As you know, I’m a big fan of Chilean Pinot, and it’s grown in several regions of Chile. It’s a cool climate grape, so why not keep going further south and try Pinot in Patagonia? However, Pinot Noir in Patagonia is still in its nascent stages and hard to find. How does this one compare to other Pinots I’ve had from Patagonia and other Pinots in Chile?
The Cruchon Coteaux Trumao Pinot Noir comes from 2 French brothers who have been in the northern part of Chilean Patagonia for more than 30 years. This is not the part of Patagonia most people think of when they think of Chilean Patagonia. One normally thinks of more famous, harsher and colder tourist sites further south such as Chiloe and Torres del Paine. However, this is technically in Patagonia and it’s still one of the southernmost places to find wine in Latin America.
The vines are located in the Valle del Bueno in the Los Lagos region. Trumao is the name of the area but also the young volcanic ash soil from this area. They were first planted in the early 2000’s and they currently have about 3 hectares planted.
Tasting Notes
It’s a natural wine and not for those who like modern fruit driven wines. This definitely feels “natural wine,” but it’s not generally a negative for me. The complex nose is dominated by an herbaceous nature with some underlying dark red berry fruit and a touch of earth. The palate also has a savory herbal component with high acid red fruit with a bit of chalkiness to it. It lacks substance on the mid-palate. A little more fruit and mid-palate would make this better for me, but it’s good with food. It feels sort of like a classic Loire Valley red to me. 88 pts AC.
Comparing Patagonian Pinots
Honestly, it’s still a much better bargain to go for a Pinot from Casablanca or San Antonio Valley. They’ve been making it for longer and can offer a lot more options in styles and prices.
Besides being a natural wine, the appeal of the Cruchon is the uniqueness of having a Pinot from Patagonia because there aren’t many. However, there are a couple other options. The easiest to find is Casa Silva’s Futrono Lago Ranco Pinot Noir, which will be a fruitier version. However, it’s still going to be cool crisp tangy red fruit with minerality and less for those who like very ripe Pinot. It goes for around 17k pesos ($22) which is cheaper than the 23k pesos ($30) in Chile for the Cruchon (even more outside of Chile). Similar in style is the Villasenor Puelo Patagonia DO Austral 41 degree Latitud Pinot Noir, but it’s about 3 times the price and harder to find.
You can also get Pinot from Argentinian Patagonia. Their Pinots are not as far south as Chile’s, but some of them have earned high praise from critics, such as Bodega Chacra in Rio Negro. It’s produced by the same family that makes the world famous Sassicaia in Tuscany. Their Pinots range from $20-75. I have one in my cellar, so I’ll be sure to let you know how it is when I open it.
I’ve also tried Bodega Fin del Mundo Pinot Noir, a much cheaper option from San Patricio del Chañar, Provincia de Neuquén, which is west of the Rio Negro wine region. However, I found their Pinot to be darker, warmer and more alcoholic than the Chilean versions.
