This is based on wines supplied by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

2012 Trapiche Pinot Noir

2011 Bodega Familia Schroeder Pinot Noir Saurus Patagonia

2011 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Barda

This is based on a Twitter #winechat we had on October 9^th. The “host” for the event was Dan Altman of Argovino.

Argovino in their words:

The wines of Argentina offer exceptional value and a huge variety of flavor. Argovino helps you to discover the finest Argentine wines in every price range with unbiased reviews and articles about the industry. We have more than 300 wines on the site and are adding wines every week. Have a look around and consider subscribing to our free monthly newsletter, which enters you for weekly wine giveaways! Soon you’ll be seeing our Argovino ratings at your local wine shop, too. We’re a completely independent source of wine information – we just want to connect you to the best that Argentina’s wondrous vineyards have to offer.

For more information on Argovino, to see their reviews or to sign up for their free newsletter, click here.

About Winechat

#winechat is a weekly, Twitter based discussion about something dealing with the world of wine. Generally, each week’s chat deals with a specific theme and is lead by an “expert” in that area. This is generally a nice way to learn about a region, winery, type of wine, etc.

Mission

What is #WineChat? Click here to learn more.

Description

How do you join #winechat? Using a tool such as Hootsuite, log into your twitter account & follow the #winechat stream. Be sure to include #winechat at the end of each tweet so everyone in the stream can see you!

Grab a glass and join in!

Click here for the current #winechat schedule.

#winechat is hosted by Protocol Wine Studio. For more information on them, click here.

Here are the wines we sampled and discussed on this evening.

2012 Trapiche Pinot Noir

Trapiche is located in Mendoza, Argentina at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Trapiche is Argentina’s largest exported premium wine brand, exporting to more than 80 countries world wide. They were one of the first Argentine wineries to export to the United States.

The winery own 1,000 hectares of vineyards and buys grapes from an additional 200 independent producers in the best growing area in Argentina.

This wine is the “entry level” Pinot Noir produced by the winery and is widely distributed. Some shopping around could yield a price around $6.50 a bottle.

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Mendoza region has an alcohol level of 13.5% and is closed with a synthetic cork.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light to medium ruby red color. The slightly shy nose has cherries, baking spices, raspberries, cola, white pepper, wild flowers, and scorched earth. This is barely medium body with soft tannins and good acidity. On the palate spicy cherries and berries up front slowly allow some earthiness and a floral note to come into focus. The finish has decent length highlighted by fruit and subtle earthiness. Not a bad entry level Pinot and a tremendous value. (87 pts)

2012 Trapiche Pinot Noir

2011 Bodega Familia Schroeder Pinot Noir Saurus Patagonia

The Schroeders, a European family deeply rooted in the Patagonia and well-known for their solid enterprising profile, approached this ambitious 120-hectare productive project using such varieties as Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from red grapes and Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from white grapes.

As the vines settled in their terroir through an innovative farming system, the winery saw its inception in October, 2002, and grew to become today’s fully-functioning vineyard-winery complex, producing exquisite wines that captivate local and foreign experts and consumers.

Bodega Familia Schroeder is one of the newer wineries in the area.

This wine, with a suggested retail price of under $14 a bottle is the entry level Pinot Noir from the winery. It has 14.0% alcohol and is sealed with a synthetic cork.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a shade or two lighter than medium ruby red. The slightly shy but exotic nose has cherries, eucalyptus, spice, wild flowers and earthy underbrush. This has medium body, soft tannins and decent acidity. On the palate creamy fruit dominates with spice and some earthiness coming in on the back end. The finish has decent length and leans on the earthy elements. The wine is a bit soft on the back end and finish. (86 pts)

2011 Bodega Familia Schroeder Pinot Noir Saurus Patagonia

2011 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Barda – SRP $24.99

The first vineyard that would become part of Bodega Chacra was purchased in 2004. The existing but abandoned vineyard had originally been planted in 1932. The vineyard is home to gnarled Pinot Noir vines planted on their own rootstock. The climate in the area is very dry with a maximum humidity of 30% and an average of just 7 inches of rain a year. This coupled with the fact the region is surrounded by deserts has resulted in a complete absence of phylloxera and vine diseases.

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.

This 100% Pinot Noir from the Patagonia region was aged 12 months in French oak barrels. It has 13.5% alcohol and is sealed with a natural cork.

My Tasting Note

The wine is a light, transparent ruby red color. The initially slightly shy nose eventually opens nicely showing cherries, strawberries, white pepper, wild flowers, leafy green herbs, and dry earth. This has medium body, soft to moderate tannins and very nice acidity. On the palate there is a nice mix of the fruit and savory elements with a bit of earthiness coming in late. The finish has very good length and shows very good balance. This is a very nice Pinot Noir, not just a nice Pinot from Argentina. (90 pts)

2011 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Barda

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two. Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets. I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

If you like this post, consider joining Cliffs Wine Picks Wine Blog on Facebook and giving me a Like.

Cheers!

* Shameless Self Promotion *

Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c

Breaking news from Klout:

Remember to support your local wine store!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.