Errazuriz Las Pizarras Chardonnay

Description

Errazuriz Las Pizarras Chardonnay is a cool-climate, coastal-influenced Chardonnay produced by Errazuriz at their Anconcagua Valley estate. The wine boasts an elegant profile with excellent minerality.

“…The latest set of Las Pizarras bottlings is outstanding…” Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate.

Las Pizarras Wines by Errazuriz

The Errazuriz Las Pizarras range of wines consists of a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, sourced from specific blocks of vines on the Errazuriz estate.

A five-year soil study by renowned French geologist Françoise Vannier-Petit, combined with an intimate knowledge of the vineyards, has helped identify these “grand cru” sites, which have a high proportion of metamorphic rock, including slate – indeed, “pizarras” is the Spanish name for slate.

The cool climate location, uniqueness of its metamorphic-rich soils and elevations enable each small plot to ripen at its own pace, while the closeness to the cold Pacific Ocean and well-drained soils contribute to high quality grapes with exceptional complexity, depth, minerality and natural acidity.

Las Pizarra Chardonnay Vineyards

The Chardonnay fruit for this wine comes from three plots of vines, located in Quillota, 12km from the Pacific Ocean, highly influenced by metamorphic rocks. The weathering of this substratum occurs and increases along vertical fissures (joints), producing loamy residual materials. This important weathering enables the development of a robust root system in the deeper layers, contributing to the wines’ characteristic minerality, complexity, and freshness.

• Plot 29 – Pedregal North – 3.2 hectares
• Plot 39 – Horno Chico – 1 hectare
• Plot 40 – Horno Grande – 0.7 hectares

Las Pizarras Chardonnay Winemaking

• 100% Chardonnay grapes were hand-picked between February 20 and March 1.
• Harvested early in the morning to ensure low-temperature fruit arrival at the winery.
• Rigorous fruit selection.
• Each plot is vinified separately.
• Fruit pressed 100% whole-cluster.
• Fermented in French oak barrels, in contact with lees for 6 months.
• Only 35% of the blend underwent malolactic fermentation to preserve fresh character.
• Wine aged for 11 months in 400-litre French oak barrels (12% new, 10% second use).
• Approximately 1700 cases produced.

Errazuriz Estate: Since 1870

Viña Errazuriz was founded in 1870 when Don Maximiano Errazuriz planted his first vineyards at Panquehue in the Aconcagua Valley, some 100 km north of the capital, Santiago. The tradition of quality lives on with Don Maximiano’s descendant, Eduardo Chadwick, the fifth generation of his family to be involved in the wine business.

Errazuriz is a pioneer producer of the Aconcagua Valley and is well-known for its innovative approach to winemaking. They produce a range of quality, great value estate wines, as well as a series of icon wines including Don Maximiano, KAI Carmenere and Las Pizzaras Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. All are available to buy now at Fareham Wine Cellar.