2021 Errazuriz, Las Pizarras, Chardonnay, Aconcagua Costa, Chile
Critics reviews
The 2021 Las Pizarras Chardonnay is stunning, with amazing parameters, 12.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.07 and 8.63 grams of acidity that gives it an austere profile, elegant, vibrant, mineral and pure, extremely clean, chiseled and symmetric, with an effervescent palate and the intensely mineral and salty character that defines the best vintage of this wine. The full clusters were pressed and the juice fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels, where it matured for 12 months. This is a wine with full development of aromas and flavors, subtly nuanced (marzipan, pear, white flowers) with very integrated oak and stunning precision, finishing very dry. Delicate and elegant. It's among the finest vintages, with less power than 2015, vertical and with good structure, more Chablis than Meursault. Superb!
Drink 2023 - 2032
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (April 2023)
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
James Suckling, jamesuckling.com (March 2023)
About this WINE
Errazuriz
Vina Errazuriz was established by Don Maximiano Errazuriz in 1870 and today the company is run by his descendent, Eduardo Chadwick. The company has four separate estates, with its original estate and spiritual heartland being in the Panquehue sub-region of the Aconcagua Valley. Here the vines benefit from the cool and rainy winters, as well as the warm summers. Most importantly, the majority of the vineyards are situated on slopes, which ensures that the grapes reach optimum ripeness.
Californian winemaker Ed Flaherty joined in 1997 and he has taken the wines to new heights, largely through fine-tuning vineyard practices and by reducing yields.
Without doubt one of the very best Chilean producers.
Aconcagua Valley
Aconcagua, 80km from the capital Santiago, north of Casablanca and south of Limari, is the last east-west tranversal valley before the long, north-south Central Valley begins. It is named after the highest peak in the Andes, Mt. Aconcagua (6,959m) and is made up of two very distinct zones. The interior of Aconcagua, Panquehue, is Chile's hottest, driest wine region, while the new vineyards located closer to the Pacific coast produce wines with pronounced exotic flavours.
Pure Andean water, a stable climate, clear skies and low risk of frost create ideal conditions for wine growing. Cool currents from both the Pacific Ocean and the snow-capped Andes Mountains help to maintain good acidity in the grapes, while the sunny and intensely hot summers ensure full levels of fruit ripeness.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere dominate the production and they have been grown here since the mid 19th century, yet since the 1990s the region has witnessed an enthusiastic interest in Syrah.
Aconcagua is Errazuriz's base
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
From the Aconcagua Costa estate, in the coastal area of the valley that sits just over 10km from the Pacific coastline. The Las Pizarras Chardonnay benefits from a diverse micro-climate that includes unique soils, coastal influence and cool temperatures owing to the altitude. The result is a wine of complexity and ripeness, but also finesse and delicacy. The nose shows delicate stone fruits and wet stone notes, warming to slightly more tropical fruit. The palate is incredibly fresh, the acidity is mouthwatering and accompanies lots of ripe citrus. Continues to linger on the palate for some time. This will make a lovely aperitif or pair with lighter fresh seafood.
Drink now and until 2029
Paul Keating, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2023)
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