Wine: Watch out Burgundy

Chile is one of the world’s largest producers of pinot noir. It may not have got close to Burgundian quality, but Chile is “the” place to find decent pinot noir under £10.

Chilean pinots have a sweet juicy drinkability and approachable price tag, so we’re lapping them up. Yet it seems strange that this fickle grape is so popular in a country where high yields and huge volume were, until very recently, the norm.

One of the reasons is that its largest producer, Concha y Toro, which owns Conosur, decided to focus on it. Conosur produces 300,000 cases in five pinot styles. Adolfo Hurtado of Conosur says he is determined to go to his grave with Chile better known for its pinot quality than New Zealand.

In 1994, Chile had a mere 100 hectares of the grape. Now it has 2,884. Today you find pinot noir in eight regions. Most important is Casablanca Valley, with 723 hectares.With the oldest vines, it tends to produce the richest styles. Pick here from Conosur’s top of the range 20 Barrels or go for value with new Loma Larga or Anakena’s Ona.

It was back in the 1990s that San Antonio, which includes the coastal Leyda Valley with its 374 hectares, started to show potential for cool climate grapes.

Once a pipeline had been built to bring water to its dry farmlands, investors piled in. Now, almost 20 years on, pioneers Vina Leyda, Garces Silva and Casa Marin show the area’s elegant and spicy pinots.

The third-largest pinot noir plantings (260 hectares) are in Bio Bio. The risk here is the higher levels of rainfall annually in this very southerly region, but its volcanic soils show potential. Personally I have found its riesling more elegant than its pinot noir, but it is early days.

£12.26

www.justerin is.com

Casablanca Valley: Loma Larga Pinot Noir 2010

This winery produces elegant, sweet, rich, juicy pinot. Raspberry aromas, velvet tannins, cherry/berry flavours.

£8.49

Marks & Spencer

Leyda Valley: Secano Estate Pinot Noir 2010

Smooth, sweet, succulent and well-made by Vina Leyda; clear winner amongst the supermarket pinot.

£6.95

www.thewine society.com

Leyda Valley: TWS Own Label Leyda Pinot Noir 2010

Best-value own label example: black cherry, silky, supple with oaky hints.