Chile is 3,000 miles long yet only as wide as 200 miles, the region is surrounded by desert in the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes Mountains to the east. This contributes to a climate and soil make up that is well suited to producing many levels of wines, from good value bulk wines to world-class reds and whites. The large regions are: Coquimbo (deserts, best for wine based spirits), Aconcagua, Valle Central, Valle Sur. These are further sub-divided into Casablanca Valley (Aconcagua), Maipo, Rapel, Curico, and Maule (all in the Valle Central), Itata and Bio Bio (in Valle Sur). Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, Syrah are some of the main grapes used for export wines in Chiles regions.