Atlántico Sur Pinot Noir

Region: Maldonado, Canelones, San José, and El Carmen, Uruguay

Grapes: Pinot Noir

Winemaking: The Pinot Noir grape used in Atlántico Sur grows on several vineyards located in Maldonado, Canelones and San José, a few kilometers from the coast. The secret of the coastal influence lies in the low temperatures during the grape ripening season in summer. During the day, the vineyard undergoes photosynthesis and stores nutrients in the grapes, ripening the skin and seeds at favorable temperatures below 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit). The polyphenolic compounds in the skins and seeds are responsible for the color and structure of the wine. Due to their rapid maturation, we are able to harvest early, when the grapes have a high content of fresh aromas and balanced sugar and acidity. As a result, the wines from the Atlantic coast are balanced, with floral aromas, fresh fruit and minerals, and an enveloping texture.

To get the best out of each varietal in the process of making Atlántico Sur wines, we select the maceration time and temperature according to their characteristics. For Pinot Noir, we cool the grapes after manual selection and put them in small trays where they macerate for 4 days prior to fermentation. The cold grapes undergo daily pigeages during this period to extract the color and fruit aromas. Fermentation follows in a stainless steel tank at a temperature of 18 to 20°C (64 - 68°F). Delestages are carried out during the first days of fermentation, and near the end, gentle pumping over ensures the extraction of the compounds. This allows for a very expressive varietal wine, faithful to its typicity, as expressed here in Uruguay. After the vinification period, it is aged for 10 months in concrete tanks until bottled.