Matías Riccitelli Old Vines from Patagonia Bastardo 2022
The Matías Riccitelli Old Vines from Patagonia Bastardo is a red wine made from the long-forgotten variety of Bastardo, a dark skinned variety that originated in the Jura region of France. The grapes are sourced from the traditional vine growing sites of Allen and Ing Heuergo in the province of Rio Negro, Patagonia, approximately half way between the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. The ungrafted, low-yielding vines were planted at the beginning of the 1970s and they are cultivated naturally following organic principles resulting in wines that are expressive of the terroir and their varietal characteristics. The carefully selected fruit, of which 30% was kept as whole-bunches, was fermented in small French oak vats and then aged for a further eight months in French oak before being bottled without being fined or filtered. This elegant red wine offers aromatic complexity with wild red-berried fruits and mineral notes complemented by spicy, floral hues. Refreshing and silky, this is light but with good structure and a long finish.
