El Infiernillo Single Vineyard Pinot Noir
The Infiernillo vineyard sits in a sleepy corner of Maule, nestled up to the Andes Mountains. Loosely translated to ‘little hell’, Infiernillo gets its name from the Descabazado volcano which sits in the mountain range above. It’s a 60+ year old, 8 hectare Pinot Noir block which produces fantastic grapes and in this single vineyard wine, the wine makers aim is to capture the exuberance and freshness fostered in this ‘little hell’ site.
Coming from a single block of fruit planted back in 2000, the Pinot Noir grapes benefit from alluvial soils, a long ripening season and optimum diurnal temperature variation. In 2015, winemaker Eric Monnin sent 20 French oak barrels to Chile – half new oak and half second fill. These were used to age the wine, adding complexity and finesse. Barrels are then blended to create a wine with weight and complexity but still shot through with fruit. The result is clean, ripe fruit perfect for this modern Pinot.
A Pinot Noir of this quality at this price is a rare thing indeed.
