Casas del Bosque Casablanca Reserva Pinot Noir 2019

The 2019 Casas del Bosque Reserva Pinot Noir is a light, delicious, fruit-forward Pinot Noir that offers a charming aroma of freshly picked cherries and strawberries, spritely fruit flavors, and gentle acidity born of Casablanca’s sea breezes. This lithe Pinot Noir finishes fresh and clean with touches of woodland berries and freshly cut hay. Casas del Bosque was among the first to recognize Casablanca’s potential for cool weather varietals and planted their first Pinot Noir vineyards there in 1993. More than two decades ago I visited Casablanca and watched as vineyard workers planted rows of Pinot Noir in that green picturesque valley. I wondered if Casablanca could produce a charming varietal Pinot Noir to rival France’s simple but delicious Bourgogne rouge. Now I know. The 2019 Casas del Bosque Reserva Pinot Noir more than measures up, and at a price that won’t break the bank. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest serving the 2019 Casas del Bosque Reserva Pinot Noir at cool room temperature (58°-62° F) after 15-20 minutes of aeration. Anticipated maturity: 2021-2023. Enjoy!

Although beef and lamb traditionally hold court throughout Chile and Argentina with those countries’ full-bodied Cabernets, Carmenères, and Malbecs, Pinot Noir dances to a different drum. Consider pairing Casas del Bosque’s charming 2019 Reserva Pinot Noir with charcuterie, cold meats, pâtés, and grilled vegetables. Slow-cooked pork barbeque with grilled asparagus and goat cheese, or asparagus wrapped with prosciutto makes a splendid, tasty pairing. A salad of fried sheep or goat cheese with caramelized onions, red pepper jelly, basil oil, and arugula provides another tasty accompaniment. Tuna sliders with wasabi and caper aioli makes another fine match. Salmon, poultry, and grilled shitake mushrooms provide other wonderful pairings. Buen Provecho!!

Chile continues to be the world’s most consistent source of exceptional wines for quality, value, and variety, which is due largely to a burgeoning number of boutique wineries such as Casas del Bosque, a winery that continuously pushes the envelope on quality through excellent vineyard management, site selection and meticulous attention in the cellar. As our long time members know, Casas del Bosque spares no expense in its pursuit of quality, which has earned the estate great critical acclaim and numerous awards. This month’s feature (the 2019 Casas del Bosque Casablanca Reserva Pinot Noir) is another great success from this meticulously run winery.

Casas del Bosque sprang to life in 1993 as a family boutique winery dedicated exclusively to the production of high quality wines. And by all accounts this boutique operation is certainly fulfilling its mission, as the recent spate of 90+ point ratings from world renowned critics lends credence to Casas del Bosque’s acumen. Casas del Bosque is located just 40 miles from Chile’s capital of Santiago and a mere 18 miles from Chile’s principal port of Valparaiso. This boutique operation cultivates its own vineyards in the nearby Casablanca Valley, Chile’s premium terroir for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. They also have significant vineyard holdings in the premier red wine producing valleys of Maipo and Rapel south of Santiago, areas noted for fashioning exceptional Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon. Casas del Bosque’s meticulous attention to all aspects of viticulture, sorting, and selection guarantee superior fruit for the winery’s portfolio of high quality wines. Such care has in multiple years earned Casas del Bosque the distinction of Chilean Winery of the Year (2013 and 2014) at the International Wine and Spirits Competition and, subsequently, countless accolades from the world’s foremost wine critics.

Casas del Bosque has nearly 600 acres of vines under cultivation, spread throughout Chile’s best viticultural valleys and microclimates. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling hail from the winery’s superb Casablanca holdings and form the backbone of the estate’s white wine portfolio. Exceptional Pinot Noir and Syrah also emanate from Casas del Bosque’s Casablanca vineyards and are some of this esteemed producer’s most exciting offerings. Casas del Bosque’s exceptional ultra-premium Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon wines flow from warmer vineyards in the Rapel and Maipo valleys. The winery’s Gran Reserva and Pequeñas Producciones (very limited productions) of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Syrah are Casas del Bosque’s ultimate luxury offerings.