Located 340 miles (540 km) south of the capital of
Chile,
Santiago, the Malleco wine region lies in the
province of the same name. It is one of Chile’s southern
Denomination of Origin (DO) regions as defined by the Chilean
Appellation system, the legally protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. The wine industry here is still developing but good results are already being obtained, particularly from its crispy and fresh
Chardonnay and
Pinot Noir. The climate is cool, with a high level of rainfall (51 inches (1300 mm) a year), a short growing season, and high temperature variation between day and night, which is challenging for wine producers. Most vineyards are located around the town of
Traiguen, just south of the
Bio Bio Valley. The volcanic soil in Malleco, composed mainly of sand and clay, are reasonably well drained. Although the valley has high rainfall, vines have to make extra effort to hydrate due to the well-drained soil, which results in less foliage and lower grape yields. All these factors produce grapes with more concentrated flavour and excellent structure, which in turn leads to the crisp and fresh wine produced in the region.
Grape distribution by varietal • Climate: Cool Mediterranean climate. 1300 mm (51.2 in) of rain per year. • Soils: Volcanic soils, clay and sand. • Primary wines: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Total hectares planted: 11 ha (27 acres). ==See also==