Maipo Valley
Mediterranean
The valley around Santiago and Chile's oldest fine-wine area, best known for structured Cabernet Sauvignon.
Overview
About Maipo Valley
The Maipo Valley lies south of Santiago, with vineyards running up towards the Andes. It was the first Chilean valley planted with Bordeaux varieties, and it is still the source of its benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon. Alto Maipo, on the foothills, gives the finest wines.
Several of Chile's biggest and oldest wineries are here, and many make both large volumes and top-tier blends.
Maipo Valley is marked on the map.
Chile
Shaded: Región Metropolitana de Santiago. Map units are states, provinces or départements, so a smaller place appears as the larger area that contains it.
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Mediterranean
Warm, dry summers with big differences between day and night, especially closer to the Andes. Rain falls in winter.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
Alluvial soils left by the Maipo river and its tributaries, gravelly and well drained near the foothills and with more clay lower down.
Go deeper
Rules, years & producers
Concha y Toro
Chile's largest producer, with the Don Melchor Cabernet from Puente Alto.
Almaviva
A joint venture of Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, for a Bordeaux-style blend.
Santa Rita
A historic estate with a long record in Maipo Cabernet.
Cousiño-Macul
One of the oldest wineries in Chile, on the edge of Santiago.
What's grown here
Grapes
Each grape's page links back here.