It is known for cultivating table grapes, various fruits, and Chile’s popular pisco brandy, the country's favored liquor.
[citation needed] The region’s vineyards extend from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Andes Mountains in the east, and rise to an elevation of 2,000 meters above sea level (6,500 feet).
Over the years, they have planted 286 hectares (710 acres) of vines, primarily along the Elqui River valley, where grape growers have access to high-quality water for irrigation.
[2] The region has clay, silt and chalk soil, and is characterized by a sunny, desert-like climate with less than 70 millimetres (2.8 in) of annual rainfall.
The landscape features dry rocky terrain, steep valleys, and temperate hills cooled by strong winds from the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains.