The Casablanca valley is the last of the exceptions
to what we defined as the longitudinal division
“Andes”, “Inter Andes-Pacific” and “Pacific”, because
it is a valley set among the mountains of the Coastal
Range, where the influence of the Pacific Ocean
can be very strongly felt.
It is located in the area known geographically and
administratively as the V region, 35kilometers from
the port of Valparaiso and 80 kilometres from Santiago.
It consists of the macro-watershed of Casablanca-Vinilla,
extending northwards into the sectors of Los Perales
de Tapihue, Lo Orazco and Lo Ovalle, and other smaller
areas. It is the spurs of the Coastal Range that
determine the elongated shape of the valley. To
be even more precise, it should be emphasized that
it is on the western slope of the coastal range.
This range consists on a number of hills of medium
height, with a flat-bottomed, irregular-shaped central
depression, lying along an east-west axis.
The Casablanca Valley basin is found in the region
of temperate, semi-arid climates. Winters are short
and rainy, followed by long summers with extended
drought periods. Because it is so close to the coast,
there are notable thermal swings, both daily and
seasonally, ideal for producing grapes with great
potential for a high-quality wine.
It should be mentioned that this valley was only
discovered as a suitable place for growing fine
vines in the early 1980s, by agricultural engineer
and enologist, Pablo Morande. He was inspired by
the search for cooler sectors than those usually
used in Chile’s central zone, to be devoted to the
production of really fine white wines. This search
now also includes certain varieties of red wines,
such as Pinot Noir, for example, while not belittling
good and interesting results have been obtained
with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carménère.
With the change in the use of the soil, the valley
ceased to be a sector used primarily for cattle-rearing
and very rudimentary crops, and became one of the
most expensive and sought-after places in Chilean
agriculture. It is irrigated basically with small
reservoirs and deep wells. Do to the fact that these
are all recent plantings, Almost the whole area
under vine, 3578 hectares, is irrigated using technified
systems. This has been possible because the valley
is intersected by a series of gulleys, which have
small streams.
The main watercourse in the river-basin is the Casablanca
River itself, with its tributaries, Los Sauces,
Perales de Tapibue, Lo Ovalle, Pitama and many other
smaller ones. All these hydric source together drain
their watersheds and supply water to the subsoil
in different proportions. This real drainage network
is seasonal: in fact, it takes place in the rainy
winter periods, and some years includes snow-melt
coming down from the Coastal Range. All this is
the basis of the constant re-charging of the valley’s
subterranean system, as rainwater and other waters
from the mountains infiltrate the soil. There is
therefore a scarcity of surface water and irregular
availability, so dependence on subterranean waters
is essential for the exploitation of the vineyards,
because the reservoirs and other systems for collecting
water are insufficient. Annual rainfall amounts
to 542 mm.
The main white varieties grown here are Chardonnay
(1,861 hectares), Sauvignon Blanc (442 hectares)
and, to a lesser extent, Gewurztrainer (30 hectares).
Of the red varieties, the only one of real importance
is Pinot Noir with 473 hectares.
The conditions, as regards caloric totals, result
in vintages that are later than those usual for
this latitude in Chile. The proximity of the sea
allows fresh, moisture-laden breezes to blow in.
When they come up against the coastal hill, they
produce mists that, in addition to regulating the
temperature, causes relatively high humidity levels
and less exposure to the sun. This creates an environment
suitable for obtaining very characteristic wines,
with an extremely high fruity content.
The Valley, although it is on a single level, offers
three basic climatic conditions: the warmest, at
the extreme eastern end, at the foot of the Zapata
Hill; slightly cooler sectors alongside the road
leading to the sea-side resort of Algarrobo, about
8 kilometers west from the first sector; and finally
the Lo Orozco zone, which is closest to the ocean,
about 7 kilometers further west from the two already
mentioned.
Despite its recent “discovery”, the Casablanca Valley
has achieved world-wide fame, because it is comparable
with other areas of the world where the benign influence
of the sea comes together with other ecological
conditions ideal for vine-growing. With the search
for excellence, more recently with red varieties,
such as Carménère, Pinot Noir, Merlot and even Cabernet
Sauvignon, the Casablanca Valley has become one
of the places with the brightest future in Chile
for obtaining fine wines.
|
