Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There is a new single-vineyard Cinsault, the 2019 Newk, named for Sonny Rollins Newk. Parra describes him as the wildest jazz musician of recent times, so he named this wine for him, as he finds it to be wild, full of energy and minerality. It was produced with grapes from an old vineyard in Guarilihue that is worked by horse, from vines planted on decomposed and rocky granite soils with some iron and a sandy and silty texture. The grapes fermented with 100% full clusters after four or five days with native yeasts and a total maceration time of 51 days, then the wine matured in an oak vat for 10 months. It has 13.5% alcohol and is austere and sharp, mineral and stony. This is the sharpest of the crus, with elegance, perfume, nuance and detail, a little wilder than the Miles—different but at a similar quality level. the wine was made without any chemicals. This, together with Miles, is in Parra's grand cru category. I preferred the nose of Miles and the palate from Newk. This is wild and radical.
A charmer in the Southern Rhône Valley, Cinsault thrives in any hot and windy climate, and finds success in many other countries. It is a parent grape alongside Pinot Noir, of South Africa’s acclaimed red grape, Pinotage. Somm Secret—Given its relatively long history in California, Cinsualt is often “hidden” in the Zinfandel blends of Sonoma and Contra Costa Counties. Historically planted alongside Zinfandel (with Petite Sirah and Mourvedre) in the same vineyard, Cinsault is now an essential part of many “field blends.”
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.