| PINOT NOIR 2010
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Appellation: Valle de Aconcagua
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 14 % by vol.
PH: 3.5
Total Acidity: 5.63 gr/l, (tartaric acid)
Residual Sugar: 3.27 g/l
VINEYARD
The Arboleda Pinot Noir 2010 grapes originate from our Chilhué vineyard, a terroir consisting of 1,047 hectares of gentle hills rising 100 to 300 meters above sea level. Due to its location only 12 km from the Pacific Ocean, Chilhué has a heat accumulation that varies from 1,199 degrees per day in the cooler sectors to 1,331 degrees per day in the warmer sectors, with a mean temperature of 18.4oC in January. These unique conditions are ideal for cultivating cool climate varieties such as Pinot Noir. 35 hectares of this variety were planted between 2005 and 2009 using clones 777, 9 and 16. The Chilhue vineyard is located over old metamorphic coastal rocks, primarily slate or schist. These rocks generate surface fractures that are usually horizontal and generate root systems that extend deep between the rocks in a stair-like manner. The surface soils above the rock are essentially sandy clay with the presence of fractured micro-rocks that improve porosity. The vineyard's morphology is classic, with steep slopes with 5 to 30% gradients. They have drip irrigation and are conducted using a trellis with a vertical shoot system on soils that have a thin 40 – 80 cm loamy texture layer on a sublayer of clay and stones.
Climate: Mediterranean, with moderately warm days, morning fog and cool night breezes. Precipitations occur mainly during winter.
Soils: Loamy – clay with low vigor potential.
VINTAGE NOTES
Harvest Date: from mid March to the first two weeks of april
Historic Averages:
• Heat summation (october-april): 1,460 degrees per day
• Mean termperature (october-april): 16.8oC
• Thermal oscillation(october-april): 16.5 oC - Annual rainfall: 450 mm
A benevolent winter caused blooming along the Aconcagua Costa to occur earlier, (end of July in the higher altitude zones). However, at the beginning of September, temperatures fell once again causing a delay in shoot growth. The maximum, minimum and mean temperatures on average 1.8oC less than temperatures in the previous year during the same period of time. Afterwards, the vines presented normal evolution compared to the previous season. April, however, recorded mean temperatures that were lower than the previous season which in turn delayed the harvest by one week when compared to the previous year. No frosts were recorded during the growth season. The final thermal accumulation was 1,158 degrees, 41 degrees less than the 2009 season. With regards to yields, the setting was adversely affected due to a chilly November and therefore the white varieties yielded 25% less than expected. All of the aforementioned resulted in a harvest marked by excellent quality, concentration and fruit expression with very healthy grapes and a highly expressive, aromatic and fresh Pinot Noir.
VINIFICATION
Our Arboleda Pinot Noir 2010 was elaborated using native yeasts which are naturally found in grape skins. These yeasts provide a greater combination and proportion of subproducts under the demanding conditions created by the fermentation process and thus, the wine develops a broader spectrum of aromas and distinct, complex flavors. Prior to alcoholic fermentation, the berries were gently destemmed and subjected to cold maceration at 8oC for a period of four to seven days and then alcoholic fermentation was performed in open tanks or "open tops". Contact time with the skins was increased from eight to twenty days. The wine was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, 25% of which were new.
WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS
Delicate, ruby red in color, our Arboleda Pinot Noir conveys elegance, complexity and balance in the nose, with fragrant aromas of red fruits such as strawberries and rose hip highlighted by subtler notes of soil and moisture laced with toast and smoke undertones provided by the barrel storage. On the palate, its excellent typicity of flavors is confirmed by a broad and generous entrance sustained by fine tannins and a refreshing acidity which extends the flavors providing a pleasant persistence. |