Our Grapes

Bonarda:

10 hectares (25 acres) plus 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres) of Single Barrel

Bonarda is the second most popular wine grape in Argentina with about 16,000 hectares planted. This grape variety is less well known in Europe and North America although it descends from a long line of vines that originated in France. Italian immigrants brought the vines to Argentina in the 1800’s and for this reason it was believed that the vines were related to the Bonarda grape from Italy (Bonarda Piemontese, Croatina, and Uva Rara). However, through recent genetic testing, the Bonarda vines in Argentina have been established as being derived from France’s Corbeau vines.

Since vines adapt very well to the areas in which they are grown, the Argentine Bonarda has evolved and established its own unique taste. Bonarda vines grow and thrive in spectacular fashion in the climate and soil found in Mendoza, especially in San Rafael.

Bonarda is a rare, late-ripening grape that makes very dark, structured red wines with excellent aging potential. The wine has tastes of dark plum, tar, black pepper and leather.

Malbec:

2 hectares (5 acres) plus 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of Single Barrel

When you are looking through store shelves and find Argentine wine, you will most likely have a Malbec in your hands. This is because Malbec is the best known and most widely grown grape here in Argentina.

This grape originated in France’s Cahors region and is better known there as Cot Noir for its deep tinted color. Overshadowed by the French Wines used in Bordeaux, and varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it has been forgotten in the old wine world but found the perfect home in Argentina. It is almost as if this vine was made for the soil found here demonstrated by the way it grows and produces the most delightful red wine.

Malbec is typically a medium to full-bodied red wine. Ripe fruit flavors of plums and blackberry give it a jammy characteristic. The tannins are typically a bit tight and the earthy, wood-like appeal makes for a fairly rustic, yet versatile wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon:

1 hectare (2.5 acres) plus 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of Single Barrel

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. For many years, the origin of Cabernet Sauvignon was not clearly understood and many myths and conjectures surrounded it. And, despite its prominence in the industry, the grape is a relatively new variety, the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is often attributed to its ease of cultivation – the grapes have thick skins and the vines are hardy and resistant to rot and frost – and to its consistent presentation of structure and flavors which express the typical character (“typicity”) of the variety.

In Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon lags behind Malbec as the country’s main red grape but its numbers are growing. The varietal versions often have lighter fruit flavors and are meant to be consumed young. Premium examples are often blended with Malbec and produce full, tannic wines with leather and tobacco notes. In recent years, there have been increased plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Uco Valley of the Mendoza Province; the wines coming from vineyards planted at higher altitudes garner some international attention.

Cabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.