The Rapel Valley (Valle del Rapel), named after the river of the same name, is located in the Valle Central region of Chile. The Rapel Valley runs 100 kilometres directly south from the edges of the Maipo Valley to the very edge of the province of Colchagua. The valley is flanked by mountain ranges (Andes and coastal chain) that protect it from the cold influences of the Pacific Ocean. It has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers with large temperature fluctuations between day and night and mild winters. The Rapel River brings fresh, mineral-rich meltwater down from the upper Andes. It is formed by the confluence of the Tinguiririca and Cachapoal rivers. The latter divides the Rapel Valley into the sub-areas of Cachapoal in the north (simple wines) and Colchagua in the south (fruity wines with structured acidity).
The two valleys are part of the O'Higgins region, which is named after Bernardo O'Higgins (1778-1842), a famous Chilean leader during the war of independence against Spain in the early 19th century. The vineyards cover around 47,000 hectares on mineral-rich soils with sandy layers. The entire area is very dry, which means that in most locations the vines have to be irrigated artificially using river water, a common practice in Chile. Just under 90% is used for wine grapes or winemaking and 10% for table grapes. The red wine varieties account for 85%, the most important being Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Carmenère, Pinot Noir and Malbec (Cot), while the most important white wine varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Viognier. Around a quarter of Chilean wine is produced in this region.
Chile map: CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Chile wine-growing regions: Trekkingchile
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