Alta Pavina Pinot Noir 2009 | Bodegas Alta Pavina

What do you get when you grow the revered and fickle Pinot Noir varietal in the now overachieving wine growing region of Spain under the auspices of legendary wine consultant Claude Bourguignon? I present to you the Bodegas Alta Pavina Citius Pinot Noir 2009.

Spain is a wine producing region that was once known more for the volume of wine it produced rather that the quality of the wine it produced. Fortunately for us wine consumers, that has significantly changed and Spain has been a consistent source of high quality values for years.

That being said it is not known as a region where Pinot Noir thrives. It’s most popular varietal, Tempranillo, is a sturdy grape that thrives in a hot climate much like Cabernet. That’s what makes this bottling so interesting. It doesn’t just contain Pinot, it’s 100% Pinot Noir and the only 100% Pinot Noir of it’s kind produced in Spain.

Located near the Duero River, the 29 acre vineyard in the district of La Parilla is located at ~2,950 feet above sea level. The high altitude provides the cooler climate Pinot Noir needs to survive. Let’s pop the cork!

Appearance: Medium garnet and somewhat translucent in the glass.

Nose: The wine is very aromatic. There are bright cherries, cloves, mushrooms and a nice floral earthiness.

Taste: Quite Burgundian in style with a subdued yet still present fruit profile. There are nice cherries and truffle notes to be found. Considering it’s light body I am impressed with the elegant mouthfeel and structure of the wine. It finishes with a blistering acidity and a lovely earthiness. The wine begs you for another sip and would be a great wine with dinner.

Region: Castilla y Leon, Spain

Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir

Value Rating: 4.5 / 5

Price: ~$26-35 Retail, but wine was provided as a sample for review.

Score: 93             

Should you buy? Yes, it’s well worth the effort to find this delicious Spanish Pinot Noir.

Value Proposition – Alta Pavina Pinot Noir

Claude Bourguignon is also the technical adviser to the vaunted and perhaps most famous wine producer in the world: Romanée-Conti. The wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti can easily set one back thousands of dollars per bottle. I think when you get to taste a wine that he has had a hand in producing and you consider that this wine is produced with the most care of any of their wines at Bodegas Alta Pavina (meticulous grape selection, vine care and aging in French Oak for 18-24 months), the retail price is a very reasonable tariff for the experience.

The Bodegas Alta Pavina Citius Pinot Noir 2009 is yet another excellent example how Spain is pushing the envelope and expanding their reach in the wine world. In my opinion Bodegas Alta Pavina is truly a vanguard for it’s efforts here, and I sincerely hope that their wines bring even more credibility to Spain as a wine producer, not only of fine Cava and Tempranillo, but of Pinot Noir as well.

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Bodegas Alta Pavina Citius Pinot Noir Review – This isn’t the second wine from this prestigious Napa Valley winery but the same juice at under $20!

 

 

 

 

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