In The Glass – Alsacian Pinot Noir from Chile

I taste a lot of different wines from all over the world – and normally only wines from Burgundy, Champagne, Mosel and Bordeaux are mentioned on the blog. There are however no rules without exceptions and these Alsacian Pinot Noirs from Chile deserves to be mentioned.

The man behind these wines is the quite unconventional alsacian vigneron André Ostertag, who has challenged the conventional methods of winemaking in Alsace more than once.

The Montsecano project

André Ostertag began the Montsecano project back in 2005 where the vineyards in Casablanca valley were planted with Pinot Noir. The valley near Santiago is according to André Ostertag one of the coolest in Chile, thus also a optimal place to grow Pinot Noir.

The first vintage was 2008, and they now makes two wines – Refugio a entry level Pinot Noir, and Montsecano the top cuvee.

To compensate for the very young vines they keep the yields very low – and the viticulture is biodynamic – and only a small amounts of SO² is used.

The wines … Alsacian Pinot from Chile!!

I tasted three wines – the Refugio 2010, Montsecano 2010 and 2009. The two 2010 wines impressed me a lot, while the 2009 Montsecano was too hot for my palate, with quite high alcohol level. The 2009 was more or less as expected – but the 2010s showed balance and cool fruit – qualities not often found in pinot made outside Burgundy.

André Ostertag was quite open about the slight overripeness in the 2009 – and preferred the 2010s himself – should have harvested the 09 a bit earlier. It will be very interesting to follow these wines – If they can maintain the cool style of the 2010s in future vintages.

Refugio 2010

The Refugio 2010 offer very good drinkability. In the nose fine cool red berry fruit with notes of cherries spiced with a hint of elderberries and a stony minerality. On the palate cool red fruit, balanced by a crisp acidity and a hint of stony minerality in the finish. A nice fruity wine … with a nice mineralic edge in the finish. A enjoyable pinot.

Montsecano 2010

The Montsecano 2010 is a big step up in concentration. The nose is crammed with redberry fruit – cherries, elderberries – with hints of elderflowers and stony minerality. On the palate more rich and intense fruit – pure and cool – with a lovely mineralic finish. It’s fruity and well balanced and quite refined. A quite impressive effort …. a lovely glass of pinot.

Danish importer: Vinrosen, UK importer: Fields, Morris & Verdin