We absolutely love exploring the world’s many expressions of Pinot Noir! It’s a lifelong endeavor and we’re here for it. 😆
Tonight, we’re taking a sensory trip to South America and, more specifically, Río Negro, Patagonia 🇦🇷 – the most southerly wine-producing region of Argentina – where Antarctic currents, winds descending from the Andes, & high latitudes offer cooling influences, ideal for producing elegant Pinot Noir styles.
Bodega Chacra was established in 2003 by Tuscan Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (grandson of Sassicaia’s founding father) in search of purity and nuance in fruit expression from the terroir of Patagonia. 🍇
Piero now partners with esteemed Burgundian winemaker (and friend) Jean-Marc Roulot in the production process, each contributing their respective oenological “genes” to the final wine, which is first and foremost a child of the earth in Mainqué, Río Negro. 🌱
Paying utmost respect to the land, Bodega Chacra cares for its vineyards organically and biodynamically aided, in part, by the arid, windy conditions that naturally mitigate fungal pressure in the vineyard. Their fruit is harvested by hand, allowing for selectivity and the use of whole bunches during fermentation. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This wine is called ‘Cincuenta Y Cinco’ (fifty five) because its fruit comes from vines first planted in 1955, carefully preserved by the team at Bodega Chacra, whose oldest vines actually date back to 1932!
This wine was fermented in cement vats using native yeast, adapted to the environment and matured 11 months (50% in concrete, 50% in French oak of various ages) before release. ⚖️
In a word this wine is ethereal.
We served it with a slight chill. Its pristine, berry and cherry fruit profile, complements the delicate cherry blossom, peony 🌺 and baking spice notes. It’s light on its feet w/ medium alcohol (12% ABV) and bright acidity. It’s lovely & perfumed.
Cheers to Bodega Chacra and all of the beautiful Pinots of Patagonia! — a year ago
Drinkable every night. Great at price point. — 5 years ago
Pale garnet in color; cherries, strawberries, and dried leaves on the nose; high acidity; medium minus tannins; tastes like pomegranates, dried flowers, and crushed gravel with a long finish. Nellie doesn't Iike it, but really like this wine. It reminds me of Pinot Noir. Light fruity and earthy. — 7 months ago
If Sassicia is 💯 points for 2016 you had to figure their other wine was good as well, give it another 5-10 years without any issues. 2016 was a great year over-there. This at $45 or 2016 Sassicaia at $400.00 if you didn’t buy at $175.00 early
Wine Advocate 94+ review as follows,
This wine is showing exceptionally well in this classic vintage. The 2016 Guidalberto (Cabernet Sauvignon and a smaller percentage of Merlot) opens to a full and generous bouquet and a beautifully rich and velvety appearance. This edition of Tenuta San Guido's mid-level wine offers a bigger aromatic profile, more texture and more volume as well. Dark cherry and blackberry segue to spice, tar, leather and sweet fruit at the end. The mouthfeel is elegantly shaped, silky and nuanced. This may well be the best vintage of Guidalberto I have yet to taste—and you can get this wine at a great price too.
Just south of Livorno, Tuscany, lies the Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, and the Tenuta San Guido estate, where Sassicia is produced. The estate was originally owned by Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta, and has been managed since WWII by his son, Niccolo. A true pioneer in the Italian wine industry, his experimenting with the introduction of non-native varieties to Italy, resulted in the world-famous Sassicaia. In Italian, Sassicaia means "the place of many stones" and is used as the proprietary name for the estate's Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The vines of the Sassicaia vineyard were originally planted with cuttings from the prestigious Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. The wines of Sassicaia were so instrumental in creating the "Super-Tuscan" sensation that 1994, the Italian government granted Sassicaia its own DOC status in a sub-zone of the Bolgheri DOC. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats, and the wines are then aged in French oak barrique for 18 to 24 months prior to release. Sassicaia produces a second label called Guidalberto and recently released a third wine, Le Difese, that is virtually unavailable in the U.S.
— 3 years ago
One of the most amazing Pinot Noirs I've had in a long time. Bodega Chacra, an exciting venture by Piero Incisa della Rocchetta - grandson of Tenuta San Guido's (Sassicaia) founder- focused on Pinot Noir. This wine comes from biodynamically farmed 60 year-old vines in the Rio Negro Valley of Patagonia, and as its name suggests, there is no added sulphur (sin azufre). Clean, precise, pure, nothing funky in it. Vibrant, amazing 🍒 — 5 years ago
20231111 Park Hyatt with Alireza, Darioush and Wakano.
Nice wine
CHF? Ali's invitation — a year ago
Cherries and violets. Good acidity, tasty. — 2 years ago
Great value, and wonderful pasta wine. The balance of acidity, ripe fruit and depth was great for our Pommodoro sauce. — 4 years ago
Not much of a nose, but a bit fruity but kit strong. The flavor is bold cherry and hibiscus, with raspberry and ripe red fruits and high acidity. — 4 years ago
Larry Chase
Dark cherry notes. Had with grilled chicken but would also do well with dark chocolate — 6 months ago