2020 Seleccion de Parcelas Los Primos Pinot Noir
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Tasting Notes
It’s immediately evident that this is Baettig’s Premier Cru – with notably more concentration and complexity. The warmer 2020 vintage produced a vibrant and intense wine, with vivid, juicy red cherry and raspberry fruit, complemented by more delicate floral notes. Alongside the impressive weight of fruit, there’s a pomegranate freshness and mineral line, with the slightest hint of smoke and spice, and a framework of superfine, supple tannins. Made with 20% whole-bunch fermentation, aged for 15 months in 38% new oak. Production: 4,102 bottles
The 2020 has a very dark, deep purple colour and some charry, smoky and peppery tones from high-quality oak that is well balanced by fresher, grilled, herbal notes from the portion of whole-bunch fermentation. The wine is very rich, ripe and juicy, with textural tannins adding lots of structure.
The Pinot Noir has a bloody note, cured meat, and – an almost Syrah-like aroma alongside sweeter tones of caramel and dark chocolate from some quality new oak (38%). The whole-bunch character is less overt in this cuvée compared to the light Parientes tasted alongside, backed up with some richer fruit concentration. There is a lovely textural vibrancy on the palate from the stems and some oak tannin matched with a good backbone of acidity keeping the wine taut and precise.
Critic Scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Francisco Baettig and Carlos de Carlo make this refined Pinot Noir from grapes selected from a couple of parcels of a dry-farmed vineyard in Traiguén (Malleco), a cool area with mild sunlight and volcanic soils. The fragrant nose presents notes of lavender, violet, sweet tobacco, mint, cherries and wet stone; while it’s vibrant and tense in the mouth with differently textured layers, chalky, grippy tannins and a lengthy finish.
The 2020 Pinot Noir Selección de Parcelas Los Primos from Malleco, Traiguén, was 20% fermented with stalks and aged for 15 months in 38% new oak. Purple in the glass, displaying subtle notes of stalk, earth, sour cherry, strawberry, pomegranate, hints of spice, lavender, wax and aromas from the aging process. In the mouth, it has a silky texture with a little delicate grip that lends profile and channels the freshness into the complex, nuanced finale. A Chilean Pinot made with a nod to Burgundy.
So complex and nuanced with brooding dark raspberries, blackberries, black tea, wet earth, forest floor, roses and a hint of wild herbs. Fine, gamey accent, too. This is broad and juicy with a complete, full wrap of fine tannins. Powerful, succulent and unique pinot. Give it time to shine. Better from 2025.
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About the producer
Baettig is the exciting project from leading winemaker Francisco Baettig (of Errázuriz fame). Crafting vibrant, site-expressive wines from Chile’s south, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Malleco and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maule – this is one of the hottest names in South America.