PalateMatch

Today I am tasting the 2009 Porta Reserva Pinot Noir from the Bio Bio Valley region in Chile. This bottle was purchased for under $10 and is made with fruit from the Negrete Estate Vineyard. It is aged in oak for 8 to 10 months.

Color

In the glass this wine is a very light ruby red. You can easily see through it. This isn’t a red flag as pure Pinot Noir based wines are often thin.

Aroma

On the nose I get a fair amount of the oak, but there is also a blackberry component which is nice. In addition, I get substantial notes of tar and burnt wood. It doesn’t have an explosive nose, but it is interesting. None of the sulfur notes some Pinot Noir wines show. If you are put off by the poopy smells of some Pinot Noirs (I am not), then this wine will not affect your sensitivity to that aroma.

Flavor

On the attack there is a subtle strawberry flavor mixed with a hint of red cherry. The mid-palate shows a lot more cherries and the finish is average with some decent tannins. This is not a complex wine and is on the lighter-bodied side. It is not over-oaked. I think the winemaker has done a good job of letting the grapes show us what they have to offer and has not over extracted it. This wine will go very well with pork and chicken dishes.

Rating

I think this is a solid wine for pairing with a meal. For me it is a bit plain for me to get too excited about it. It might match your palate better. I rate it 85 points.

Today I am tasting the 2008 Vision Pinot Noir by Cono Sur from the Colchagua Valley of Chile. This 100% Pinot Noir varietal wine is shipped in a CarbonNeutral fashion and is generally available for around $13. This is the first bottle I have had in their Vision level of wines and I am very excited to see how it compares to their standard 2008 Cono Sur Pinot Noir. Vina Cono Sur is especially noted for their Pinot Noir having New World character with Old World Burgundian craftsmanship.

Color

In the glass it is a light red typical of a good Pinot Noir.

Aroma

Initially there is a bit of the wet dog, sulfur on the nose. It quickly is replace by a super strawberry component. It is a aromatically pleasing nose.

Flavor

On the attack there are ripe strawberries and some cherry. The transition to the mid-palate shows good raspberry and blackberry components. The finish is one of the smoothest I have had recently with a hint of chocolate in the mix with the berries. This is a complex wine with lots of flavors, good acidity and will pair very well with chicken and pork dishes.

Rating

I highly recommend this wine. It is a great match for my palate and very food friendly. I rate it 93 points.

Today we are tasting the 2008 Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir from the Valle Central in Chile. This bottle of 100% Pinot Noir was acquired for under $8. Pepperwood is from Don Sebastiani & Sons. They are a international wine negociant with appellation driven labels. One really awesome thing is that they use a plastic cork and emphasize that it is a #4 recyclable. So even though they don’t make the wine, at least they bottle it well.

Color

In the glass it has good dark ruby red color, but still very thin such as a Pinot Noir should be.

Aroma

Blackberry and mulberry are on the nose as well as quite a bit of oak. After breathing most of the oak blows off.

Flavor

There is sweet black cherry on the attack. Substantial cola flavors dominate the mid-palate and it finishes with a dry black pepper and snap peas. This is not a complex wine and is light bodied, but it shows some interesting integration of dark fruit and vegetables. It will pair well with chicken and pork.

Rating

Slightly simple, but very good value. We rate it 86 points.

What is your opinion of this Pinot?

Today I am tasting the 2008 Pinot Noir from the Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery in the Valle Central, Chile. I’ve previously discussed the wonderful job this organization is doing to adhere to strict environmental standards. I’ve also reviewed a prior vintage in the 2007 Cono Sur Pinot Noir. I found this bottle of 100% Pinot Noir for under $9. 35% of it is aged in oak barrels for 4 months while the rest is kept in Stainless Steel. Once again the package is nice with a desirable purple screw top.

Color

This is a traditional color in the glass for a Pinot Noir. It is thin and a nice ruby color.

Aroma

The nose is spectacular on this wine. It has a lot of the wet dog and sweaty aromas in it. There is also red currant and red plum.

Flavor

The attack is full of red fruit. Red currant, cherry, and strawberry are present. The sour cherry is really strong on the mid-palate. The finish has some astringent character along with lingering cherries. It is not a long finish. This wine should pair well with pork and chicken. It is on the lighter end of the scale for red wines.

Rating

This is a very New World styled wine with plenty of red fruit. It is easy to drink and reasonably priced. It is a touch too light for me. I rate it 87 points. I thought the 2007 vintage was slightly better.

I’d love to find their Organic wines and some of their higher end offerings (Ocio, 20 Barrels Limited, Vision, Reserva). Have you found them? If so, were they good?