Cincuenta y cinco pinot noir 2022 (Bodega Chacra)

Enjoy it now, or cellar for up to 15 years. Decanting optional, up to 30 minutes before serving. Bodega Chacra can be found on the northern side of Patagonia, in the region of Río Negro, where Burgundian varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive. Out of all of Chacra’s wines, Cincuenta y Cinco has the most tension, according to its creator. It shows a pungent nose of blueberry, strawberry and forest floor, with subtle hints of oak and iodine. Bodega Chacra was founded żeby Piero Incisa Della Rocchetta, a member of the famed Italian wine family that created Tenuta San Guido, in Tuscany. Northern Patagonia is a far cry from Piero’s homeland. It experiences a desert-like climate, tempered by cool winds that blow down from the Andes. This 100% Pinot Noir wine was harvested from old vines planted on pebbly soils that formed an ancient riverbed. On the palate, notes of blueberry mingle with red cherry, raspberry and intriguing undertones of tobacco smoke. It is a remarkably taut, precise wine, yet it manages to maintain an approachable character. There are earthy, animal notes to be found, along with a subtle minerality. It was aged for 11 months before release, in an even split of concrete tanks and French oak barrels. The finish is long and thirst-quenching. Consider pairing this Pinot Noir with roast chicken, tuna steak or a mushroom risotto.