Vinodata

The Casablanca Valley of Chile is well known for its natural beauty. Rugged hills are seen in every direction, and between them, fertile farms with small villages nestled here and there. Perhaps, though, the most beautiful parts of the valley are the fields of wine grapevines. Their rich green colours spread sometimes as far as the eye can see; they are arrayed row upon row of meticulously cultivated Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It is partly the soil diversity that makes the Casablanca Valley one of the premier wine producing regions in the world. But for me, the most important factor is the climate; typically, the intensely cold waters of the nearby Pacific Ocean create cool foggy nights while clear, cloudless days are usual during the growing season. And every day, an afternoon breeze brings dry, clean air about the leaves of each plant to keep them free of damaging spores.

The Vineyard

William Cole vineyard lies in a flat valley ringed by hills reminiscent of parts of the Mediterranean or of Napa Valley, Californie. Since these hills are nearby, the valley soils, though varied, are alluvial in nature, and ideal for the growing of wine grapes of certain types. This soil, combined with our proximity to the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean’s Humboldt Current which arrives from the Antarctic, results in an exceptional environment for our Pinot Noir, Chardonnay et Sauvignon Blanc.

For our vines we use only the most modern technologies to ensure a consistent production of quality grapes. Tous 130 planted hectares are served by drip irrigation and water aspersion frost control systems. The trellising is Vertical Shoot Positioning with dual fruiting wires. Each spring, new canes are tied by hand to the wires so that the grape clusters will hang free to minimize possible damage from disease.

Since William Cole Vineyards is an estate, all of the grapes grown by us are in one contiguous plantation adjacent to the winery. This proximity to our winery allows us to pick our grapes in the cool mornings and have them ready for processing within minutes after the harvest.