2016 Matetic Vineyards Pinot Noir Corralillo San Antonio Valley

Matetic’s projects in the San Antonio Valley are surrounded by acres of woodlands and vast fields of cattle. When I visited the site with winemaker Julio Bastías in March 2018, I asked him how the proximity of forest and fauna influences the vines. “The big benefit is that it’s the opposite of having vines in dead soils. It’s balanced. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but it gives you a sense of the true elements of this place. It’s giving you more identity,” he said.

Matetic also farms organically and biodynamically, limiting inputs and sprays. “Some think it’s a mystical thing, based on the stars — blah, blah, blah,” he told me. “But it’s just common sense.”

About 85 percent of the fruit for this particular cuvée is grown in the winery’s estate vineyard the El Rosairo Valley, with the balance from vineyards located closer to the Pacific. The grapes were hand-harvested and fermented with a mix of ambient and cultured yeasts, and the wine aged in French oak for 11 months prior to bottling.

The robe is limpid raspberry with a clear rim, and the wine’s perfume is floral and fruity with a nip of barrel spice. Brittle acidity keynotes the mid-palate, with fruit skewing toward tart raspberry, strawberry, and red currant. A breath of resinous herbs (rosemary, lavender) drifts above a sharp and glittery finish.

It’s a juicy wine: cleansing, bright, red-fruited, and refreshing.