It is the proximity to the sea and the coastal breezes that blow over these vineyards in northern Chile that give Amelia its refreshing identity.
To the north of Chile, in the IV Region, are the doors to the driest desert in the world. It is the limit that gives the entrance to the Atacama Desert. But also, an area that is characterized by the presence of its unique valleys that run between the Andes and Coastal mountains, famous to produce grapes thanks to the powerful sunlight, its weather-beaten soils and, on occasions, the ocean influence.
As the case of the coastal area of Limarí Valley, a region of cloudy mornings, cool breezes and warm sunny afternoons. A place where Concha y Toro arrived 25 years ago, after discovering its potential to produce great wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties, which they present today under the name of Amelia.
In this place the influence of the ocean is fundamental. Located just 22 kilometres from the sea, the vineyards that give rise to Amelia Chardonnay and Amelia Pinot Noir, in the Quebrada Seca and Santa Cristina sectors respectively, remarkably express the characteristics of this valley. How? Resulting in two extremely attractive wines, of great structure, exquisite minerality and a touch of salinity. “At Amelia we have the desire to express the essence of an origin, of coastal breezes over the sun-cured land. Fresh, vertical wines with great character”, says Marcelo Papa, winemaker and technical director of Concha y Toro.
This is how in Quebrada Seca, Amelia Chardonnay expresses very clearly all its typicity in terms of structure, minerality and freshness. It is a wine with multiple layers of aromas of white flowers and pears, with mineral and flint notes, very refreshing, with a rich combination of structure and minerality.
While Santa Cristina, a place where clay is key, expresses wines with greater volume and complexity. Amelia Pinot Noir is a complex, multi-layered wine with notes of cherries and black tea. And, with an attractive mix of structure and minerality.
The sea influence on wine, which creates a coastal semi-arid climate that is complemented by a series of clay soils, helps the grapes to retain their acidity, which gives structure and a nice finish to the final wine. In turn, the high concentration of calcium carbonate and foggy mornings allow the fruit to ripen slowly and for a long time. This allows them to produce fresher wines. Wines in which the sea influence is evident and the characteristic that transforms them into incomparable samples. Undoubtedly, one of the best, if not the best terroir in Chile for the production of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the grape varieties that give rise to Amelia.
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