The Colchagua
Valley has an extension of approximately 500,000
hectares (1,235,000 acres) and is subdivided
into 10 municipalities: Chimbarongo, Placilla,
Chepica, Nancagua, Santa Cruz, Palmilla, Peralillo,
Lolol, Pumanque, and San Fernando, the provincial
capital. And because it is considered a natural
extension of the valley, Marchigue has also
been added as a Colchagua Valley appellation
of origin. Mountain chains clearly define Colchagua’s
borders with the provinces of Cachapoal to the
north, Curicó to the south, Argentina
to the east. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west.
Colchagua is one of the three provinces that
comprise Chile’s VI Region, "Libertador
Bernardo O’Higgins."
According to
the most recent national census, the total population
of the province is approximately 205,000 residents,
mostly of European-Spanish descent and predominately
concentrated in rural areas.
The primary economic activity is agriculture,
particularly vitiviniculture at the center of
provincial development, with 23.000 hectares
(56,800 acres) planted to wine grapes, making
it Chile’s second largest appellation
in terms of surface area planted, and the first
in terms of fine French varieties, such as Cabernet
Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec, and Syrah.
Other major agricultural
activities include the production of fresh fruit,
such as table grapes and plums. The primary
annual crops are corn and wheat, and livestock
is concentrated on lamb and South American camelids
such as the Alpaca. Recent years have seen the
development of wine tourism, which has stimulated
substantial investment in infrastructure such
as Hotels, Restaurants, a Wine Train, and guest
reception centers in the wineries. Colchagua
is one of the country’s fastest growing
provinces and, at less than 3%, its unemployment
rate is below the national average.
More
information Colchagua Route Web
