The Central Valley (El Valle Central) of Chile is one of the most important wine-producing areas in South America in terms of volume. It is also one of the largest wine regions, stretching from the Maipo Valley (just south of Santiago) to the southern end of the Maule Valley. This is a distance of almost 400km and covers a number of climate types.
A broad variety of wine styles and quality can be found in this large area, from many different terroirs. It ranges from more affordable wine produced by the older, more-established vineyards of Maule to the relatively expensive Bordeaux-style wines produced in northern Maipo.
The Central Valley is also home to a variety of grapes, but plantings are dominated by the internationally popular Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Chile’s ‘icon’ grape, Carmenere, is also of importance here, just as Malbec is to Mendoza, on the other side of the Andes.