I had the luck of tasting two vintages of the Chardonnay from slate/schist soils side by side, including the 2016 Aconcagua Costa Las Pizarras Chardonnay. The juice from the whole clusters decanted for 24 hours, fermented in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts and then aged in barriques for 14 months. It's a little more compressed than the 2017 and has good, vibrant flavors with some floral notes and some gentler flavors, perhaps more similar to the 2014, with the austere schist minerality but with more volume and juicy fruit. There is a little more malolactic in this year. If people have the idea that 2015 is warmer than 2016 and that 2017 is again warmer, the character of these Aconcagua Costa bottlings is the opposite: 2015 and 2017 are fresher, and 2016 is a little warmer. This sometimes happens, as the cooler years are harvested later and the warmer ones see an earlier harvest, so that the wines are exactly the opposite of what you expect. This is great, and its only problem is being tasted next to the 2017, which is otherworldly. 5,000 bottles were filled in May 2017.

Drinking Window: 2018 - 2026

Reviewer Name: Luis Gutiérrez

Review Date: 31st October 2018

The third vintage of this Chardonnay from Aconcagua planted in slate soil. Fermented with whole bunches, it spent 13 months in 18% new French oak while 50% is also malo-lactic aged. Because of the cool year, it has a generally austere feel with hazelnut and woody notes. The nose makes a slow start before unfolding into sweet spices and brioche. Has well-defined acidity and a lengthy finish of toasted hazelnuts.

Drinking Window: 2020 - 2028

Reviewer Name: Joaquin Hidalgo

Review Date: 1st March 2020