Las Pizarras Pinot Noir 2016

• 75cl bottle

Complex nose, with rosehip, myrtle, sour cherries and a refreshing bergamot hint, accompanied by soft notes of marzipan and dried fruit notes. The palate is predominantly marked by fresh red fruit, floral notes, with some subtle notes of moist soil, citrus fruits, sweet spice and brioche. Very well structured, with fine and elegant tannins that deliver a chalky finish. A wine that displays a balance between amplitude and length that allows a harmonious and persistent finish.

Vineyards

Sourced entirely from our Aconcagua Costa Estate from specific blocks that have a significant component of metamorphic rock including slate (pizarras, in Spanish). Given the extremes of this cool climate site, as well as the uniqueness of its soils and elevations, each small block ripens at its own pace. Its proximity to the cool Pacific Ocean and its well-drained soils, with high level of slate and metamorphic rock, allow the Estate to produce Pinot Noir of exceptional complexity, depth, minerality and natural acidity.

Vintage

The wines of 2016 have an immense sense of purity and tension. The cool spring set the stage for a long season, even though the overall heat summation was higher than average due to a warm summer. This lead us to believe that the perfect ripeness of our grapes would arrive early; nevertheless, we were proved wrong by a gentle sugar accumulation, reaching a prolonged, even ripening through harvest. The resulting wine possesses great site specificity, depth and quality.

Winemaking

All grapes (82% de-stemmed, 18% whole cluster) were hand-picked and rigorously double sorted out by hand before placing them directly into small open-top fermenters. 100% of the fruit had a cold maceration at 8° to 10¼C for 4 to 5 days before starting fermentation with 100% native yeasts, followed by an extended average maceration period of up to 20 days. Daily gentle punch downs made by hand helped to keep the cap moist. Free-run wine was drained and then kept for 13 months in 100% French oak, 33% of them new.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted Red Meats
• Pizza/Pasta
• Casseroles/Stews
• Mild Creamy Cheeses

Roast duck with rosemary potatoes