The grapes that go into our 2007 Pinot Noir Wild Ferment come from our La Escultura vineyards, which is located west of Santiago in the Casablanca Valley. Just 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, it is affected by cool coastal breezes that moderate the temperatures during the ripening period. This allows the grapes to ripen gradually and completely while developing pleasing aromas and flavours and maintaining desired acidity levels, which makes the Casablanca Valley particularly suitable to grow the Pinot Noir variety.
Most of the drip-irrigated, vertically positioned vineyard was planted in 1996 with Pinot Noir clones 115 and 777. The soils at La Escultura vineyards are shallow with a clay loam texture and low vigour potential. The vineyard was managed to obtain a yield of 6 ton/ha.

Climate: Mediterranean. Moderately warm summer days with morning fog
               and cool afternoon breezes. Rainfall occurs mainly in winter.
Soil: Clay loam soil with low vigour potential.

Picking Date: 17th to 19th of April

Historic Averages:

Heat Summation (Oct-Apr): 1,460 degree days (19ºC/66.2ºF cut-off)
Mean Temperature (Oct-Apr): 17.1°C/62.8ºF
Temperature Oscillation (Oct-Apr): 18.3°C / 32.9°F
Rainfall (year round): 450 mm (17.7 inches)

Temperature records confirm that the 2006–2007 season was a relatively cold one. The final heat summation of 1,401 degree days was very close to the prior season, and 59 degree days below the average of past six years. Taking a closer look at temperature data analyzed month by month, some particularities can be found in comparison with 2005-2006 season. October and November were warmer than average, but the subsequent ripening period was cold, and the historic high temperatures for the final six months (December to March) were lower than the historic average. As a consequence, this was a very good season for our 2007 Wild Ferment Pinot Noir in terms of preserving aromas and acidity because the grapes were able to reach ripeness at a slow pace.

Our 2007 Wild Ferment Pinot Noir is made by fermenting the grapes with the native yeasts that are naturally present on their skins. These native strains provide a broader combination and proportion of biological products than commercial yeasts do because of the stressful conditions that native yeast are subjected to during the fermenting process, and this allows the wine to develop distinctive aromas and flavours that bring more complexity. Prior to alcoholic fermentation, the grapes are gently destemmed and undergo a 5-7 day cold maceration at 8°C (46°F). Once the alcoholic fermentation has completed, the new wine remained on its skins until 13-28 days of total skin contact were completed, and was then oak aged for 9 months in Burgundy-style French oak barrels, 1/3 of which were new.

Bright ruby red colour, our Pinot Noir Wild Ferment 2007 features floral aromas of red roses and violets, along with red fruits with a light touch of smoke and earth on the nose. The palate shows good volume accompanied by intense cherry and strawberry flavours. Well-balanced acidity lends pleasing freshness that combines with an elegant French oak suppleness and ends with a very long finish.