Maipo Valley, Chile

Maipo Valley is the closest Chilean wine region to Santiago, the capital city of Chile. Home to some of the country's most prestigious wines, it is often described as the 'Bordeaux of South America', with rich, fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon the star of the region. Along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère, a wide range of grape varieties are planted in the Maipo Valley including Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Annual rainfall in Maipo is very low and the climate is both warm and dry, so the arrival of technological advances in the 1980s brought an element of consistency to winemaking here.