Winemaker Notes
DAKÉL's Pinot Noir expresses the elegance and intensity of coastal Pinot Noir from the granitic soils of their estate vineyard. The nose exhibits a tsunami of red and black fruits: cranberry, blackberry, and raspberry, balanced by wild rose petal aromas. A chalky texture and beautiful minerality enhance the concentration of these flavors, which persist on the palate.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Viñedo Maricerro hails from the Itata Valley and was aged for 10 months in 27% new French oak barrels. Ruby-red in hue. The raspberry and blueberry aromas are accompanied by sweet cherry and garrigue over a bed of cedar and sandalwood. Lean and silky in the mouth, the chalky texture and refreshing palate precede a long-lasting finish.
-
Decanter
From cooler climes, a gorgeously dark and savoury Pinot Noir from Chilê's Itata Valley is found in the coastal mountain range, Cordillera de la Costa. 19km from the Pacific lies the estate vineyard, Viñedo Maricerro and its 25-year-old vines. Dark fruits and frankincense predominate the aromas with touches of smoky clove and a hint of turned soils. The palate balances freshness with a ripe concentration of bramble berries, cherries, savoury herbs, white pepper, and chicory root. Brilliant acidity and a kiss of fresh spearmint lift the finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Rich and pure yet elegant, this red opens with toasted fennel and subtle rosemary notes. Fresh coffee bean, fleshy plum and berry flavors linger nicely around the silky finish, where a gentle swirl of clove chimes in. Drink now through 2032. 129 cases made, 129 cases imported.
-
James Suckling
This is showing pretty notes of strawberries, plums, vanilla and roasted herbs. It’s medium-bodied with a lovely soft and creamy texture. Ripe, fine tannins.
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.”
A cool, rather wet region of southern Chile, Bio Bio is experiencing an increase in the development of quality wine production.