Pinot noir 2019

LUCA

Pinot noir
2019

  • Sustainable
Product code
740243
Format
12 x 750ml
Listing type
Open
Status
Available
Type of product
Still wine
Country
Argentina
Regulated designation
Dénomination origine (DOC)
Region
Mendoza
Varietal(s)
Pinot Noir 100 %
Colour
Red
Sugar
Dry
Closure type
Cork
Producer's website

About this winery

Laura Catena, daughter of famous Argentine wine pioneer, Nicolas Catena, was born in Buenos Aires. At the age of 14, her family moved to Berkeley, California where her father had taken a teaching position in the Economics Department. Laura went on to attend Harvard University, where she graduated magna cum laude in biology, and then she returned to the west coast, to Stanford University, to pursue a medical degree graduating in 1992. Today, Laura Catena is a practicing emergency-room physician....

See the LUCA detail page for more information on this brand

Tasting notes

Beautiful garnet color with aromas of wild strawberries, saddle leather and cola root. A complex Pinot with notes of leather, spice, and cherry / raspberry comfiture on the palate. Amazing aroma and finishes with an enjoyable Burgundian bent. Pairs well with foods such as lamb chops, grilled salmon, roasted duck or chicken, and game birds. Pinot lovers may just go ahead and drink it all by itself!

Press reviews

James Suckling

- 95 points -

James Suckling, December 2019 (Vintage 2017)

A deep, dark-berry nose with some underbrush character and discreet, smoky and savory notes, making this a complex pinot noir for Argentina or in any context. Real concentration and fine-tannin structure that beautifully matches the lively acidity. Very long, mineral finish. Spicy. Partially whole-berry ferment gives this intensity. Drink or hold.

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James Suckling

- 94 points -

April 2021

Savory aromas of dried currants, tangerine zest, green tapenade, porcini mushroom and cedar. It’s medium-to full-bodied with sleek tannins. Ripe, flavorful and juicy, yet focused and tight, too. Sun-kissed style. Drinkable now, but better in 2023 and thereafter.

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James Suckling

- 94 points -

November 2022 (Vintage 2020)

Cranberries, currants, mushrooms, oyster shells, smoke and dried thyme on the nose. Medium-bodied with silky tannins. Intense, with ripe and savory layers. Packed with flavor.

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Natalie MacLean

- 93 points -

October 2011

Top Wine Pick, Oct 29, 2011 Cherry-berry goodness with luscious layers of hedonistic happiness. Medium- to full-bodied with a terrific lip-smacking finish.

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Tim Atkin MW

- 93 points -

March 2016 (Vintage 2014)

Laura Catena’s Pinot Noir comes from parcels that were planted in 1994 and 1997, using Dijon and Pommard clones. It’s a subtle, well framed Pinot that’s all about perfume and finesse, with filigree tannins, raspberry and pomegranate notes and a chalky finish. 2016-20

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James Suckling

- 92 points -

May 2016 (Vintage 2014)

A pinot noir with lots of dried fruit and spice character. Full to medium body, dried strawberry and figs. Rich and juicy. More California style.

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Tim Atkin MW

- 92 points -

May 2017

Winemaker Estela Perinetti used a small proportion of whole bunches on this Uco Valley
Pinot Noir in 2015, adding some spicy notes to the raspberry, red cherry and tomato skin
flavours. Aromatic oak and fresh acidity complete the picture.

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Wine Advocate

- 92 points -

Luis Gutierrez, March 2021 (Vintage 2019)

The 2019 Pinot Noir G Lot was produced with grapes from vines planted in Gualtallary in 1994 at close to 1,500 meters in altitude. It has aromas of ripe berries, some orange peel and a faint touch of smoke. It has moderate alcohol (13.1%) and a medium-bodied palate with tasty flavors and integrated acidity. The tannins are almost unnoticeable. 35,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2020.

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Wine Advocate

- 92 points -

Luis Gutierrez, November 2022 (Vintage 2020)

The pale and developed 2020 Pinot Noir G Lot is varietal but has some notes of paprika and herbs, a medium body and nice balance.

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Gismondi on Wine

- 92 points -

October 2023 (Vintage 2020)

Luca Vineyards, the first pinot noir planted over 1371 metres, is grown in Tupungato, Uco Valley at Gualtallary, in a vineyard section they refer to as G-Lot. The colour and nuanced nose take you to Burgundy, though the rest of the wine is more New World. The nose is a mix of wild strawberries and earthy, leathery notes. On the palate, there are more wild berries with strong savoury leather, and a twist of cola in the background. G-Lot spends a year in 20 percent of new French oak barrels, mixed with 80 percent second and third use. Ready to drink, but you can hold through 2025.

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Wine Spectator

- 91 points -

Suave and refined, with concentrated cherry, dried berry, sandalwood and briary flavors. Offers silky tannins and a luscious, creamy finish that echoes with hints of Asian spice and anise. Drink now through 2017.

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Vinous

- 91 points -

November 2021 (Vintage 2019)

From Gualtallary, Uco Valley, the 2019 Pinot Noir G-Lot was aged for 12 months in 1/5 new barrels. Light garnet in the glass. The nose delivers aromas of ripe fruit with hints of cherry, oak and mushroom along with a touch of jam. Sugary and expansive in the mouth, the barrels lend volume. The packaged freshness ensures a delicate, long-lasting flow.

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 Wine Enthusiast

- 91 points -

November 2023 (Vintage 2022)

Blackberry, cherry and thyme shape an attractive nose. This is an elegant and structured Pinot Noir that has optimal acidity. The palate shows complexity, with black tea flavors followed by blackberries, herbs, peppercorn and nutmeg. Hints of cardamom add depth.

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Descorchados

- 91 points -

2024 (Vintage 2022)

With a small portion (10% of the volume) barrel-aged for 12 months, this wine is from vineyards planted more than 1,500 meters above sea level in the Gualtallary zone of the northern Uco Valley, at the foot of the Andes. It offers delicious ripe red fruit and spices, with a firm body full of sharp tannins, generous acidity, and deep flavors. A very good example of the variety's potential in this Andean region.

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Vinous

- 90 points -

October 2020

A Pinot Noir from Gualtallary that spent 12 months in French barrels, 20% of them new. Cherry red in the glass. The nose presents precise sour cherry and strawberry notes, plus oxidative hints from the wood over the top. Juicy, fresh and voluminous, with a gentle texture and a little vibrant tension. An attractive wine.

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Vinous

- 90 points -

September 2022 (Vintage 2020)

The 2020 Pinot Noir Luca from Gualtallary, Uco Valley was aged for 12 months in a fifth new barrels. A light garnet red in hue. The nose offers aromas from the aging process, hints of orange peel and cedar over a liqueur-like bed of fruit and stem. In the mouth, the flow is warm and almost overpowering with mild freshness, a creamy feel and gentle tannins. The warm year makes its presence known.

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