Winery:  "2009 Ritual opens with fresh and fruity aromas of black cherries, raspberries and blueberries. the palate is round and soft with silky tannins. A fresh and elegant wine with well-integrated oak and subtle hints of toast.

Ritual Pinot Noir brings legendary Chilean vintner Agustin Huneeus together with American winemaker Paul Hobbs to produce a small bottling of a Pinot Noir from the renowned Casablanca Valley. Casablanca has become Chile’s top producing region for Pinot Noir.   Located 21 miles from the Pacific Ocean, Casablanca Valley is Chile’s best terroir for Pinot Noir. The region’s coastal breezes, morning fog and well-drained loamy soils mirror California’s Russian River Valley, providing Pinot with its preferred growing conditions. A long, even growing season produces intensely concentrated wines with deep color."

Wired For Wine:  Paul Hobbs partnered on this Ritual Pinot Noir, and we are all the luckier for it.  Paul Hobbs is THE man when it comes to crafting phenomenal Pinots.  His wines typically start in the $40's and can be very tough to find.  At this price, Ritual gives us all the benefit of that expertise at a steal.  This Chilean red has almost endless pairing options, from salmon and tuna, to chicken, duck and pork, and even beef.   Because of the rich, deep fruit notes, our recommendation for this velvety wine tends to the heartier of the usual Pinot companions.  Soy sauce and other salty flavors will balance the Ritual fruit nicely on grilled tuna or a standing rib roast for example.  Grilled meats will highlight the silky tannins, oak and toast of this gorgeous red.   Mushrooms are a favorite with this Pinot; how about sauteed and mixed with orzo on the side?  If time's in short supply, how about a shitake mushroom pizza with roasted garlic?  We could get used to this kind of Ritual...

Size:  750 ml
Bottle Top: cork
Varietal:  100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol:  14.5%
Barrel:  Fined in barrels for 12 months; 100% French oak, 40% new
Region:  Aconcagua, Casablanca Valley, Chile