2022 Laberinto "Cenizas de Laberinto" Pinot Noir Maule Valley

Salted plums, savory berries, cooked grapefruit and touches of chalk and moss. Juicy and medium-bodied on the palate with good mid-palate volume and a long, flavorful finish. Remains ethereal in nature. 20% whole clusters.

Some of the best value Pinot Noirs in the world come from Chile, there is not a lot that makes it to our shelves, but what does make it the quality always exceeds the price point. It should be no surprise that the Pinot Noir from Laberinto is extraordinarily good. Everything that Rafael Tirado makes is exceptional. To me, their Sauvignon Blanc is one of the great examples of the varietal in the world. It is a very special combination of winemaker and terroir. And this is a very special and unique terroir, for any varietal but especially for Pinot Noir. Located in the foothills of the Andes, on the shores of a mountain lake, surrounded by coniferous forests, this is a hidden treasure of a vineyard. The vines are planted in poor soils composed of colluvial stones and volcanic ash. I cannot think of another Pinot that comes from a similar place. This is a delicately colored wine, making me think of old school Burgundy or wines from the Jura. The wine's aromatics are lifted and complex. Ripe mixed fruit tones with a complex mix of herbs and forest floor. It has focus and purity with absolutely no funk earthy tones. This wine does that great trick Pinot can do, the one where it is a lighter bodied wine, but the intensity of the flavors makes it feel much fuller. The red fruits have a slight tart edge, red currant, some strawberries and raspberries. Behind the fruit is a cool mineral edge, very similar to what you find in volcanic island red wines. However, there are no earthy, funky tones. This is berries, some herbal elements and stones. And a very long finish that lingers and somehow creates the impression of the wine having more weight than it does. This is an incredible wine, for a crazy low price. This does what I think the best Chilean wines do, it feels “European” but has a “North American” quality to the fruit. It is a tricky path to walk, to find a way that is appealing to both audiences, but we should expect that it was easy for a winemaker who planted a labyrinth in their vineyards.