Winemaker Notes
This unique solera style Pinot Noir is from multiple vintages all from fruit form Gualtallary, Uco Valley. A ripe, fresh, and very pretty nose features notes of violets, raspberries, strawberries and earth that are highlighted by a vibrant chalk and graphite component. There is good balance to the delicious and energetic flavors with subtle, smooth tannins which linger with impressive authority and length. The finish has little bit of a kirsch quality.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Inviting and elegant, with aromas of red fruit leading on to a textured palate of pure fruit and a lifted minerality. Lovely tension and an unforgettable finish.
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James Suckling
A delicious red with black-cherry and ripe-plum character. Medium body. Fresh acidity. Citrus undertones.
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.”
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.