The Casablanca Valley lies on the Pacific coast of Chile between Santiago and the port of Valparaíso. Once thought to be too cold for viticulture, it has been one of the regions at the forefront of the realigning of Chilean production towards refined, cool-climate wines, notably for whites but also for the early-ripening Pinot Noir grape. Proximity to the ocean gives reliable cool breezes that blow in through the vineyards in the afternoons, lowering temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Celsius. This, combined with the valley's mild winters, makes Casablanca's growing season up to a month longer than most vineyards in the Central Valley. Growing costs are higher here, but the conditions make it possible for Chile to find an extra level of finesse and elegance.