Tara Pinot Noir , Vina Ventisquero, Atacama 2021

Vina Ventisquero, Atacama

Ventisquero was named ‘New World Winery of the Year’ by Wine Enthusiast this year and no small part of that was down to the extraordinary Tara project it is operating in the Atacama desert. Here, where it hasn’t rained in 50 years, the challenges to Alejandro Galaz, the estate’s specialist oenologist for cool climate wines, are off the scale. Only 2% of the first plantings survived here, but the wines they produced were extraordinary – as are all the subsequent Tara wines. In a special visit to the vineyards Geoffrey Dean discovers how these unique soils produce minerality and saline characters in the wines that were tasted, naturally enough, in a large hole in the ground.

Huge credit for the success of Tara must go to Alejandro Galaz, who has been making wine for Ventisquero since 2006 and is its specialist oenologist for cool climate wines. Tara is very much cool climate, although it has been a joint enterprise between him and Felipe Tosso, Ventisquero's head winemaker. I spent a fascinating day with Galaz in Huasco, driving up and back with him from La Serena, which is 260km to the south.

Seductive red fruit with cherry and raspberry notes. Meaty and olive hints. Aged 50% in concrete eggs and 50% in untoasted foudre, although Galaz revealed discussions ongoing whether to use up to 15% new oak. Fresh, savoury and long finish.

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir

Organic