Winemaker Notes
Located in the Choapa Valley, a mere 28 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Norte Verde vineyard sits at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains. The 28 hectares possess soil of colluvial origin, rich in clay, sand, and volcanic rocks. Planted using the trellis training method at a density of 5800 vines/hectare, limited yields of high-quality grapes are produced with a unique minerality not typically found in Syrah.
The fresh aromas of red fruit with hints of chocolate lead to a rich, velvety mouth-feel. On the palate the wine has a velvety texture with balanced fruit and hints of pepper that are accented by persistent mineral notes. The tannins and oak are well integrated making this a great food wine. Legado Syrah is a wine that lends itself to versatility. It can easily accompany everything from burgers and pizza to steak and lasagna.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Syrah Legado Reserva is sourced from Choapa, a desert-like region in the north of Chile where there are big diurnal swings in temperature. Purple-colored, it offers up an expressive perfume of spice box, mineral, black cherry, and blueberry. Layered on the palate, it has excellent depth and grip as well as several years of aging potential. Drink this excellent value from 2011 through 2019.
90+points.
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Wine Spectator
A smoky, restrained style, with mulled black currant and blackberry fruit sitting in reserve and mesquite, graphite and white pepper notes weaving in and out. The finish lets the smoky hint linger nicely. Drink now through 2011.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Dramatic geographic and climatic changes from west to east make Chile an exciting frontier for wines of all styles. Chile’s entire western border is Pacific coastline, its center is composed of warm valleys and on its eastern border, are the soaring Andes Mountains.
Chile’s central valleys, sheltered by the costal ranges, and in some parts climbing the eastern slopes of the Andes, remain relatively warm and dry. The conditions are ideal for producing concentrated, full-bodied, aromatic reds rich in black and red fruits. The eponymous Aconcagua Valley—hot and dry—is home to intense red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.
The Maipo, Rapel, Curicó and Maule Valleys specialize in Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends as well as Carmenère, Chile’s unofficial signature grape.
Chilly breezes from the Antarctic Humboldt Current allow the coastal regions of Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley to focus on the cool climate loving varieties, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Chile’s Coquimbo region in the far north, containing the Elqui and Limari Valleys, historically focused solely on Pisco production. But here the minimal rainfall, intense sunlight and chilly ocean breezes allow success with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The up-and-coming southern regions of Bio Bio and Itata in the south make excellent Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Spanish settlers, Juan Jufre and Diego Garcia de Cáceres, most likely brought Vitis vinifera (Europe’s wine producing vine species) to the Central Valley of Chile sometime in the 1550s. One fun fact about Chile is that its natural geographical borders have allowed it to avoid phylloxera and as a result, vines are often planted on their own rootstock rather than grafted.