Pedro Parra Hub Itata Valley Cinsault 2022
The wine displays lifted aromas of fresh red fruit, white pepper and wild flowers. Elegant on the palate, with savoury tannins, refreshing acidity and a mineral quality on the finish.
The fruit is sourced from a single vineyard located in Guarilihue in the heart of Itata, at around 300 metres above sea level. The vineyard, on a gentle north-west facing slope, is dry farmed and the vines are over 80 years old. The very poor granitic soil has a high iron content which gives the wine a beautiful mineral quality. Cinsault is prone to high yields and so benefits from the vigour-limiting effect of these poor soils.
The hand-picked grapes were cold macerated for 5 days. This was followed by 100% whole bunch fermentation at low temperatures with natural yeasts for 14 days. Gentle cap management was used for a minimum of 2 minutes a day to limit extraction. The must was fermented in a non-epoxy concrete tank. After fermentation the wine underwent maceration for around 30 days and was then aged in concrete, with no oak used.
| RRP | £43.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Itata Valley |
| Grapes | Cinsault 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 1.37 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Agglomerated cork |
Pedro Parra is a renowned soil and vineyard mapping expert with a Masters and PhD in Precision Agriculture and Terroir from the Institut Agronomique National in Paris. As a consultant to many well-known wineries in the Americas and Europe, he has spent much of the past 20 years discovering new sites, digging ‘calicatas’ (pits for soil analysis) and transforming how wineries manage their vineyards. In 2013, assisted by consultant winemaker, long-term friend and business partner Alberto Antonini, Pedro released Chilean wines under his own, eponymous label. His vision was simple: to make pure wines from old bush vines in Itata, grown on granitic soils, and help the local “brave vignerons” who protected the land and vines for centuries.
The historic Chilean winemaking region of Itata, where vines were planted almost 500 years ago by Spanish missionaries, is 500 kilometres south of Santiago and characterised by cooling Pacific breezes, moderate temperatures and cloudy summers, allowing grapes to ripen steadily. The region has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, with a new generation of winemakers like Pedro championing old vines and celebrating the region’s winemaking traditions. All grapes are hand-harvested from dry-farmed bush vines, many over 100 years old. Thanks to the strong winds in the Itata valley, there is very little disease pressure, allowing Pedro to farm organically.
