Fine Chardonnay & Pinot Noir from an unexpected source

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Errazuriz, Las Pizarras

2021 Release

The name Las Pizarras (The Blackboards) references the large amounts of slate found in this vineyard, in Chile's Aconcagua Valley.

The temperature differences in this cold climate location and the uniqueness of its soils and elevations enable each small plot to ripen at its own pace. Because of its proximity to the cold Pacific Ocean and its well-drained soils with abundant slate, this vineyard gives rise to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah with exceptional complexity, depth, minerality and natural acidity.

I first tasted these last year and was struck by their Burgundian refinement. The Chardonnay was reminiscent of a Puligny Montrachet, whilst the Pinot Noir was akin to a Chorey-les-Beaune.

ETA June 2023

2021 Las Pizarras, Chardonnay

£269.00 per 6 Bot Case, in bond
£338.87 Duty & VAT paid

Punchy minerals cut through the creamy lemon and limey citrus, almost like licking wet stones! Some green apples, too. Steely, with a hint of white flowers and white almond. Very transparent and vertical but this is not a typical full-bodied chardonnay, it is rather linear, tense and electric. Sharpened minerality lingers in a lengthy, mineral finish. An extremely gastronomic and mouthwatering chardonnay. Drink now or hold.
98 points James Suckling

The grapes were hand-picked on the mornings of February 26th to March 1st to ensure the fruit was cool when it reached the winery. All of the fruit was pressed whole-cluster, and the juice was clarified by cold decanting, without the use of enzymes, before being racked to French oak barrels to be fermented with native yeasts. To preserve the fresh character of its origin, 40% of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 12 months in 400-litre French oak barrels, 30% new.

2021 Las Pizarras Pinot Noir

£180.00 per 6 Bot Case, in bond
£232.07 Duty & VAT paid

Exotic flowers, lavender and spices jump out from the glass with wild red and blue berries. Fresh goji berries, tile and mineral. Pure, juicy and tight on the palate with very chalky tannins. Mineral tension. Drink or hold.
96 points James Suckling

The grapes were hand-picked on the mornings of February 13th to March 17th and then double selected before being deposited in small open tanks to be fermented (10% whole-cluster). All of the fruit was cold-macerated at g° - 10° Celsius for 3 days before being fermented with native yeasts. Maceration lasted from 12 to 20 days. Las Pizarras Pinot Noir was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, 45% new.

The Vintage
This season was a bit colder than average, which allowed the grapes to ripen slowly, evenly, and with the tremendous quality that enabled the production of fresher, more elegant wines with great aromatic intensity and colour.