Christopher Deas, Italian Wine Merchants: “The Cincuenta y Cinco, pure Pinot Noir from a vineyard planted in 1955 as captured in its name - Cincuenta y Cinco). It is vibrant expression that screams Bodega Chacra right from the glass on the nose and palate. All the signature red fruit nuances are there, it is an explosion of red and blue fruit with bright cherries, raspberries, pomegranate, cranberries, a touch of citrus along with the perfect accent of crushed flowers, dried herbs and earth. For IWM team, this is the most delicate, finessed and arguably purest expression to date – at just 12% alcohol, this is a wine that you can drink the whole bottle (as we did) and not feel the aftermath. While elegant and light on its feet, there is a concentrated core that persistently builds and lingers, echoing throughout the palate that says Cincuenta y Cinco. With air-time, the wine gains weight and texture and it is our recommendation that it should be allowed to breathe. What can we say, we love this Burgundian-like expression that remains uniquely Patagonia and continues to make you rethink what the noble varietal can achieve outside the Cote d’Or. Well done, once again.”
- COUNTRY: Argentina
- REGION: Patagonia
- SUB REGION: Rio Negro
Bodega Chacra is the Sassicaia meets Burgundy story in many ways, but with the additional influence of Rudolf Steiner on the wind-swept plains of the Rio Negro Valley. Here, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, the grandson of the late Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, the individual responsible for Sassicaia and launching what became the Super Tuscan movement, delivers the same passion and avant-garde spirit of his grandfather but with Pinot Noir. In fact, Piero searched the world in pursuit of the perfect Pinot vines and he found them in the abandoned vineyards of Patagonia, Argentina. The old vineyards were planted in 1932 and 1955, and what makes them even more unique is that these are true pre-phylloxera vines – pure Pinot Noir sans the American rootstock. To complement this fairytale-like story, the wines not only reflect the old vines or the terroir of the desert and influence of the Andes, but Piero’s biodynamic (Demeter Certified) and “pure winemaking” approach that rejects modern machinery, chemical insecticides, and the abusive use of sulfites. Few Pinots we have tasted are this clean, aromatic and pure, or deliver such a palate-staining finish with concentration - while remaining so light on their feet.
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