Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThis is a rich and deep expression of pinot, but it’s racy and enthralling. Aromas of ripe, tangy haw fruit, dark raspberries, red plums, anise, licorice and rose petals. Some wet-stone minerality, too. A medium-to full-bodied palate, showing smooth, calculated tannins and really juicy fruit. Very long and enticing. Drink or hold.
Offers a nice floral thyme and cedar edge up front that clings to the rich plum berry core, with subtle orange peel and dried hibiscus notes folding in on the finish.
Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993, with the vision of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines that convey the spirit of the New World.
Firmly grounded in the spirit of New World winemaking, our name refers to the company’s geographic position, representing wines proudly made in South America’s Southern Cone, on whose western edge lies Chile and its gifted wine valleys. The logo also evokes a freehand drawing of the silhouette of South America.
Right from the start, Cono Sur applied new ideas and technology to traditional winemaking methods. The main goal, therefore, is to create expressive and innovative wines, applying sustainable practices with a special care of the environment making each sip is a masterpiece.
A region that has become synonymous with some of the best whites of Chile, the Casablanca Valley is full of dozens of bodegas who either grow fruit here or come from outside to source from local growers for their own white wine programs. The valley runs from east to west, which means that its westernmost vineyards receive the most cooling influence from the reliable afternoon sea breezes. The soils also tend to be heavier in clay in the west, whereas the eastern end of the valley is warmer and its soils are predominantly granitic. Sauvignon blanc thrives here, Chardonnay does well and Pinot noir is not uncommon.
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.”