Pedro Parra y Familia Monk 2021

Pedro Parra is a soil consultant who advised wineries around the world before returning to his home city of Concepcion to make his own mineral-driven wines, a leading figure in the New Chile movement working with old vines and minimal intervention. Monk is a Cinsault from the Itata Valley in the south, grown on decomposed granite soils that lend the wine its energy, tension and stony, savoury character. The cool, dry-farmed conditions and old bush vines give low yields of concentrated but light-bodied fruit. Vinification is low intervention, with native yeasts and twelve months in large old foudres that soften the wine through gentle oxygen without adding oak flavour. The colour is a light, translucent ruby. The nose shows red berries, cherry, dried herbs and a distinct earthy, mineral note, while the palate is fresh and savoury, with fine tannin, bright acidity and a stony finish. Serve at 14 to 15 degrees, with a light chill in warm weather. It suits roast chicken, pork and mushroom dishes.