Chilean Pinot Noir is not something I have a lot of experience with, so I was happy to get to taste three side-by-side as a part of the Wines of Chile Terroir Master Class blogger tasting. I’ve previously posted about the three Sauvignon Blancs that were a part of the tasting. And there will be two future posts on the other varietals included: Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Emiliana Novas Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2010 Casablanca Valley ($19)

Pretty strawberry and raspberry aromas with a puff of smoke and a little bit of barnyard as it opens up. On the palate, the fruit leans to cherry with a light earthy note. A nicely balanced wine. (ORGANIC)

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Cono Sur ’20 Barrels’ Pinot Noir 2009 Casablanca Valley ($32)

Seductive tobacco notes dominate the nose of this wine, with bright red fruit playing second fiddle. On the palate, the smooth, luscious texture and sweet fruit makes this a sexy Pinot, for sure.

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Morandé Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2009 Casablanca Valley ($18)

A complex and rich nose, with the red fruit accented by tobacco (not quite as much as the Cono Sur) and a bit of earthy funk. Lovely cool red fruit flavors with bright acidity and a clear cinnamon red-hot note.

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All three of these wines are from Casablanca Valley, one of the coolest wine regions in Chile. Despite the cool temps, the fruit gets very ripe due to the abundance of sunshine. So these are definitely New World pinots. All three are enjoyable to drink and worth checking out if you like the style. I’d probably choose the Cono Sur for drinking on it’s own and the Novas or Morandé for dinner.

Salud!