Decanter | D 94
Published: Jul 1, 2022

This liltingly fresh Pinot Noir is a world apart from many New World examples, with its high-toned currant and pomegranate fruit, hints of violets and firm minerality, and a purity that is astonishing. The texture is approachably supple, but not lacking depth or structure. The grapes are mostly destemmed, fermented on native yeasts in concrete, and aged in older barrels. The vines are own-rooted and biodynamically farmed. The result is nothing short of revolutionary for Argentinian wine.

Closure: Cork
Alcohol: 12.50%
Body: Medium
Oak: Lightly Oaked
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir / Pinot Nero

The Wine Advocate | RP 93+
Published: Nov 30, 2022
Drink: 2022-2027

The 2021 Barda has moderate ripeness and alcohol (12.5%) while retaining very good freshness. After fermenting with some 15% full clusters in concrete with indigenous yeasts, 60% of the volume matured in French oak barrels (10% of them new), usually the more structured lots, while the rest was kept in concrete (the lighter lots) to keep the freshness and crunchiness of Pinot Noir. It was conceived as an easy-to-drink wine from their younger vines, but it has more depth than just that and it's quite versatile with food. 2021 was a cooler year, with frost in the winter that killed all the bugs, and they had a good crop (they usually get 35 to 50 hectoliters per hectare, maybe a little higher for Barda). It's fresh, vertical and mineral with a saline twist that is more noticeable with lower alcohol. It's the same genetic material as the rest, a massal selection planted ungrafted with some 20 years of age, and he sometimes gets declassified grapes or wines from the older vineyards (Cincuenta y Cinco and Treinta y Dos). This is the true second wine from Chacra. It has a pale and bright ruby color and a very clean and expressive nose, with some leafy notes, red fruit, hints of orange peel and a vibrant palate with purity of flavors, young and energetic. Piero Incisa told me this vintage reminds him of 2013; so, I looked up my description of that wine, and it is quite similar to this. Delicious and amazing value. A perfect introduction to Chacra... 70,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2022.

Chacra is the fully certified organic and biodynamic project in Río Negro (Patagonia) from Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (you might recognize the Sassicaia surname here). He works 25 hectares of red grapes and a further 15 hectares of Chardonnay, all ungrafted and massal selections in Mainqué. Four years ago, they stopped using any chemicals in the vineyard, even sulfur, and have increased the number of beehives and replaced the capsules by beeswax. He has lowered the use of barrels (almost none new) and increased amphorae and concrete, aiming at enhancing the floral, mineral and energy aspects of their wines. They have built a new underground barrel room with bricks made out of local clay and stopped the use of refrigeration, instead using the natural temperature and also humidity (and salt from the river). Evaporation there is lower, and he finds the wines age better. He has also planted a further 30,000 poplar trees to give shade to the vines. Production varies between 125,000 and 135,000 bottles, depending on the vintage. For the white wines, he has the help of Jean-Marc Roulot.

2021 was quite cold but with a warm summer, which is normal in the region that delivered medium-bodied wines with floral and fruit-driven aromas and around 12.5% alcohol. I had a very long tasting with Piero and discussed the wines thoroughly. He wants to make the most delicious wines with no science, but he doesn't like Brett; though he is quite tolerant with volatility, which he says is quite high in all his wines but somehow is not noticeable. Since he introduced the bees, he's never had a fermentation stop. They work with cover crops (seven different ones, mainly mustard), and they are optimizing the use of water for irrigation. The organic and biodynamic approach is delivering results, and the plants are balanced after 20 years of respectful viticulture. The wines are clean, balanced, fresh and pure, alive. They have the protection from the lees, and depending on the years, they filter or not.
He has the idea to build a new separate winery for the wines with no sulfur (no more than 25,000 bottles) and is producing new wines, a Syrah, a Bastardo (Trousseau) and a Moscatel, and he has also regrafted a little Poulsard. He's also working in the social aspect of the people who work in the winery, food from the vegetable garden and even houses with solar panels...

Jamessuckling.com | JS 93
Published: Apr 11, 2022

This has aromas of currants, blueberries, cherry blossom, brewed tea, seashells and seaweed. Medium-bodied with very sleek tannins. Savory and succulent with excellent freshness. Hints of cocoa and tea at the end. Drink or hold. From biodynamically grown grapes.