This week, I got to attend a winemaker lunch with Viviana Navarrete, Chief Winemaker of Leyda Wines. Located 4 km from the Pacific Ocean in the Chilean Coastal Range, Leyda Valley is known for it’s cool Mediterranean climate and sediment rich soil yielding polished and vibrant wines. Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Nior and Syrah are grown in this region using water from the Mapo River, which is connected to the Pacific Ocean.
Leyda Valley’s 120 million year old soil is rich with limestone and red clay which provides a high mineral and porous bed for growing grapes. The soil’s rich minerality also provides the earthy aromatic and flavor profile unique to Leyda wines.
Wine recommendations from this winemaker are:
- Leyda Lot 4 Sauvignon Blanc 2021: This wine was created with grapes planted in 2008 from 1.5-hectare plot in the Maitén Vineyard on soil rich with granite and clay. Before bottling, it spent seven months aging in different vessels including concrete eggs, foundres (oak vats) and oak barrels.
- Leyda Las Brisas Pinot Noir 2022: Blended with pinot noir grapes from plots with high levels of granite, this wine has also spent time aging in French Oak casks, concrete eggs and stainless steel vats.
- Leyda Lot 8 Syrah 2020: Created entirely with clone 470 syrah grapes (a high quality late-ripening syrah originating from Garonne, France), this was hands down my favorite wine of the tasting. After harvesting, 35% of these grapes are fermented in whole bunches and mostly aged in foudres. From the grape quality to the fermentation and aging techniques utilized, this particular release really showcases the craft of Viviana Navarrete. If you see this wine out in the wild, I would highly recommend picking it up!
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Check out my interview with Justin Taylor of Wakefield Wines!
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