Errazuriz Estate

El valle de Aconcagua has a Mediterranean climate with warm summers that are cooled by breezes of the Pacific Ocean and its cold Humboldt Current. This cooling influence creates a long growing season with ripenig some two to three weeks later than any other Chilean wine region. Late ripening enhances the flavours, intensity and concentration of our wines. Average rainfall in the valley is 250mm (9.8 inches) and only comes during the winter; this is about a quarter of the rainfall in Bordeaux, making for generally more concentrated wines. This lack of rain helps the viticulturalists to control vigour and berry size, as well as to maintain ripening. As the air is warm and dry, fungal diseases like mildew and botrytis are unknown in el valle de Aconcagua, this allows us to pursue a non-interventionist, sustainable approach to viticulture. Irrigation is vital for grape production in the Aconcagua Region. We are blessed with a wonderful supply of snowmelt from the Andes that flows into the river system; this water is then diverted to irrigation canals that surround the valley taking it to where it is needed. Drip irrigation systems then deliver the water to the feet os specific vines. The soil make up of the valley is diverse and complex; the riverbed soils are very stony because of the acumulation of stones carried by the glaciers in the Andes Mountains, In the foothills are granite soils with high gravel and sand content, while the valley floors have loam and clay loams.