Chile

Chile is the longest and narrowest country in South America: 4.329 Km long and 177 Km average wide. This land of exciting contrasts begins with The Altiplano and Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world, continues through riches and middles Central Valleys surrounded by the Andes Mountain Range (East) and the Pacific Ocean (West), goes on southern with the Lake District, rich in volcanoes, rain forest, lakes and several rivers and finishes with the Patagonia and Antarctica, lands full of glaciers, forest and untouched nature. Besides in the middle of the Pacific Ocean you find a little magic portion of land: Easter Island.

The most important time in Chilean wine history is in 1870 when wine growers decided to import vinifera vine stocks from France and other wine regions from Europe to improve the wine quality and production, surprisingly this time was when philloxera began its devastating plagues in Europe and North America, luckily Chile wasn't affected by it, which contributed to continue the growth and expansion of its wine industry.

When European wine industry began its fight against this plague they look for resources there in Chile to fight it and to look for young, healthy plants for grafting onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Nowadays, Chile is the only country where pure, ungrafted European vines still flourish. Natural barriers protect Chilean vineyards.

Colchagua Valley Located about 130 km (80 miles) southwest of Santiago, the Colchagua Valley is about 120 km (75 miles) long and averages 35 km (22 miles) in width. It enjoys a balmy, Mediterranean climate matched in only a few other places on earth. With no smog, the air is exceptionally clear, and the region is noted for its abundant and extraordinarily luminous sunshine. The average annual rainfall, which occurs mostly in the winter months of May to August, is about 60 cm (24 in.). Humidity is low, and frost is unknown. Colchagua wines (especially the red ones) are being widely recognized for their excellent quality. Currently, the Colchagua Valley is planted to about 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of vineyards. The predominant varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, Malbec, and Syrah, with lesser amounts of Chardonnay, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Cachapoal Valley is one hour south of Santiago and lies between the Andes and the Coastal Range. Producing primarily red varieties, the valley is quickly earning an international reputation for premium Cabernets and Merlots. The Cachapoal valley has a warm climate, often compared to that of California’s Napa Valley. It is situated between the 33rd and 34th parallels, and is only 19 miles (30 km) inland from the coast of the cold Pacific Ocean. The warm sunny days of summer are cooled at night by cold breezes coming from the west and the mild-hot summers are followed by cool autumns and also relatively mild winters.
Cachapoal is reputed to have one of the longest and most even ripening seasons, which allows for just the right amount of ripeness while retaining good acid levels for fruit freshness. This provides excellent varietal character with rounded tannins, great flavour and excellent acidity balance.

Viña La Rosa has 764.6 hectares (1,889.4 acres) of vineyards planted in the Cachapoal valley.

The vineyards themselves are divided into three different estates:
La Rosa – Peumo, La Palmería de Cocalán and Cornellana.

Fruit Characters of the Cachapoal Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon

Flavour of blackcurrant (cassis), eucalyptus and mint. Elegant palate with a long, firm finish.
Merlot

Deep coloured wine, which has a great richness and concentration in the mouth.
Syrah

Intense and rich colour and generous flavour with distinctive sweet, warm berry-fruit aromas.
Carmenère

Generous red fruits, with distinctive soft and sweet tannins and ripe blackberry.
Chardonnay

Develops apple, fig, melon, grapefruit and peach flavours.
Sauvignon Blanc

Depth and elegance, balanced freshness and crisp gooseberry flavour.