Bodega Chacra Barda Pinot Noir 2013
-
James
Suckling -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with roast beef, salmon, swordfish and pastas with meat or seafood sauces.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Plenty of dried strawberry, fresh rose petal, and fruit. Rich with an herb undertone. Full and long. Slightly hollow center palate but outstanding. Pretty biodynamically produced pinot noir. Drink or hold.
-
Wine & Spirits
Barda is Piero Incisa della Rochetta’s basic pinot noir from Mainque, where the vines grow in Rio Negro’s gravelly, alluvial soil with some limestone in the mix. A portion of this blend comes from a recently planted ten-acre block on his oldest estate vineyard, planted in 1932; some comes from purchased fruit. The 2013 is simple and delicious, defined by ripe red fruit, voluptuous and lively in its sweetness. The taut acidity provides a framework for the fruit to show itself with clarity.
Other Vintages
2022-
James
Suckling
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
-
James
Suckling
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Tasting
Panel -
Wine &
Spirits
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Tasting
Panel
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine &
Spirits
The climate is dry, with maximum humidity of thirty percent and an average of seven inches of rainfall annually. This aridity, coupled with the natural barrier of the surrounding desert, results in a complete absence of phylloxera and vine diseases. The air is pristine and without pollution, creating tremendous luminosity and purity of sunlight. During the ripening period, in the first quarter of the year, diurnal temperatures vary widely, ranging from an average of 82.4F (28C) during the day and 48.2F (9C) at night. The seasons are precisely defined, with hot summers, cold winters and mild springs and autumns. This consistency of climate enhances consistency of the wine from vintage to vintage.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
With vineyards tretching along the eastern side of the Andes Mountains from Patagonia in the south to Salta in the north, Argentina is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic wine producing countries—and most important in South America.
Since the late 20th century vineyard investments, improved winery technology and a commitment to innovation have all contributed to the country’s burgeoning image as a producer of great wines at all price points. The climate here is diverse but generally continental and agreeable, with hot, dry summers and cold snowy winters—a positive, as snow melt from the Andes Mountains is used heavily to irrigate vineyards. Grapes very rarely have any difficulty achieving full ripeness.
Argentina’s famous Mendoza region, responsible for more than 70% of Argentina’s wine production, is further divided into several sub-regions, with Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley most noteworthy. Red wines dominate here, especially Malbec, the country’s star variety, while Chardonnay is the most successful white.
The province of San Juan is best known for blends of Bonarda and Syrah. Torrontés is a specialty of the La Rioja and Salta regions, the latter of which is also responsible for excellent Malbecs grown at very high elevation.