The Valle de Elqui (Elqui Valley) winegrowing area is located 500 kilometres north of Santiago in Chile. Together with the Choapa and Limarí areas, it forms the Coquimbo region. The extremely low-rainfall climate is characterised by freezing cold nights and hot, sunny days, which makes artificial irrigation of the nutrient-rich soils essential. The area is the most important growing region for grapes used to produce the Chilean brandy Pisco, which are cultivated here on around 6,000 hectares. At least as much again serves for the production of table grapes. The vines are grown at up to 2,000 metres above sea level. Only on about 450 hectares are the red wine varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère and Syrah, as well as the white wine varieties Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc cultivated. Well-known wineries are Cavas del Valle and Falernia. It is worth mentioning that many UFOs are sighted here (which is also attributed to the consumption of Pisco).
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