.