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Cono Sur launches ‘ultra premium’ wine from young Chile appellation
Cono Sur releases its 20 Barrels Pinot Noir in Tesco this month, with the high-end wine hailing from an up-and-coming region in Chile.
Renowned Chilean producer Cono Sur, famous for its organic viticulture, launches a new “ultra premium” wine brand in the UK this month.
Available exclusively from Tesco, 20 Barrels Pinot Noir also introduces consumers to one of Chile’s newest wine appellations, which has great potential for cool-climate Pinot due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean.
Located next door to Casablanca, just 3km from the Pacific, San Antonio Valley’s first vines only went into the ground in 1997, but its vineyards have already proven perfect for making “rich and exceptional cool-climate Pinot Noir”, according to Cono Sur’s winemaking director Matías Ríos.
“This valley is greatly influenced by the nearby sea with its cool breezes that both refresh and ventilate the vineyard. These breezes, along with the foggy and cold mornings, ensure that the fruit ripens slowly, leading to fresher wines.”
San Antonio also counts Sauvignon Blanc (which accounts for 49% of the region’s plantings) and Chardonnay (8%) among its calling cards, with winemakers also excited about the quality of Syrah coming from the region. Soils in the valley are largely granitic, with a topsoil of clay, and well-drained, meaning vines are forced to grow deep, stabilising roots to look for water.
Due to San Antonio’s low rainfall, it is one of the more expensive Chilean regions in which to operate as drip irrigation and pipes to transport water must be installed at no small cost.
Ríos describes Cono Sur’s 20 Barrels Pinot Noir, which retails for £18, as being notable for its “elegance and great aromatic intensity.” On the palate, he says, the wine is “fresh and juicy with the perfect amount of acidity.”
Of the wine’s UK launch Ríos adds: “The inclusion of this wine through Tesco´s portfolio reinforces Viña Cono Sur’s leadership in premium Pinot Noir and also offers UK consumers the opportunity to enjoy the distinctive quality that the winery is known for.”
Cono Sur, which recently renewed its B-Corp certification, is recognised for its strong advocacy for Chilean Pinot Noir in a country often associated primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley.
To learn more about Cono Sur’s expertise with the grape variety, sign up here to a masterclass dedicated to Ocio, the producer’s icon Pinot Noir wine.
Hosted in association with the drinks business and taking place on Monday 2 September at Asia House, London, guests will be treated to a vertical tasting, and will have the opportunity to experience the evolution of this wine across the 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021 vintages of Ocio. Places are limited so it is recommended to register your interest soonest.
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