2016 Chacra Sin Azufre Pinot Noir Patagonia

You might not find this on export markets, given its absence of sulphur dioxide and comparative fragility, but it's worth flying to Argentina for. Made from the 1932 vineyard, but with less oak than the regular release, it's focused, balanced and refreshing with a lovely chalky undertone and red berry sweetness. 2017-21.

This is very dense and beautiful with flowers, dried lemons and strawberries. A bouquet of roses. Full to medium body, superfine tannins and a linear and focused finish. Precision in a no sulfur wine. Tight and layered. Only 3,000 bottles made. Drink now.

I'm usually reluctant when a wine is named after a process. There is a new label from Chacra, a non-sulfured wine called simply 2016 Sin Azufre (meaning "without sulfur" in Spanish), but the wine is not really about the process, it's rather about the place, grape and vintage. It's a light Pinot Noir with 12.6% alcohol and moderate acidity, fermented in concrete vats with full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in third use French oak barrels for six months. There are no off aromas, no deviations, nothing blurring the character of the wine, which feels clean, precise and focused. This wine is only handled by proprietor Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, who only uses his feet and hands to work it, trying to replicate a wine from when no technology is available. The grapes are sourced from the 1955 vineyard, but they were harvested five days before the grapes for the Cincuenta y Cinco were picked. The palate is very lively and vibrant, really tasty, with very pure flavors, some dry sensations from the stems and a clean finish. I wish all the non- sufhured wines were as clean and precise as this. So it can be done, but for sure it's a lot of work. Compared with the others, this has a much livelier, bright color. It is distinctly better than the previous year I tasted informally when I visited the winery in 2015. 4,000 bottles were filled in August 2016.

Vinene fra Chacra er alle dyrket ud fra biodynamiske principper. Med "Sin Azufre" bevæger winemaker Piero Incisa sig over i naturvinskategorien på et særdeles højt niveau. Kirsebær, laurbærblade, tørv og grafit. Stilkede noter, grøn peber. Tør, elegant og mineralsk. Det efterhånden noget skamridte begreb "Bourgognedræber" giver mening med denne vin! Klasse naturvin - ganske enkelt.