Pale straw color; citrus, strawberry, green apple, cherry on the nose; green apple, grapefruit, cherry, strawberry, citrus on the palate.
Dry; nice acidity (3.4 pH); no tannins; 100% pinot noir. Manual harvest, pressed with CO2 pellets to lower temperature and reduce oxygen exposure. Must clarified in stainless steel, then racked to concrete eggs for fermentation. Malolactic fermentation partially interrupted; 10% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for three-to-five months. Very mild oak influence. 14% ABV
Bodega Aniello is located in Patagonia, the southernmost tip of Argentina. The “Soil” label references Bodega Aniello’s effort to get the best expression of terroir for each varietal. The vineyards are adjacent to the Rio Negro, making if one of the few if not the only Patagonian vineyard located next to a flowing river. The winery was founded in 1927 and completely renovated in 2013. The estate is almost 136 acres and located in a desert climate with large diurnal shifts that help intensify fruitiness while preserving acidity. Located between 38 degrees and 42 degrees southern latitude, it means Patagonia enjoys and extra hour of sun from the main Argentine plantings during the growing season.
Low relative humidity and natural controls significantly reduces the incidences of grapevine diseases. Strong Patagonian winds cause the grapes to develop a thicker skin, concentrating tannins, color, and aromas. The result for both this white pinot noir effort and their red pinot noir effort is a wine that demurely presents itself with delicate and delicious fruit and etherial mouthfeel.
Pinto noir is an Aniello specialty, and so it shines in the sandy soils adjacent to the Rio Negro as far south as you can get in the Americas. This is yet another demonstration of the astonishing value and quality of wines from Argentina. There are the massive makers in the center of the country, and they produce huge quantities of superb and superbly affordable wine. Then there are the more artisanal, boutique wine in niches in the Argentine wine world. This is one of them. Patagonian wines are special and you should seek them out.
Bodega Aniello Soil Blend de Suelos Blanco de Pinot Noir, Rio Negro, Argentina 2022 is delightfully fresh, fruit-forward palate pleaser from Patagonia. Bodega Aniello produces superb pinot noir—in this effort, they handled the pinot noir as a white grape in the winery. Aniello also makes an excellent red version using these grapes that I favorably reviewed in the past. Pair with pork; lean fish; shellfish; appetizers and snacks, charcuterie board; chicken; salads and vegetarian fare. Cheese—very versatile, from mature and hard cheeses to mild and soft; it will be hard to make a mistake pairing this with your favorite cheeses. $18-20
Bodega Aniello website (Spanish language)
