Santa Alicia Reserva Pinot Noir 2012
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Pair with grilled Albacore. Grilled chicken and all pasta.
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Aromas are restrained with notes of cranberries, red cherries and wet earth, as well as a hint of leafiness. Palate is ripe, rich with black cherry and a hint of sweet liquorice. Very appealing indeed. Not the finished article but a nice, savory style, self-contained and persistent.
After half a century and four generations, the Valdes family has turned these vineyards in the best example of love for the land, and perfection in the quality of its products.
Today, identified as "Santa Alicia", as a way of honoring the women that in each generation carry this name, the vineyard continues with its tradition of excellence and prestige, expressed in each bottle are the decades of experience, high technology, and the privileged fruit which results from a marvelous environment.
The expansion of viable Chilean wine regions in recent decades has revealed several suitable appellations (In Chile the term is denominacion de origen, or DO) for Pinot Noir. This finicky grape requires a cool climate along with good air flow to minimize disease pressure; Chile’s unique geography delivers both in a number of spots. Here’s a quick look at the most notable DO’s, moving from north to south.
In the Coquimbo region, both the Elqui and Limarí Valleys enjoy lots of sunlight throughout the year, which promotes consistent ripening. Of equal importance, their proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Humboldt Current that flows just offshore provides the necessary cooling influence that yields good balancing acidity.
Due west of the country’s capital, Santiago, are the Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys. The former runs east-west and therefore sees cool, foggy conditions many mornings. The latter runs north-south but is close enough to the ocean to benefit from cool breezes. Very promising Chilean Pinot Noirs can be found from both DO’s.
Chile’s southern region includes two more Pinot-friendly appellations, Bio-Bio and Malleco. These and the other DO’s mentioned above have seen a growing number of producers delivering crisp, fresh versions. Pinot Noir from Chile typically offers the varietal’s trademark elegance and fine drinkability, complete with ripe red fruit, earthy tones and food-friendly acidity. Try Chilean Pinot Noir wines from producers like Viña Leyda, Santa Carolina, Casas del Bosque and Hacienda Araucano.