2004 Casa Marin Pinot Noir Litoral

JancisRobinson.com

• By Jancis Robinson, MW
  10/6/2006, (See more on JancisRobinson.com...)

  (Casa Marin, Litoral Vineyard Pinot Noir San Antonio Red) Subscribe to see review text.

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  6/6/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (Litoral PINOT NOIR Casa Marin) Pinot Noir - Casa Marin #2 Dear Friends, The Casa Marin offer from a few days ago really struck a nerve with our customer base but it prompted more requests for their Pinot Noir than anything else. The whites were nice but I get the point - you want the Pinot Noir (the problem is the reds are much more difficult to source). Casa Marin's most famous wine is probably their Pinot Noir, not the mega-point Sauvignon Blancs (although many would scoff at the suggestion that they are not equals in the portfolio). The truth is that Pinot Noir gets the world excited and while Sauvignon Blanc is great, when a world-class Pinot Noir producer arrives on the scene, a cadre of wine buyers stampede to be first in line. Closest in style to some of the better high-impact Sonoma Coast wines with a terroir distinction that is not only palpable but palatable, Casa Marin is set to be one of only a handful of Pinot Noir sources in the Southern Hemisphere highly sought after by US collectors (and they are well on their way to establishing a reputation in Europe as well). In a nutshell, Casa Marin is akin to the Felton Road of Chile, the groundbreaker that others will follow - think Marcassin with a Latin twist at far lower prices and that's what their goal is. I'm not going to say they are close to that goal but the lofty intentions have spawned a series of wine that should be studied and considered by Pinot Noir enthusiasts the world over. It is rare that an entirely new growing district is highlighted at the very top of the scale (usually it takes decades to ascend to that level) but the area around San Antonio and specifically Lo Abarca in the cold Pacific climate of Chile has done just that. In something of a 1976 Paris Tasting occurrence (where Stag's Leap jump-started the world's recognition of Napa Valley), Casa Marin's 2004 Lo Abarca Hills Pinot Noir (the wine we offer below) was named the highest scoring wine at the 2007/2008 Mondial du Pinot Noir in Switzerland. With over 1000 entrants from 18 countries including all areas of Europe (Burgundy), the US, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, et al only four wines were recognized as above Gold Medal status - this was one (the other three were from Europe and only one was from Burgundy). In today's day and age, that is an accomplishment that shocks even me. Granted, there were plenty of Swiss entrants but judges from France, Italy, the US, Canada, Germany, Spain, the UK and South America were there so it's pretty impressive, especially when far more established New World regions like New Zealand were present. What this tells me is that Casa Marin is more than just a contender and while the prices are still moderate, this is a chance to try the wines without completely breaking the bank. We have an exceptional price on both of the wines below, about the same as in Chile (this price-point is valid on this parcel until Monday only or until we run out today - this price will not be honored on our next lot due in August). This parcel has perfect provenance: 2004 Casa Marin Pinot Noir "Litoral Vineyard" The Lo Abarca Hills seems to get all the attention but it is the Litoral that is the signature wine of Casa Marin and the wine they build to age - it is less obvious than the Lo Abarca in youth and has a rougher nature that needs bottle age. Think of this as Bonnes Mares to the Lo Abarca's more Amoureuses personality (Actually, more like Felton Road Calvert vs. a less feminine Block Five for the Lo Abarca). Whatever it is, this is no shrinking violet - it is heady, intense and full of soil, red fruit and exotic spice tones. Slightly dry? Maybe, but I have a feeling that will even out in 2-3 years of bottle age as they recommend putting this wine away for a few years anyway: 2004 Casa Marin Pinot Noir "Lo Abarca Hills"(Grand Gold/Mondial 2007-2008) I'm not going to try and convince you that I prefer the Litoral to this as that would be false. The wines are very different and both are worth noting if you like an intense but still terroir-focussed expression of Pinot Noir. This is the wine that won the Mondial tasting in Switzerland above and the one considered a game-changer with regard to the entire Chilean wine industry. A lot to carry on one wine's shoulders but Maria Luz Marin has no problem carrying the torch. Compared to the best Pinot Noir from other regions of the world, this would appear to be a relative bargain: Please limit order requests to 12/each wine and we will allocate accordingly To order: niki@garagistewine.ocm permitting). Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Chile2500 Chile2600