CHILE |
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Maipo Valley Also called Valle del Maipo, this is Chile's oldest and most famous growing area. It's a subregion within the larger central valley region and lies just south of Santiago, Chile's capital city. Maipo is also the best known of Chilean wine regions, as it produces a handful of the finest of the country's wines. Some of the most established and respected names in Chilean wine are located in the Maipo Valley. The rainfall in Maipo is very low, and the climate is both warm and dry, so the arrival of technological advances in the 1980's brought an element of consistency to winegrowing and winemaking here. Drip irrigation gives viticulturalists a weapon against extended dry spells, while stainless steel tanks and oak barrels allow controlled fermentation and quality ageing respectively. Related wine: 2008 Handpicked Maipo Valley Carmenere |