Bodega Chacra is located in the Rio Negro Valley of northern Patagonia, 620 miles south of Buenos Aires, 1,240 miles north of Tierra del Fuego, and roughly equidistant west to east from the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. The property's situation in the arid central Argentine desert is tempered by the confluence of the Neuquen and Limay Rivers, both of which flow from the Andes and converge in the Rio Negro, which in turn flows into the Atlantic. The Rio Negro Valley itself is a glacial bed 15.5 miles wide stretching 310 miles along the river's banks at an elevation of 750 feet above sea level. The valley is irrigated by a network of channels excavated in the late 1820s by British colonists who observed the abundant snow melt flowing from the Andes and created an oasis in the middle of the desert.
The climate is dry, with maximum humidity of thirty percent and an average of seven inches of rainfall annually. This aridity, coupled with the natural barrier of the surrounding desert, results in a complete absence of phylloxera and vine diseases. The air is pristine and without pollution, creating tremendous luminosity and purity of sunlight. During the ripening period, in the first quarter of the year, diurnal temperatures vary widely, ranging from an average of 82.4F (28C) during the day and 48.2F (9C) at night. The seasons are precisely defined, with hot summers, cold winters and mild springs and autumns. This consistency of climate enhances consistency of the wine from vintage to vintage.
In 2004, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta purchased the first of Bodega Chacra's vineyards, a property with an existing, though abandoned, vineyard planted in 1932. This singular vineyard of gnarled Pinot Noir vines, planted on their own rootstocks, is head trained and produces tiny bunches of small, concentrated berries. The vineyard's pale, dry, porous soils are dominated by gravel and coarse alluvial pebbles with significant limestone content. Irrigation is carried out at most five times during the vine cycle, with a single copper sulfate treatment. A green harvest in January reduces the already small yield, so that at harvest each vine produces at most five small clusters of grapes collectively weighing roughly a pound. The fruit is collected by hand into small boxes in the early morning hours during the first week of March. The process of harvesting with these small boxes, each of which holds only eight kilos of grapes, is more tedious than using large containers, but it prevents the fruit on the bottom from being bruised. The grapes are refrigerated on the way to the winery to preserve the freshness of their fruit, and then hand-destemmed, sorted and placed in 200-liter lined cement vats for fermentation.
No mechanization is used at any stage of the production process. The berries are placed whole, without crushing, in the fermentation vat, where the weight of the grapes near the top of the vat crushes some of those at the bottom of the vat. This method, which shares similarities with carbonic maceration, allows the wine to express the subtle, complex and finely textured tannins characteristic of very old vines. Fermentation is initiated spontaneously by indigenous yeasts, and lasts approximately three weeks at an average temperature of 78.8F (26C). During fermentation, a layer of carbon dioxide blankets the surface of the cap, which is neither pumped over nor punched down.
Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred off the skins into small French oak barrels in the most gentle manner possible, by gravity, without pressing or filtering. Barrels from three different barrel makers in Burgundy are used, of which only twenty percent are new. The tight, fine grain of Burgundian oak minimizes oxidation and restrains transfer of oak characteristics to the wine. Malolactic fermentation begins spontaneously once the wine is in barrel, and is completed in roughly six months. A small amount of free sulfur is then added to kill any stray yeasts or bacteria, and the wine remains undisturbed on its lees for a total of approximately twelve months in barrel. Bottling takes place around the first week of June without fining or filtration. The objective is for the oak, the fruit and the nuances of the soil to marry perfectly so that influence of the wood is nearly imperceptible in the wine, and the vine and "terroir" are expressed to their fullest.
Since acquisition of the 1932 vineyard, Piero Incisa has discovered and purchased two other old vine Pinot Noir vineyards which will produce two further Bodega Chacra single-vineyard wines beginning in the 2006 vintage. The first, from a vineyard planted in 1955, will be called "Cinquenta y Cinco." The second, from vines planted in 1967, will similarly be called "Sesanta y Sete." A fourth wine, called "Barda" ("The Ridge"), will be produced in later vintages. Conceived in the idea of a second wine, it will be a blend of components eliminated from the single-vineyard wines as well as wine from a recently planted, ten-acre vineyard on the original 1932 property.
In mid-2005, ground was broken for a new winery at the site of the 1932 vineyard. Heusch Architects have designed an elegantly simple, sandstone structure in complete harmony with its desert surroundings which allows complete control over the winemaking process through gravity. At a maximum capacity of 100,000 bottles per vintage, the winery is scaled to fit a hand crafted production from three of the most extraordinary and unique vineyards of Argentina.
The climate is dry, with maximum humidity of thirty percent and an average of seven inches of rainfall annually. This aridity, coupled with the natural barrier of the surrounding desert, results in a complete absence of phylloxera and vine diseases. The air is pristine and without pollution, creating tremendous luminosity and purity of sunlight. During the ripening period, in the first quarter of the year, diurnal temperatures vary widely, ranging from an average of 82.4F (28C) during the day and 48.2F (9C) at night. The seasons are precisely defined, with hot summers, cold winters and mild springs and autumns. This consistency of climate enhances consistency of the wine from vintage to vintage.
In 2004, Piero Incisa della Rocchetta purchased the first of Bodega Chacra's vineyards, a property with an existing, though abandoned, vineyard planted in 1932. This singular vineyard of gnarled Pinot Noir vines, planted on their own rootstocks, is head trained and produces tiny bunches of small, concentrated berries. The vineyard's pale, dry, porous soils are dominated by gravel and coarse alluvial pebbles with significant limestone content. Irrigation is carried out at most five times during the vine cycle, with a single copper sulfate treatment. A green harvest in January reduces the already small yield, so that at harvest each vine produces at most five small clusters of grapes collectively weighing roughly a pound. The fruit is collected by hand into small boxes in the early morning hours during the first week of March. The process of harvesting with these small boxes, each of which holds only eight kilos of grapes, is more tedious than using large containers, but it prevents the fruit on the bottom from being bruised. The grapes are refrigerated on the way to the winery to preserve the freshness of their fruit, and then hand-destemmed, sorted and placed in 200-liter lined cement vats for fermentation.
No mechanization is used at any stage of the production process. The berries are placed whole, without crushing, in the fermentation vat, where the weight of the grapes near the top of the vat crushes some of those at the bottom of the vat. This method, which shares similarities with carbonic maceration, allows the wine to express the subtle, complex and finely textured tannins characteristic of very old vines. Fermentation is initiated spontaneously by indigenous yeasts, and lasts approximately three weeks at an average temperature of 78.8F (26C). During fermentation, a layer of carbon dioxide blankets the surface of the cap, which is neither pumped over nor punched down.
Once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred off the skins into small French oak barrels in the most gentle manner possible, by gravity, without pressing or filtering. Barrels from three different barrel makers in Burgundy are used, of which only twenty percent are new. The tight, fine grain of Burgundian oak minimizes oxidation and restrains transfer of oak characteristics to the wine. Malolactic fermentation begins spontaneously once the wine is in barrel, and is completed in roughly six months. A small amount of free sulfur is then added to kill any stray yeasts or bacteria, and the wine remains undisturbed on its lees for a total of approximately twelve months in barrel. Bottling takes place around the first week of June without fining or filtration. The objective is for the oak, the fruit and the nuances of the soil to marry perfectly so that influence of the wood is nearly imperceptible in the wine, and the vine and "terroir" are expressed to their fullest.
Since acquisition of the 1932 vineyard, Piero Incisa has discovered and purchased two other old vine Pinot Noir vineyards which will produce two further Bodega Chacra single-vineyard wines beginning in the 2006 vintage. The first, from a vineyard planted in 1955, will be called "Cinquenta y Cinco." The second, from vines planted in 1967, will similarly be called "Sesanta y Sete." A fourth wine, called "Barda" ("The Ridge"), will be produced in later vintages. Conceived in the idea of a second wine, it will be a blend of components eliminated from the single-vineyard wines as well as wine from a recently planted, ten-acre vineyard on the original 1932 property.
In mid-2005, ground was broken for a new winery at the site of the 1932 vineyard. Heusch Architects have designed an elegantly simple, sandstone structure in complete harmony with its desert surroundings which allows complete control over the winemaking process through gravity. At a maximum capacity of 100,000 bottles per vintage, the winery is scaled to fit a hand crafted production from three of the most extraordinary and unique vineyards of Argentina.
Cronista, November 11th 2011 (Spanish)
O Estado de S.Paulo, July 28th 2011 (Portuguese)
The Daily Mail, July 9th 2011
The Daily Beast, June 2011
El Conocedor, June 2011 (Spanish)
Decanter, June 2011
Food & Wine, May 2011
JamesSuckling.com, May 3rd, 2011
Vines of Mendoza, April 27th, 2011
Wine Spectator, March 18, 2011
Sommelier Journal, March 15, 2011
Wine Spectator, March 11, 2011
Newark Star-Ledger, March 2, 2011
Joseph & Curtis, February 8, 2011
Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2010
Wine Cellar Insider, November 30, 2010
The Independent, November 8, 2010
Holstebro Onsdag, November 10, 2010 (Danish)
Politiken, October 31, 2010 (Danish)
Forlaget Smag, October 29, 2010 (Danish)
The World of Fine Wine, Issue #28, 2010
Food & Wine, October 2010
Sommelier Journal, September 15, 2010
Mi Vino, Summer 2010 (Spanish)
Sabor e Arte, Summer 2010 (Spanish)
Calvert Woodley Newsletter, July 8, 2010
TimAtkin.com, July 3, 2010
Wine Spectator, April 20 2010
Wine Spectator, April 6, 2010
Culinaire Ambiance, March 2010 (Dutch)
Rich & Fine, March 2010 (Russian)
Paladar, February 18, 2010 (Portuguese)
Zaterdag, January 23, 2010 (Dutch)
Perswijn, January 2010 (Dutch)
The Standard (Hong Kong), December 18, 2009
Wine Spectator, December 15, 2009
Børsen Weekend, December 4, 2009 (Danish)
Wine Enthusiast, December 2009
Wine Report, December 2009 (Spanish)
Wine Spectator, Daily Wine Picks, November 10, 2009
El Cronista, September 23, 2009 (Spanish)
Vinho e Sexualidade, September 2009 (Portuguese)
JancisRobinson.com, July 27, 2009
Imbibe, July/August 2009
Simple Wine News, June 2009 (Russian)
Wine Enthusiast, May 2009 (94 points)
Estadao.com.br, March 19, 2009 (Portuguese)
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, January/February 2009
Cuisine & Vins, January 2009 (Spanish)
El Conocedor, January 2009 (Spanish)
Los Buenos Vinos Argentinos, Edición 2009 (Spanish)
Maya Sommelier, November 24, 2008
Wine Spectator, November 15, 2008
Wine Spectator, October 31, 2008
Diseño y Comunicacion, September 24, 2008
Faena, “The Best 100 wines from Argentina”, 2008
Bacanal, September 2008 (Spanish)
Revista Genoma, September 2008 (Spanish)
C Magazine, August 2008 (Spanish)
Mundo 52, July 29, 2008 (Spanish)
El Conocedor, May 2008 (Spanish)
WineSpectator.com, April 2008
Entrevista Fruticultura, March 14, 2008 (Spanish)
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, January/February 2008
Wine & Spirits, February 2008
Wine Spectator, November 2007
Wine Enthusiast, October 2007
Cataciegas, October 2007 (Spanish)
Cuisine & Vins, April 2008 (Spanish)
en Primeur, September 2007 (Spanish)
El Patio, August 2007 (Spanish)
en Primeur, August 2007 (Spanish)
La Nacion, July 2007 (Spanish)
Cuisine & Vins, July 2007 (Spanish)
Diario Nova Italia, April 12, 2007 (Italian)
Gula, January 2007 (Portugese)
Wine Enthusiast, December 2006
Departures, October 2006
Departures Magazine
RobertParker.com
O Estado de S.Paulo, July 28th 2011 (Portuguese)
The Daily Mail, July 9th 2011
The Daily Beast, June 2011
El Conocedor, June 2011 (Spanish)
Decanter, June 2011
Food & Wine, May 2011
JamesSuckling.com, May 3rd, 2011
Vines of Mendoza, April 27th, 2011
Wine Spectator, March 18, 2011
Sommelier Journal, March 15, 2011
Wine Spectator, March 11, 2011
Newark Star-Ledger, March 2, 2011
Joseph & Curtis, February 8, 2011
Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2010
Wine Cellar Insider, November 30, 2010
The Independent, November 8, 2010
Holstebro Onsdag, November 10, 2010 (Danish)
Politiken, October 31, 2010 (Danish)
Forlaget Smag, October 29, 2010 (Danish)
The World of Fine Wine, Issue #28, 2010
Food & Wine, October 2010
Sommelier Journal, September 15, 2010
Mi Vino, Summer 2010 (Spanish)
Sabor e Arte, Summer 2010 (Spanish)
Calvert Woodley Newsletter, July 8, 2010
TimAtkin.com, July 3, 2010
Wine Spectator, April 20 2010
Wine Spectator, April 6, 2010
Culinaire Ambiance, March 2010 (Dutch)
Rich & Fine, March 2010 (Russian)
Paladar, February 18, 2010 (Portuguese)
Zaterdag, January 23, 2010 (Dutch)
Perswijn, January 2010 (Dutch)
The Standard (Hong Kong), December 18, 2009
Wine Spectator, December 15, 2009
Børsen Weekend, December 4, 2009 (Danish)
Wine Enthusiast, December 2009
Wine Report, December 2009 (Spanish)
Wine Spectator, Daily Wine Picks, November 10, 2009
El Cronista, September 23, 2009 (Spanish)
Vinho e Sexualidade, September 2009 (Portuguese)
JancisRobinson.com, July 27, 2009
Imbibe, July/August 2009
Simple Wine News, June 2009 (Russian)
Wine Enthusiast, May 2009 (94 points)
Estadao.com.br, March 19, 2009 (Portuguese)
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, January/February 2009
Cuisine & Vins, January 2009 (Spanish)
El Conocedor, January 2009 (Spanish)
Los Buenos Vinos Argentinos, Edición 2009 (Spanish)
Maya Sommelier, November 24, 2008
Wine Spectator, November 15, 2008
Wine Spectator, October 31, 2008
Diseño y Comunicacion, September 24, 2008
Faena, “The Best 100 wines from Argentina”, 2008
Bacanal, September 2008 (Spanish)
Revista Genoma, September 2008 (Spanish)
C Magazine, August 2008 (Spanish)
Mundo 52, July 29, 2008 (Spanish)
El Conocedor, May 2008 (Spanish)
WineSpectator.com, April 2008
Entrevista Fruticultura, March 14, 2008 (Spanish)
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, January/February 2008
Wine & Spirits, February 2008
Wine Spectator, November 2007
Wine Enthusiast, October 2007
Cataciegas, October 2007 (Spanish)
Cuisine & Vins, April 2008 (Spanish)
en Primeur, September 2007 (Spanish)
El Patio, August 2007 (Spanish)
en Primeur, August 2007 (Spanish)
La Nacion, July 2007 (Spanish)
Cuisine & Vins, July 2007 (Spanish)
Diario Nova Italia, April 12, 2007 (Italian)
Gula, January 2007 (Portugese)
Wine Enthusiast, December 2006
Departures, October 2006
Departures Magazine
RobertParker.com
| Argentina | Bodega Chacra SRL admin@bodegachacra.com |
Tel: +54 2941 605125 Fax: +54 2941 605188 |
| Australia | Jed Wines Planet Pty. Ltd. 3651 Caves Road Wilyabrup 6280 Australia |
Tel: +61 4022 55463 |
| Belgium | Hans Christiaens Christiaens Wijnhuis Kapittelstraat 20, B-3740 Bilzen info@christiaens-wijnhuis.be www.christiaens-wijnhuis.be Bart Rogiers Wijninvoer Châteaux (bvba Wireco) Industrielaan 38, 1740 Ternat bart.rogiers@telenet.be www.wijnen-chateaux.be |
Tel: +32(0)89.85.40.29
Tel: 0476/58.02.35 |
| Brazil | Ravin Importadora E Distribuidora de Bebidas Rua Dos Otonis 95 Vila Mariana Sao Paulo SP Brasil www.ravin.com.br ravin@ravin.com.br Viviane D'Aliva viviane@ravin.com.br |
Tel: 55-11-5574-5789 Fax: 55-11-5574-5789 |
| Canada | Liquid Art Selections (part of the Trialto Wine Group) Suite 300-1260 Hamilton Street Vancouver BC V6B 2S8 www.trialto.com info@liquidart.ca Neil Punshon neil.punshon@trialto.com |
Tel: +1 604 320 0295 Fax: +1 604 320 0296 |
| Colombia | Inverleoka SA Calle 69A # 9 - 47 Bogota, Colombia www.zonak.com.co Mark Perlman mperlman@zonak.com.co |
Tel: +57 1-249-6333 Fax: +57 1-212-6193 |
| Denmark | Philipson Wine Kokkedal Industripark 10 2980 Kokkedal . Denmark www.philipsonwine.com pwmail@philipsonwine.com |
Tel: +45 70 22 68 88 Fax: +45 70 22 99 36 |
| France | Caveau De La Tour matthew@cdlt.fr |
Tel: +33 03 80 21 66 66 +33 06 72 28 59 13 Fax: +33 03 80 21 64 00 |
| Germany | ALPINA GmbH + Co. KG Alpenstrasse 35 - 37 www.alpinawein.de wein@alpina.de Angelika Baeuerle a.baeuerle@alpina.de |
Tel: +49-8241-5005-148 Fax: +49-8241-5005-144 |
| India | Brindco Sales Limited.- S-53 Okhla Industial Area Phase II- New Delhi (110020) |
Tel: +91-011-26388707 |
| Indonesia | MOODY CONSULTING Co. Srl PT. Aska Indoco JL. Pluit Mas Raya Blok BB No. 3 Kel. Pejagalan, Kec. Penjaringan Jakarta Utara 14450, Indonesia marjuky@ed-dima.com export@moodyconsulting.it |
Tel: +6221 661 8835 |
| Italy | Meregalli Giuseppe SRL Via Azzone Visconti 43 20052 Monza Italy www.meregalli.it meregalli@meregalli.it |
Tel: +39 039 2301980 Fax: +39 039 322 313 |
| Japan | Enoteca Co., Ltd. Yasuhisa Hirose (President) Taku Hashimoto (Director) Arisugawa-West, 5-14-15 Minamiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047 www.enoteca.co.jp/ Import@enoteca.co.jp |
Tel: +81 3 3280 6258 Fax: +81-3-3280-6279 |
| Macau/Hong Kong | IWM Hong Kong 20/F Central Tower 28 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong iwm.com.hk hk@iwm.com.hk Christina Keung ck@iwm.com.hk |
Tel: +852 2537.9728 Fax: +852 2970 1118 |
| México | Vinoteca Ana Lucia Zamora www.vinoteca.com azamora@vinoteca.com |
Tel: +52 81 8122 6000 |
| New Zealand | Planet Wine Limited PO Box 47-073 Ponsonby 1144 New Zealand www.planetwine.co.nz enquiries@planetwine.co.nz Martin Cahnbley martinc@planetwine.co.nz |
Tel: 64 21 888 295 Fax: 64 9 3099709 |
| Russia | SIMPLE Ltd 4th Magistralnaya 11 bld.2, Moscow,123007 www.simple.ru info@simple.ru Dmitry Galochkin dgalochkin@simple.ru |
Tel: 8 495 510 50 01 Fax: 8 495 510 50 03 |
| Switzerland | Casa de Vinos Argentinos mottastrasse 20 CH-3005 Bern, Switzerland info@vinos-argentinos.ch |
|
| United Kingdom | Lea and Sandman 170 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9PR Patrick Sandeman patrick.sandeman@leaandsandeman.co.uk www.londonfinewine.co.uk |
Tel: +44 (0)20 7244 0522 |
| United States | Kobrand Corp
www.kobrand.com |
Tel: +1 914-253-7700 Fax: +1 212-972-7946 |
| Uruguay | Vinos del Mundo SA Los Alpes s/n y Br.Artigas Parada 7, Punta del Este, Uruguay www.vinosdelmundo.com.uy info@vinosdelmundo.com.uy Mr.Andres Toscanini atoscanini@vinosdelmundo.com.uy |
Tel: +(598) 4249 9897 Fax: +(598) 4249 9897. |
Trienta y Dos - 2009
Trienta y Dos - 2008
Trienta y Dos - 2007
Trienta y Dos - 2006
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Cincuenta y Cinco - 2009
Cincuenta y Cinco - 2008
Cincuenta y Cinco - 2007
Cincuenta y Cinco - 2006
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Barda - 2009
Barda - 2008
Barda - 2007
Barda - 2006
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Mainqué - 2008
Mainqué - 2007
Trienta y Dos - 2008
Trienta y Dos - 2007
Trienta y Dos - 2006
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Cincuenta y Cinco - 2009
Cincuenta y Cinco - 2008
Cincuenta y Cinco - 2007
Cincuenta y Cinco - 2006
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Barda - 2009
Barda - 2008
Barda - 2007
Barda - 2006
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Mainqué - 2008
Mainqué - 2007