Domaine Nico 'Grand Mère' Pinot Noir, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2022
High-altitude Argentine Pinot Noir from Laura Catena's Domaine Nico. 'Grand Mère' grows at 3,675 feet in the Uco Valley, one of the highest Pinot Noir vineyards in the world, and it makes a real case for Argentina as serious Pinot country.
Tasting Notes
"Red cherry and strawberry open into black fruit, black pepper and cinnamon. Medium acidity and a broad, elegant palate, with violets and spiced cherry and plenty of richness and detail." — Harvest Wine Shop
Details
Variety: 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon clone 115)
Region: Villa Bastías, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Vineyard: Planted 1993; 3,675 feet elevation
Winemaking: Native-yeast fermentation with 20% whole cluster; 14 months in used French oak
Production: About 8,000 bottles a year
Volume: 750ml
Alcohol: 12.9%
Critic Scores: 92 James Suckling, 90 Wine Advocate
Serving Suggestion: Decant 30 minutes; serve at 60–65°F with grilled tuna, duck or mushrooms
Must be 21+ to order wine. Please allow 1–3 business days for wine to ship.
About Domaine Nico
Laura Catena's Pinot Noir Dream
Domaine Nico is the Pinot Noir project of Dr. Laura Catena, born from her love of Burgundy. The project began in 2008 with a vision to make authentically Argentine Pinot Noir. It is named after Laura's daughter Nicola, nicknamed Nico, whose name honors Nicola Catena, the great-grandfather who founded the family's winery in Mendoza in 1902.
Extreme High-Altitude Parcels
Domaine Nico calls itself the world's first extreme high-altitude parcel Pinot Noir. Its small parcels sit in the Uco Valley's Tupungato region, from Villa Bastías to Gualtallary, between roughly 3,675 and 4,920 feet of elevation. The sites combine a cool climate with limestone soils of alluvial origin, an unusual combination for the New World.
Gentle, Parcel-by-Parcel Winemaking
Grapes from each small parcel are vinified separately, with winemaking that is traditional and gentle to protect the delicate character of Pinot Noir. Winemaker Roy Urvieta works alongside Laura Catena, and the oldest parcels in Villa Bastías were among the family's first Pinot Noir plantings in the Uco Valley in the early 1990s.
Style and Reputation
The wines aim for the floral aromatics, minerality and elegance of fine Burgundy, expressed through Argentine high-altitude terroir. Critics including Tim Atkin MW and Wine Advocate have praised them highly, and Domaine Nico has helped prove that the Uco Valley is a serious new home for world-class Pinot Noir.
Shipping information
All orders are shipped/delivered, no pickup options. Please track your package using UPS tracking link — someone 21 or older must accept the package. UPS will attempt twice, then will return to us.
To avoid a missed package, you are more than welcome to ship to your local UPS Access Point so that you do not need to sign for the package at home.
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