Barda Pinot Noir 2021

This liltingly fresh Pinot Noir is a world apart from many New World examples, with its high-toned currant and pomegranate fruit, hints of violets and firm minerality, and a purity that is astonishing. The texture is approachably supple, but not lacking depth or structure. The grapes are mostly destemmed, fermented on native yeasts in concrete, and aged in older barrels. The vines are own-rooted and biodynamically farmed. The result is nothing short of revolutionary for Argentinian wine.

The 2021 Barda has moderate ripeness and alcohol (12.5%) while retaining very good freshness. After fermenting with some 15% full clusters in concrete with indigenous yeasts, 60% of the volume matured in French oak barrels (10% of them new), usually the more structured lots, while the rest was kept in concrete (the lighter lots) to keep the freshness and crunchiness of Pinot Noir. It was conceived as an easy-to-drink wine from their younger vines, but it has more depth than just that and it's quite versatile with food. 2021 was a cooler year, with frost in the winter that killed all the bugs, and they had a good crop (they usually get 35 to 50 hectoliters per hectare, maybe a little higher for Barda). It's fresh, vertical and mineral with a saline twist that is more noticeable with lower alcohol. It's the same genetic material as the rest, a massal selection planted ungrafted with some 20 years of age, and he sometimes gets declassified grapes or wines from the older vineyards (Cincuenta y Cinco and Treinta y Dos). This is the true second wine from Chacra. It has a pale and bright ruby color and a very clean and expressive nose, with some leafy notes, red fruit, hints of orange peel and a vibrant palate with purity of flavors, young and energetic. Piero Incisa told me this vintage reminds him of 2013; so, I looked up my description of that wine, and it is quite similar to this. Delicious and amazing value. A perfect introduction to Chacra... 70,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2022.

This has aromas of currants, blueberries, cherry blossom, brewed tea, seashells and seaweed. Medium-bodied with very sleek tannins. Savory and succulent with excellent freshness. Hints of cocoa and tea at the end. Drink or hold. From biodynamically grown grapes.