Maipo Wine Region Guide

Geography and terroir

If pressed to name a famous region in South America, many oenophiles would cite Maipo as a shining example of New World winemaking. Established by Spanish conquistadores in the 1500s, this spectacular vineyard witnessed the genesis of Chilean fine wine.

Today, Maipo is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, not least because it’s situated fewer than 40 kilometers from the capital Santiago. As a seminal producer of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo has more than earned its critical acclaim.

Challenges from Urban Expansion

Yet this is the smallest of the Valle Central’s four subregions, dwarfed (in total acreage) by the vineyards of Maule to the south. Nevertheless, some 11,000 hectares of vineyards are cultivated in Maipo, located in the northern end of Chile’s premier wine zone.

On its southern border is the larger Rapel Valley, while certain plantations are literally on the fringes of Santiago’s burgeoning suburbs. Indeed, soaring land values represent a genuine threat to viticulture in this section of the Central Valley as real estate developers encroach on Maipo’s home turf.

Further to the east, the snow-capped peaks of the Andes separate Chile from its Argentine neighbor. The Coastal Range, meanwhile, blocks cool maritime air that blows off the Pacific; summer temperatures average around 82 – 86° F in January and February.

Thus, red varieties have long thrived in Maipo’s gravel terraces and sandy soils, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Year after year, Bordeaux grapes ripen easily in this spectacular vineyard, where intense UV light and mineral-rich terroirs yield exceptional wines that can age for decades.

Maipo also produces some very impressive Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. However, this is essentially a red wine country.

According to Wines of Chile:

“Today, while there may be more Cabernet Sauvignon found in Colchagua and Maule, King Cab still rules in Maipo, measured both in quantity (52% of the area’s vines) and quality, especially in the Alto Maipo, southeast of Santiago.”

The balance of red and white varieties is roughly 15% white and 85% red, with Merlot and Carmenere in second and third place, respectively.

They also added:

“Maipo Cabernet was Chile’s first collectible calling card, wines with a recognizable Maipo style – structured, with ripe cassis fruit, warm earth and often with minty notes in cooler vintages.”

This signature style, much-loved in the US, is far from a monolith. Much will depend on the climat (vineyard site) and subzone – Maipo is divided into three distinct terroirs: Alto Maipo, Central Maipo, and Maipo Bajo. Most (but not all) producers agree that Alto Maipo is the source of the valley’s finest red wines.

In this exceptional terroir, elevation (400-760m), soil, and mesoclimate are all highly favorable to producing balanced and structured reds; cool nights help maintain vibrant acidity levels in the grapes as they ripen. Meanwhile, Alto Maipo’s colluvial soils contain gravel fragments that allow moisture to drain freely.

At the same time, older plantations develop extensive root systems that reach deep into the substratum – an invaluable source of minerals. The region’s unofficial ‘Grand Crus’ are Puente Alto and Pirque, where high-altitude vineyards cling to the foothills of the Andes, and cool mornings deliver Cabernet Sauvignon of impeccable freshness and poise. Many of the valley’s most prestigious labels use fruit sourced from Puente Alto, including Domus Aurea, Casa Real, and Almaviva.

Central Maipo, however, is not held in the same esteem as its more northern neighbor. Indeed, the very warm climate and fertile soils can result in somewhat anonymous wine: pleasant yet hardly memorable. Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere are grown in large quantities, although some Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are cultivated in cooler areas near the Maipo River.

This vital water source is redistributed across the vineyards of Maipo, using drip irrigation systems to monitor volume and timing precisely. This is essential in the warm and arid climate of the Valle Central, where dry farming is simply impossible.

Winemaking and regional classifications

It is no secret that Cabernet Sauvignon is Maipo’s star grape. The region’s best examples are on par with the First Growths of Bordeaux, delivering exuberance, finesse, balance, complexity, and freshness in one glorious gulp. Moreover, the Central Valley’s warm temperatures and dry conditions make it possible to bottle Cabernet Sauvignon unblended, which is seldom the case in France.

There is also the patience factor to consider: tannic claret can take at least five years to unwind, particularly in a cooler vintage. Yet most Maipo red can be enjoyed upon release, although the most famous wines – Almaviva and Don Melchor – can be cellared with confidence for at least 15 years. It has proven to be one of Chile’s unique contributions to the world of wine. Nowhere else is so much Cabernet available at such a reasonable price.

Inevitably, comparisons are drawn with Napa Valley Cab despite the apparent (overall) disparity in value for money; blue-chip Californian wines can easily cost over $800. However, when benchmarking Chilean wines against their cousins from the US, one also detects a stylistic differential.

To quote leading winemaker Francisco Baettig:

“Seña is not on the side of voluptuousness, exaggerated concentration, or very marked maturity – it does not have sweet notes at the end in the mouth. However, it has a lot of tension, juiciness, and nerves; it does not replicate the ripe fruit that Napa offers, nor is it as dense. It’s a slightly more ‘nervous’ wine, more balanced towards finesse and complexity.”

Of course, Seña is made in Aconcagua to the north. However, the underlying point still stands: Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon has more in common with Bordeaux than Screaming Eagle or Harlan Estate.

Achieving Finesse

This may seem counterintuitive in light of Maipo’s very warm climate: How do winemakers coax out so much finesse and balance? Part of the answer lies in terroir—investors continue to develop cooler sites in the valley, planting vines towards the coastal range and at higher elevations on the eastern slopes of the Andean foothills. This facilitates a slower rate of ripening, higher levels of acidity, and lower alcohol.

Winemaking Techniques Inspired by Bordeaux Tradition

The other key element is the style of winemaking. Many of Chile’s top oenologists take their inspiration from the grandiose chateaux of the Medoc, using methods that have stood the test of time. In the beautiful cellars of Almaviva, the fruit is immediately sorted on arrival, with less-than-perfect berries discarded; only half of the estate’s vineyard production is typically used in the Grand Vin.

The bunches are then destemmed and crushed before the juice is treated to a cold soak – again, this method is widely used in the Bordeaux region to extract some color and flavor before the fermentation begins in small tanks. Each plot and variety is vinified separately, while the estate sources oak from more than ten coopers, matching each barrel to a particular grape or terroir.

Once the wines are in wood (Almaviva is aged for 18 months in 75% new barrique), a progressive assemblage of the individual barrels can begin. Paying homage to the long-established traditions of Pauillac and Margaux regions, head winemaker Michel Friou has mastered a blend of five grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Carmenere Merlot, and Petit Verdot. This process will marry the components and greatly enhance complexity and drinkability.

Francisco Baettig further notes:

“Blends have been picking up in the Chilean market for some time now; I think they give the opportunity to complement the strengths of different varieties and help achieve a more complex and balanced wine.”

Established in 1996 by Château Mouton-Rothschild and Concha y Toro, the central feature of this Cabernet-dominant wine is its structure. Approachable, elegant, and harmonious, Almaviva represents a synergy of French varieties, Chilean terroir, and international know-how. It is the future of fine wine.

Maipo gastronomy

Regular visitors to California will feel instantly at home in the convivial surroundings of a Maipo cellar door. Indeed, this part of the Central Valley has become an epicenter of wine tourism in South America, attracting well-heeled oenophiles searching for luxurious accommodation and superlative food.

They seldom leave disappointed: some of Chile’s top chefs reside in these vineyard-facing restaurants, where a fusion of Chilean culinary tradition and European classicism produces delectable flavors and innovative pairings. Tuna tartar, grilled rib eye steaks, pork ribs, and velvety Cab?