Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A signature wine in the Roberto Henríquez roster, comprising Sémillon, Chasselas and Moscatel de Alejandría, the 2024 Rivera del Notro Blanco is a modern-day interpretation of ancestral Itata white wines. Produced with extensive skin contact, it presents a heady, complex bouquet of potpourri, resinous herbs and saison beer, followed by a svelte, elegantly concentrated mouthfeel. The finish is broad and refreshing, lingering with phenolic grip laced with a streak of acidity and retronasal floral notes.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
A cool, rather wet region of southern Chile, Bio Bio is experiencing an increase in the development of quality wine production.