Chacra : Merlot Amor Seco 2015

A Savory and Complex Merlot from Patagonia

Founded in 2006 by Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, Bodega Chacra offers a range of wines that express the unique terroir of Mainque in the Rio Negro Valley of Patagonia, Argentina. Here, the climate is dry, with only around seven inches of rainfall per year on average, protecting the vineyards from disease throughout the year. The Río Negro Valley is located on an ancient riverbed, with soils of limestone, sand and clay, ideal for Pinot Noir and Merlot. The vines at Bodega Chacra are managed according to biodynamic and organic principles, with minimal intervention in the natural life of the vineyard ecosystem. The vineyard team has eliminated the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, producing a wide range of vegetable and mineral compost preparations instead, which are added to the soil in a traditional cow horn. The various vineyard tasks are performed in accordance with the astrological calendar. The Amor Seco Merlot 2016 by Bodega Chacra is a 100% Merlot wine, of which the estate produces only around 11,500 bottles per year, depending on the vintage. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for a period of 12 months.

The Amor Seco Merlot 2016 from Bodega Chacra is a beautiful Patagonian Merlot offering a pure expressing of the unique terroir from whence it came and the subtle imprints of aging in oak. At the tasting, the wine seduces with its cherry and brick red tones. On the nose, it presents some herbaceous notes of forest floor, tobacco, and smoke, along with tomato confit and red fruits, including strawberry. On the palate, this Merlot wine is fresh with a perfectly balanced acidity and a pleasantly light body. The finish ends with a subtle hint of white pepper.