The Elqui Valley is a wine zone located in the area known as “Norte Chico” and is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes of Chile that inspired the verses of Gabriela Mistral.
The Elqui Valley, located 500 kilometers from Santiago, forms the northern border of the wine regions of Chile. Here the climatic conditions for growing grapes are excellent: A well-ventilated, dry valley, with annual rainfall of 130 mm. It also has an integrated irrigation system (large ponds connected by canals) and heavy soils, rich in nutrients and capable of storing water. This allows the harvest of ripe and sweet grapes, from which it is produced Pisco, Chile's national drink and wine.
However, a growing interest in fine wine production in the area since 1998, has resulted in an increase in other varieties such as Carménère and Syrah. The combination of soil, climate, and good water supply from the Elqui basin and the Puclaro Reservoir has strengthened the development of a wine industry in this area.
In this region, this fertile valley divides the foothills, semi-arid mountain range with an appearance very close to a desert. Here the blue sky is guaranteed throughout the year, due to the extreme shortage of rainfall. That is why international astronomical societies maintain several observatories, for example Cerro Tololo and La Silla.
Our Chono and Rayun Reserva: Syrah, Carménère- Syrah and our Cucao PX come from the Elqui Valley. The semi-arid climate, moderated by sea breezes of the Pacific, provides an excellent environment for a cold-climate Syrah, giving the wine a unique and elegant character.
The wine comes from a sector located 49 km from the coastline, planted in 1998 in alluvial soils. The yields are 9 ton / ha, which allow the concentration of the fruit.
Soil:
The soils of this region are called brown soils. In the coastal, alluvial soils are developed on marine terraces and river valley bottoms, these soils have evolved from marine and continental sediments. More inland, these soils are caused both by sediments carried by the river Elqui as well as for materials from the hilly interfluves.
