Maipo Wine Guide

 

Known as the «Bordeaux of South America», Maipo is home to some of the most prestigious red wines of Chile.

The province of Maipo is the region just south of Chile capital, Santiago and is the beginning of the Central Valley. It is in this area that Chilean viticulture began. The first vines were planted in 1540 by the Iberian settlers. However, the wine sector only grew from the nineteenth century thanks to the rich Chilean merchants who brought back French varieties and viticultural customs.

Maipo is huddled between the Andes in the east and the Coastal Mountains in the west. With its warm and dry conditions, the wine region can maintain a stable wine production thanks to the technological advances in irrigation system.

The province is divided in three areas:

  • The Alto Maipo is at the foot of the Andes in the eastern edge of Maipo. The exceptional vineyards rise at 400-700 meters of altitude. The excellent soils produces small berries with high concentration in sugar and acidity. The extended growing season is a direct consequence of the high temperature difference between warm days and cold nights.
  • Below the Alto Maipo, the Central Maipo enjoys a warmer climate and fertile clay soils. The vineyards consist of plantation of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère.
  • Maipo Bajo does not have a lot of vineyards but it is home to a lot of wineries like De Martino. These establishments bring grapes from all over the country to turn them into wine in this area. The few vines grow near the Maipo River where the white varieties and Cabernet Sauvignon can enjoy the cooler winds.

Grape Varieties in Maipo

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most common variety in Maipo Valley. The elevated vineyards of Alto Maipo produce elegant wines with blackcurrant flavors and eucalyptus notes. In the other areas, this variety makes full-bodied minty wines.

Maipo is often compared to Bordeaux because the Bordeaux varieties bloom successfully in this region, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Chardonnay or Merlot.

Best producters in Maipo

Since the nineteenth century, Maipo is home to numerous important Chilean wine estates like Concha Y Toro or Santa Rita. Vina Almaviva is the famous estate born to the collaboration between Château Mouton-Rothschild and Concha Y Toro which aims to create the first Chilean wine equivalent of Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé.