2014 Ocio Pinot Noir

The top of the range for Pinot Noir is the 2014 Ocio Pinot Noir, which is sourced from the oldest plants of the variety in the Casablanca Valley that were planted in 1980. Eighty-five percent of the grapes come from the Fundo El Triángulo, 75 kilometers north of Santiago and 20 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean on granite, red clay and sand soils. The remaining 15% of grapes come from Fundo Campo Lindo in San Antonio, from a coastal part some 15 kilometers from the sea. The fermentation is very similar to the rest of the wines from the variety—uncrushed grapes fermented with neutral yeasts in open vats, but here half of the wine matured in new French barriques and the other half in oak foudres for some 14 months followed by another two months in stainless steel at 10 degrees Celsius. In the previous vintage, most of the wine matured in new barriques and 10% was kept in cement eggs, and the wine felt oakier. Now the oak feels subtler and better integrated. I found the wine as extraordinary as the 2013, at a similar quality level, with elegance, depth and complexity, perfect ripeness and integrated oak. It's subtle and fresh, with a mixture of sour cherries, blood oranges and oriental spices. It has a perfectly harmonious palate with a velvety texture, but as the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, it's more powerful than you might think. This is a superb Pinot Noir, among the best from Chile. 12,000 bottles were filled in July 2015.