Bodega Chacra Barda Pinot Noir 2023

Bodega Chacra is a winery established in 2004 by Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, grandson of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who created Sassicaia. Piero was captivated by the purity of Patagonian Pinot Noir he tasted in a blind tasting in New York and purchased an abandoned vineyard planted in 1932 in the Rio Negro Valley of northern Patagonia. Later, with the addition of a planting section from 1955, the winery came to possess some of the world's oldest ungrafted Pinot Noir vineyards. The region is a marginal climate, located between the Andes and the Atlantic Ocean, characterized by dryness, intense sunlight, and a constant threat of frost.

'Barda' means 'eroded steep slope' in the local language, and this wine is primarily made from grapes from the youngest section of the domaine, planted in 1990, with some grapes added from older vineyards. The vines are massal selection and own-rooted (pie franco), planted in sandy soil. All grapes are hand-harvested and hand-sorted, then undergo natural yeast fermentation at low temperatures in concrete tanks. The wine is aged for 11 months in 50% concrete and 50% French oak (15% new oak) before being bottled without filtration. Total SO2 is less than 40 ppm.

In the glass, it displays a clear, pale ruby color. On the nose, fragrant notes of cherry, cranberry, and wild strawberry unfold, followed by nuances of white peach, sandalwood, dry earth, and savory, meaty aromas. On the palate, the structure is open from the start, flowing lightly with a medium body. Thanks to low alcohol and straight acidity, a crispness is maintained throughout. The tannins are softly enveloping, and the minerality from the desert soil provides a clean finish. This is a transparent and mineral style, distinct from the common perception of New World Pinot Noir.