Last month, we had three named storms in one week, so what does the end of winter and beginning of spring have in store for us? With bad weather, cold nights and staying in to cosy up with a glass of red wine on a chilly night, Pinot Noir has the right amount of warming spice and complexity to chase away those remaining winter blues. With that in mind, Viña Leyda's new 2020 Reserva Pinot Noir would be a great choice!
With 2,000 hectares of vineyards, Viña Leyda is the most awarded coastal winery of Chile. Renowned for its Pinot Noir, the winery has been a pioneer since they began to plant vineyards in the area in 1998, before the Leyda Valley was recognised as an appellation of origin (DO). Due to the lack of natural sources of water in this area, the land is very dry. So, Viña Leyda had to invest in the construction of an eight kilometre pipeline in order to irrigate the fields with water from the Maipo River.
Viña Leyda's mission has always been to produce elegant, unique wines with great character and a strong sense of identity that reflect the terroir. Chief Winemaker, Viviana Navarrete, is an expert in cool climate, coastal grape varieties that grow well in the Leyda Valley. She was named Tim Atkin's Winemaker of the Year in 2020.
Commercial production using Leyda's registered trademark began in 2001 under the San Antonio appellation. However, it was clear that the coastal influence, climate and differences in soil were producing very different wines than those from the San Antonio Valley. As a result, a request was made to recognise the Leyda Valley as a DO, which was granted in May 2002. Only a few producers own and operate land here, making these wines even more exclusive.
The Humboldt Current is a cold-water current in the south-east Pacific Ocean, flowing north along the western coast of South America.
The cool weather conditions in the Leyda Valley are influenced both by sea breezes and by the Humboldt Current. This makes the valley ideal for growing cool-climate red varieties like Pinot Noir and Syrah.
There were higher than usual temperatures in 2020, especially in January and February, but they gave way to cloudy conditions in March, which slowed down ripening slightly. The ripening window was short, so the winemaking challenge was to react quickly in order to harvest at the optimal moment. The harvest in 2020 was 14 days earlier than usual.
This wine is made from grapes grown in two vineyards: 'El Maitén' (12km from the Pacific Ocean), planted in 2008, and 'El Granito' (only 4km from the ocean, making it one of the most extreme in Chile), planted in 2010. Granitic soils at El Maitén are said to contribute vibrant and juicy notes to the wine, while red clay provides creaminess and viscosity. El Granito's soils are on marine terraces with granite in the profile, delivering wines of aromatic intensity, freshness and depth.
While single clone planting is widespread, Massal selection is a traditional method of planting vineyards, using a selection of the best vines from a nearby older vineyard with their unique genetic characteristics. This preserves genetic diversity and may mitigate against the risks of climate change and disease pressures if particular vines prove more resistant.
The Reserva wines represent the Leyda terroir and always aim to respect the fruit and identity of each variety. For this Pinot Noir, several clones are used, as well as sélection massale (massal selection), contributing different characteristics.
Each plot and clone are separately harvested by hand. Grapes are destemmed, gently crushed and put into stainless steel tanks. Two to three days of cold maceration follow, before the must is fermented with selected yeasts for 10 to 12 days. Then 20% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for six months. ABV is 13%.
Appearance: Pale ruby red.
Nose: Red fruit notes with hints of spice, herbs, iodine and a hint of smoke.
Palate: Fresh, light, vibrant and juicy with notes of cherries 🍒, ripe red berries 🍓, a gentle earthy, savoury edge with hints of wild herbs 🌿 and liquorice plus mild tannins and a touch of white pepper spice on the finish.
Food Pairing: Very versatile, but particularly good with pheasant, venison, roasted vegetables, white meat and fish dishes.
🍷 So chase away the seasonal chill with this pure, cool-climate expression of Pinot Noir, available now from Tesco, priced £12 per bottle! 🍷
