Curico Valley Wine

To the north of Itata, but just 200km South of Santiago, is the Curico Valley, a large, diverse valley with 1,484 hectares under vine. Over 30 different grape varieties can be found here, but most notably are Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah.

The valley’s modern history begins in the 1970’s when Miguel Torres first explored the area and introduced the first stainless steel tank to Chile. This encouraged a flurry of foreign investment which led to increased plantings and exploration of suitable grape varieties for the area. Curico boasts a Mediterranean climate, though it is shielded from the ocean’s influence by Chile’s coastal range.

Because of this, the conditions on the valley floor and on the Andes Mountains play an important role as the plantings are spread across these areas. Soils are composed of clay, sand, and decomposed granite which, combined with the climate, make it an ideal region for Sauvignon Blanc and powerful red wines.