James Suckling is a contributing editor to Wine Spectator and he also has his own www.jamessuckling.com site that reviews wines. He rates a Pinot Noir that we have just imported for the first time, 94/100 and goes on to write, “A dense and wonderfully long and silky Pinot with strawberry, light hazelnut and hints of lemon peel. Full body, yet lively and wired.”

He continues that at half to a third of the price of another well known Pinot Noir it compares very favourably. Not wanting to name the latter, I will however say that we have had this specific one in the past for about $90.

Ritual 2013 Pinot Noir from the Casablanca Valley in Chile, which is the one reviewed here, is now in our shops for $21.75.

I have mentioned before that Pinot Noir is the Holy Grail for winemakers as it presents such a challenge and is so rewarding when it turns out well.

Agustin Huneeus is the best known Chilean in the world of wine.

He owns the great Quintessa Estate in the heart of Napa Valley (we sell the 2011 for $173.40) and his Faust Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, also from Napa, is $67.85. In Chile he also owns Veramonte Vineyards that does very well for us.

His goal has been to make a fine Pinot Noir in Casablanca Valley, which due to the cool influences of the Pacific Ocean, he compares with the highly respected Russian River Valley in Northern California.

These areas are cool and this is just what Pinot Noir wants as it prefers to ripen slowly (long hang time) as it gains complexity.

Rather than follow the common practice of buying yeast, Ritual uses native yeasts that reflect the unique terroir of the vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon has 20 clones to chose from and Pinot Noir over 1000; and there lies one of its greatest challenges.

Ritual Pinot Noir uses clones 115 and 777 which in my opinion are two of the best.

The latter gives strong and intense colours while 115 does the same but with more purple hues.

It tends to develop slightly more sugar than 777, which is less susceptible to grey mould than 115.

The list goes on and on with things that the vineyard owner and winemaker must take into consideration as they strive for the best wine.

My workplace compatriot Kevin has been asking for months for us to have an Albarino, which is a white wine from Spain that is so “in”, and so in December our Vionta 2013 Albarino arrived. I tasted it for the first time last week while trying for new listings in one of our most popular restaurants.

Some believe that the Albarino grape is a cousin to the German Riesling, others that it is indigenous to the region in Spain where it flourishes in the shallow and sandy soils. Whatever its origins it has excelled in this area for centuries.

It is light in colour with a tinge of yellow and a lovely perfume of melons, citrus and peach, the latter being reminiscent of a delicate Viognier. I would say that it is a “gentle” wine of fine balance, but still lively and fresh.

I really am impressed with it and am happy to add it to our list for 2015. A bottle will cost you $21.45.

This column is a paid for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson is Director of Wine at Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm or 295-0176. Burrows Lightbourn have stores in Hamilton (Front Street East. 295-1554), Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355) and St. George’s (York Street, 297-0409). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits are available online at www.wineonline.bm.