Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir

Although I’m a big fan of Chilean wines, one thing they haven’t really built a strong reputation for yet is pinot noir. Some might even say they’ve struggled with it. But I’ve noticed improvements in Chilean pinot noir over the past couple years and hopefully this is a great example of even more good things to come.

Veramonte has been experimenting with pinot noir for about 10 years, and their results are promising. Their “Ritual” brand is a step up from their basic pinot. The fruit comes from the Casablanca Valley, a region best known for white wines. It was aged for 12 months in French oak, only 40% of which was new oak. French oak tends to have a softer influence on the flavor than American oak and by only using 40% new oak, they were able to further manage the influence of oak to develop an elegant, rather than a clunky wine.

I wouldn’t guess this to be a Pinot Noir by the look of it in my glass, the color is much deeper than most Pinot. There isn’t a lot of intensity on the nose, but I wouldn’t call it tight. It’s quite pleasant, with aromas of cranberry, plum, nutmeg and tree bark. On the palate it has good fruit with cherry and raspberry flavors being the most obvious. It also has some vanilla, some chocolate notes and a good dose of spiciness, which makes it interesting. It’s a pretty “big” wine for a Pinot Noir, but I’m not complaining. However, if you’re expecting this to be like a typical Californian pinot noir, you’ll need to adjust your expectations. The acidity and tannins are perfect for drinking now. The finish is long and luscious, leaving a velvety feel in your mouth and cherry flavors with a touch of spice.

Wine: Veramonte Ritual
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 14.5%
Rating: 88
Price: $17.99

Find Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir with Snooth

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.