Renowned American wine critic James Suckling elaborated the Top 100 best Chilean wines 2020 list. In it, Marques de Casa Concha’s 2018 Pinot Noir shows at N°31, consolidating winemaker Marcelo Papa’s brand as one of the three best Pinot Noir in Chile.
From the Limarí Valley’s San Julián vineyard, which has clay and calcium carbonate-rich soils, as well as cold temperatures and cloudy mornings, this 2018 vintage surprises with intense strawberry and raspberry aromas. It has a refined texture, with notes of cherries, raspberries, and licorice, in addition to its delicate character and excellent structure, exuberance, and finesse.
In the report, Zekun Shuai, associate editor in Beijing, expressed that one of the most surprising strains this year was the Pinot Noir. It held 13 places in the ranking since its varieties have had the highest production and demand increase.
“They managed to turn around Chile’s situation with pinot, moving from simple wines with sweet-and-sour fruit qualities to producing fine elixirs with true poise, elegance, structure, and above all, ethereality. Now the question is not whether Chile can make excellent pinot noirs. What we must ask ourselves is how far Chilean pinot noirs can go,” commented Shuai.
Quality (score), value (retail price), consistency, availability, and a “wow factor” are the list’s main criteria published on the website www.jamessuckling.com.
