Argentina 2016 Special Report

Transcription

1 a TIM ATKIN MW SPECIAL REPORT Argentina 2016 Special Report by Tim Atkin MW $ Tim Atkin

2 Contents Pg 05 Introduction 07 Winemakers of Argentina 17 The 10 things you need to know about Argentina 25 Map of Argentina s growing regions 26 A short guide to Argentina s growing regions 28 The podium 29 The 2016 Argentinean top A classification of Argentina s best producers 34 A note about scoring and my classification 35 Tasting notes 124 Complete scores A-Z 147 Recommended restaurants in Argentina 147 Further Reading Thank you for buying a copy of this report, which is the result of a lot tasting, travel and hard work, as well as no little pleasure. Please respect the laws of copyright and don t share the PDF with other people. Instead, encourage them to pay for their own copy, so that my team of experts and I can continue to write and publish first-hand reports on the major wine regions of the world. Muchas gracias por comprar una copia de este reporte, el cuál es el resultado de muchas degustaciones, viajes y mucho esfuerzo, aunque no poco placentero. Por favour respete la ley de derechos de autor y no comprata este PDF con otras personas. En su lugar, invítelos a comprar su propia copia. De esta forma mi equipo de expertos y yo podemos seguir escribiendo y publicando reportes de premera mano sobre las mayors regiones del mundo. Page 02

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5 Introduction Crisis, what crisis? It makes a pleasant change to be writing my 2016 report at a time of comparative optimism in Argentina. A year, never mind a week, is a long time in politics and the country has altered radically in the last 12 months. In fact, the upturn in its fortunes is even more recent than that. Mauricio Macri was elected president on November 23 and has set about righting Argentina s economic woes with impressive energy since he took office in December. The peso has been devalued, effectively doing away with the dollar blue, which traded at 25-30% above the official rate, exchange controls have been relaxed and Argentina appears to be on the verge of settling its debts, allowing it to return to capital markets after a 15 year ban. The government still needs to secure the necessary votes in Congress to repeal two laws that will allow it to pay its creditors through a $15 billion bond issue, but this appears to be a done deal. It will then be in a position to finance its budget deficit, which was an alarming 5.8% of GDP last year, and (it hopes) be in a position to reduce inflation, the long-term scourge of the Argentinean economy. Things are still problematic (the rate is around 25% and reducing it will depend on the wage demands of the major trade unions), but they have been much worse. In 1975, lest we forget, inflation was running at 1% per day. This is not a report about politics or economics. But these two things have a direct impact on the wine industry. Outside investment has more or less dried up over the last decade the sale of a majority share in Achával Ferrer to the Russian SPI Group in April 2011 was almost the only exception and an over-valued peso (at 9.5 to the dollar, compared with 14 today) was impeding exports. With the new exchange rate, imported barrels will be more expensive, but if that encourages producers to use less new oak this may be a blessing in disguise. Now, foreign investors are looking at Argentina once more, according to Nicolás Catena, owner of Catena Zapata and a trained economist. In the last month, he says, I have been contacted by an American and a Spanish investor, both of whom are looking to buy a winery here. Catena is a Macri fan. This is the first time we ve had a president who isn t either a lawyer or a general. He s an engineer and a practical, honest person who is used to solving problems. With the issues he has piled up on his desk, the travails of the wine industry are not at the top of the president s agenda. But it was significant that at the end of January 2016, the government announced it would be providing a subsidy of 75 million pesos to producers in the provinces of San Juan and Mendoza, mostly to finance the sale or disposal of excess stock, said to be running at 200 million litres, to be followed by a second tranche of 75 million later in the year. The wine industry represents around 1.3% of GDP and the PRO government clearly doesn t want to see a repeat of the events of January 2015, when vineyard workers took to the streets of Mendoza to protest at the low price of grapes, falling exports, rock bottom bulk wine rates and rampant inflation. The economic situation better but still far from ideal is only one thing wineries have to worry about at the moment. The 2016 growing season has been one of the wettest on record (except in the north, where it has been incredibly dry), although a number of producers told me that the weather had improved in late February and early March, promising a warmer, drier end to the harvest. Volumes are likely to be down by as much Page 05

6 as 25% on 2015, but this is not another 1998, widely regarded as one of the worst ever vintages in Argentina. We were less good at managing our vineyards in 1998, says Roberto de la Mota of Mendel. This has been a cooler year, with less disease pressure, particularly from botrytis, than we saw in could yet produce some very good wines, but the harvest may not be finished until the middle of May. The higher parts of Gualtallary, for instance, have experienced degree-days that are closer to Burgundy than La Mancha. It s the sort of thing that happens once in 50 years, says Edy Del Popolo of Per Se and Dominio del Plata. In one sense, however, 2016 is part of a trend. Argentina hasn t had a hot, dry vintage since , 2014, 2015 and now 2016 have all been cool years, with significant amounts of rain in the last three vintages. Argentina, in other words, is not without its problems, even if the outlook is more positive (assuming the 2016 harvest ends well) than it has been for a while. But I believe that the country s wines have entered a new and exciting phase. During my three week trip to write this, my fourth annual report on Argentina, I tasted more good reds than ever, particularly from the 2012 and 2013 vintages. Equally significantly, many of these wines are fresher, brighter and lower in alcohol than their predecessors, with less new oak and sweet, so-called caramelo flavours. The whites, too, have improved beyond all recognition in the space of five years. Right now, there s a dynamism and vitality to the Argentinean wine scene that I haven t seen since the 19s. In fact, it s even more exhilarating than it was then, thanks to the emergence of new regions, styles and winemakers and a renewed sense of self-confidence. No one knows what will happen to the economy over the next 12 months, but the future of the wine industry looks extremely bright. Tim Atkin MW There s a dynamism and vitality to the Argentinean wine scene that I haven t seen since the 19s. Page 06

7 Winemakers of Argentina Clockwise from top left: Andrea Marchiori, Walter Bressia, Pancho Morelli, Alvaro Dávalos and Raul Dávalos, Bernardo Bossi, Gabriel Bloise, Eduardo Pulenta, Jeff Musbach Page 07

8 Clockwise from top left: Marcos Fernández, Gustavo Bertagna, Hervé Joyaux Fabre, Osvaldo Domingo, Santiago Bugallo, Mariano di Paola, Gerardo and Andrea Michelini, Lorenzo Pasquini Page 08

9 Clockwise from top left: André Weinert, David Bonomi and Edy Del Popolo, Paul Hobbs, Sofía Pescarmona, The Pulenta family, Manu Michelini, Noemi Cinzano Marone and Hans Vinding-Diers Page 09

10 Clockwise from top left: Cristián Morelli, Federico Bizzotto, Francisco Tellechea, Gustavo Rearte, Daniel Pi, Mariana Paez, Fernando Maurette Page 10

11 Clockwise from top left: The Dávalos family, Thibault Lepoutre, Giuseppe Franceschini, Guillermo Barbier, Xavier Grané, Leo Erazu, Agustín Lanus, Hubert Weber, Martín El Gato Kaiser Page 11

12 Clockwise from top left: Alejandro Vigil, Javier Lo Forte, Rafael Racedo, Alejandro Pepa, Juan Carlos Rodríguez, Salvador Chavo Figueroa, Hervé Birnie-Scott, Mariana Onofri, Mariano Quiroga Page 12

13 Clockwise from top left: Adrián Manchón, José-Luis Mounier, Marita Bressia, Matías Michelini, Juan-Pablo Michelini, Opi Sadler, José Spisso, Matías Riccitelli Page 13

14 Clockwise from top left: Juan Manuel Gónzalez, Walter Carrizo, Roberto de la Mota, Thibaut Delmotte, Rafa Domingo, Juan Roby, Marcelo Pelleriti, Maria and Armando Loson, Jorge Riccitelli Page 14

15 Clockwise from top left: Lucia Romero, Manuel Gónzalez, Marcos Etchart, Nicolas Catena, Julio Viola, Susana Balbo, Paola Pulenta, Pablo Martorell, Alejandro and Lucia Martorell, Sofía Groppo Parisi Page 15

16 Clockwise from top left: Tommy Hughes, Agustín Lombroni, Santiago Achaval, Alejandro Sejanovich, Sebastian Zuccardi, Pepe Galante, Alejandro Cánovas, Juan Prates Page 16

17 10 things you need to know about Argentina Argentina is the fifth biggest wine-producing country in the world, with 226,388 hectares of vineyards at the most recent official count and an annual production of million hectolitres in Only France, Italy, Spain and the United States make more vino. Argentina s viticultural roots date back to the 16th century, but its modern wine industry is extremely vibrant and has seen dramatic changes in the last 20 years. Although annual per capita consumption is nothing like as enthusiastic as it once was Argentineans knocked back a remarkable litres in the early 19s, compared with fewer than 30 litres today the country still drinks more than two and half times what it exports, even if much of it is pretty basic vino corriente. Wine is a much more important part of daily life in Argentina than in it is Chile, Brazil or Uruguay, or even the rest of the Southern Hemisphere for that matter. As well as a source of pride, wine is the national beverage of choice. That s unlikely to change any time soon, however popular Fernet Branca or Quilmes beer may be among younger consumers. This is one of the hottest, driest and most continental climates in the wine world, although it hasn t seemed that way in rain-affected Mendoza in Most Argentinean vineyards are planted in what are essentially desert conditions and, in a normal growing season, would struggle to survive without irrigation, either from wells or the Andes. Dry farmed vineyards are rare, but not unheard of. Growing grapes in Argentina is comparatively easy (as long as you have water and are protected by hail nets), but growing fine wine grapes is harder. That, in essence, is Argentina s challenge. The search for cooler sites has been one of the themes of the last 20 years and has seen companies go higher, further south and, more recently, east towards the Atlantic coast, in the case of Trapiche s Costa & Pampa project. The Uco Valley, especially the upper parts of the Gualtallary sub-region, is the most highly publicised example of this, but Argentineans are exploring all four points of the compass in an attempt to mitigate the effects of heat and long sunshine hours and produce more elegant, nuanced wines. New areas such as Calingasta, Chañarmuyo, Chapadmalal, Chubut, El Challao, Jujuy, Lago Hermoso, La Pampa, Payagosta- Salta (home to the highest vineyard in the world, Colomé s Altura Máxima at 3,111 metres) and Valle de Canota are all part of this trend. Malbec is the country s best grape and its global calling card. The variety s dominance is sometimes exaggerated, at least in statistical terms. It s been higher in the past a lot of old vineyards were pulled out in the government-sponsored vine pull schemes of the1980s - but today it only represents 17% of Argentina s 226,388 hectares. But when it comes to sales overseas, it s a different story: Malbec accounts for 51% of Argentina s exports and is regarded as the country s USP. What s more, the Malbec that is grown in Argentina is very different to what you find in the south-west French regions of Cahors and Bordeaux, according to scientist and economist Aldo Biondillo, who has been conducting clonal Page 17

18 research into the grape, partly funded by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, at his Tempus Alba winery in Mendoza since The DNA of Argentinean Malbec is completely different, he says. There s no doubt that Malbec is a versatile grape, capable of producing very different styles of wine, depending on where it is grown and how it is made. We are starting to see clear variations in aroma, structure and flavour between Malbecs grown in Agrelo, El Cepillo, Gualtallary, Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, Paraje Altamira, the Pedernal Valley, Río Negro, Salta, San Pablo, Vista Flores and Vistalba. Decisions in the vineyard and the winery clearly have an impact on style, but each of these places seems to give Malbec an individual stamp. Biondillo is working with 14 different wineries in his Circulo project, to plant the same three clones of Malbec (whittled down from 16) in eight different parts of the country. I agree that we need to sell our terroirs, but first we need to know what genetic material we are working with, so that we are comparing apples with apples, and not with pears or oranges. Within a decade, Biondillo plans to have developed a scientifically based sensory map of Malbec. This is all part of the challenge to make even more of Argentina s signature grape. As Santiago Achával of Achával Ferrer and Mater Vini puts it: The next big thing after Malbec is more Malbec, but from different sites and older geologies. That s why our current search has taken us to places like the Valle de Canota and El Challao. The list of the country s best Malbec producers is long and getting longer by the vintage. My favourites, all of whom have one or more wines in my Top 100 wines of the year, include: Achaval Ferrer, Altos Las Hormigas, Bodega Aleanna, Bodega Cuarto Dominio, Catena, Chakana, Colomé, De Angeles, Dominio del Plata, Doña Paula, Entonado, Luca, Mendel, Noemía, Norton, Per Se, Pulenta Estate, Puramun, Riccitelli Wines, Salentein, Terrazas de los Andes, Tintonegro, Trapiche, Viña Cobos, Weinert and Zuccardi. It s also significant that Malbec, regarded mostly as a blending grape in France, works well with other varieties, most notably Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, in Argentina, too. The examples are numerous, but top cuvées with a significant percentage of Malbec include Andeluna Pasionado Cuatro Cepas, Atamisque Assemblage, Bodega Tacuil Viñas de Dávalos, Bodega Vistalba Corte A, Buscado Vivo o Muerte La Verdad, Caro, Catena Zapata Nicolás, Cheval des Andes, De Angeles Viña 14 Single Vineyard Gran Corte, Fabre Montmayou Grand Vin, Finca Flichman Dedicado, Mendel Unus, Norton Gernot Langes, Per Se Francesca, Per Se La Craie, Pulenta Estate Gran Corte, Pyros Special Blend, Riglos Gran Corte, Trapiche Iscay, Tres 14 Imperfecto, Weinert Cavas de Weinert Gran Vino, Zorzal Field Blend and Zuccardi Zeta. Other red grapes have enormous potential, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Bonarda and Pinot Noir. Famous rock bands are often faced with a conundrum when they re playing live: at what point do they dip into their back catalogue and play their greatest hits? They may want to showcase new material, but the crowd is impatient to hear something they can sing along to. People like familiarity. It s one of the reasons brands are so successful, and not only in music. But it s also dangerous to stick with the tried and tested. Innovation and an element of surprise are vital in most walks of life. Just as a shark needs to keep moving to stay alive, so artists need to be creative. Argentina faces a similar dilemma with Malbec. I m not suggesting that the country s best variety is predictable or has run out of gas (see above). Indeed, you could argue that Malbec is more exciting today than it has ever been, with the development of new sub-regions and an increasing focus on terroir. But Argentina is sometimes regarded as a producer of Malbec and nothing else. One of the things that surprises people about Argentinean wine is its diversity. How many other New World countries grow Aglianico, Alicante Bouschet, Ancellotta, Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Caladoc, Carignan, Dolcetto, Grenache, Marselan, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tannat and Tempranillo, as well as Malbec? Which grapes have most potential? Right now, the one that gets the most attention is Cabernet Franc. There s no denying that the Page 18

19 variety is capable of special things in Argentina, particularly in Mendoza. If you haven t tried Andeluna s Pasionado, Atamisque s Serbal, Bodega Aleanna s Single Vineyard Grand Enemigo, Pulenta Estate s Gran Cabernet Franc, Salentein s Numina or Zorzal s Eggo Franco, you are missing out on bottlings of brilliant varietal expressions of this wonderful grape. Cabernet Franc delivers as a blending component, too, as we know from Bordeaux. Its partnership with Malbec as sensual as the best tango is particularly special. Just get hold of a bottle of Bodega Teho s Zaha Malbec from the Toko Vineyard, Dominio del Plata s Benmarco Expresivo, Per Se La Craie, Salentein s Gran Vu or Tres 14 Imperfecto. But Cabernet Franc works well with one or more of the other red Bordeaux varieties, too. Good examples include, Achaval Ferrer s Quimera, Luigi Bosca s Finca Los Nobles Field Blend, Norton s Gernot Langes, Mendel s Red Blend and Pulenta Estate s Gran Corte. What Cabernet Franc doesn t have going for it is abundance. A mere 750 hectares, of which only 57 hectares are planted in what is arguably its best terroir in Gualtallary, is not going to keep the world supplied for long. When you compare plantings with those of Cabernet Sauvignon (15,859 hectares) and Syrah (13,029,), it starts to look insignificant. Syrah is not yet as exciting as it should be in Argentina although the 2013 Finca Las Moras Gran Syrah from San Juan is the most promising I ve had yet but Cabernet Sauvignon is well suited to the country s range of micro-climates and there s more of it. Paul Hobbs of Viña Cobos, who knows a thing or two about the variety from California, thinks that it s under-rated in Argentina. This may be true, but Cabernet Sauvignon is increasingly bottled as a varietal wine. A list of the best producers would include Achával Ferrer, Andeluna, Bodega Tacuil, Bressia, Casarena, De Angeles, Dominio del Plata, El Esteco, El Porvenir de Cafayate, Fabre Montmayou, Finca Decero, Finca La Anita, Kaikén, La Mascota, Lagarde, Mendel, Navarro Correas, Norton, Piedra Negra, Pulenta Estate, Riglos, Salentein, SonVida, Terrazas de los Andes and Viña Cobos. The grape is also the backbone of high-end wines such as Bressia Profundo, Catena Zapata Nicolás, Riglos Gran Corte and Cheval des Andes. The one grape that almost no one talks about is Bonarda, and yet it s the second most planted red grape in Argentina, with 19,214 hectares. Even on the domestic market, the variety s image is not particularly glamorous. Over half of those plantings are in the scorching, desertlike conditions of eastern Mendoza, grown on high trellises called parrales and often flood irrigated. Historically, Bonarda was grown for its yield and disease-resistance, and still is to a large extent, as well as its ability to add acidity to Malbec. Some people mistake the grape for the Bonarda (Croatina) grown in Oltrepò Pavese or Lombardy (Bonarda Piemontese and Uva Rara). But it turns out that the variety is not Italian, but French. According to ampelographers, Bonarda is none other than Corbeau, also known as Charbono in California. Now that Bonarda s identity is clearer, perhaps its stock will rise. Look out for the wines from Altos Las Hormigas, Bodega Aleanna, Bodega Iaccarini, Cara Sur, Chakana, Dante Robino, Morelli Vino de Cava and Zuccardi. Pinot Noir needs no such help with its identity, but it s fair to say that the variety is not normally associated with Argentina. For some time, Chacra in Río Negro has been the coruscating exception to the fairly dull fare on offer. Yet on my last three visits to the country, I ve been increasingly impressed by a growing number of wines from Gualtallary, Neuquén, San Pablo, Río Negro. I even had a good one from La Consulta this year. Apart from Chacra, noteworthy Pinots are made by Altocedro, Familia Schroeder, Gen di Alma, Luca, Manos Negras and Salentein. Argentina s white wines have undergone a transformation. If you were to ask most people which Latin American country produces the continent s best Chardonnays, Rieslings and Sauvignon Blanc, they would nominate Chile, which benefits from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean, but Argentina is raising its game by the vintage, producing wines that can be every bit as good. What s more, it makes a more diverse range of white wines than its Andean neighbour, using an extensive list of grape varieties that includes Albariño, Chenin Blanc, Fiano, Gewürztraminer, Marsanne, Muscat, Palomino, Petit Manseng, Page 19

20 Pinot Gris, Roussanne, Sauvignon Gris, Semillon, Sylvaner, Tocai Friulano, Torrontés, Verdicchio and Viognier, as well as the less exquisite delights of Pedro Giménez and Sultanina Blanca. Argentina s most distinctive white grape is Torrontés, or rather a range of Torrontés, since this highly perfumed variety, which resulted from a natural crossing of Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica, has at least three major clones (Riojano, Mendocino and San Juanino). The received wisdom is that the best examples come from the high altitude vineyards of Salta (where the superior Riojano clone is predominant). Outstanding wines are certainly made there by the likes of Alta Vista, Colomé, El Esteco and El Porvenir de Cafayate, but you re just as likely to find impressive Torrontés in Mendoza, especially in the Uco Valley, where Passionate Wine and Dominio del Plata both make distinctive styles, the first with skin contact, the second with barrel fermentation. Plantings of Torrontés dwarf those of other premium white grapes. The three clones account for 10,632 of Argentina s 226, 338 hectares under vine. But Chardonnay (6,352 hectares) is growing in importance and quality. Not so long ago, Argentinean Chardonnay looked to California rather than Burgundy for its inspiration. The results were drinkable, but rarely exciting. The pioneering work or Catena in the higher reaches of the Uco Valley (Gualtallary) has changed all that. The limestone soils of Catena s Adrianna Vineyard are responsible for two of the country s (and South America s) best Chardonnays: White Stones and White Bones. Further Uco Valley producers to look out for are Andeluna, Atamisque, Chakana, Doña Paula, Luca, Navarro Correas, Norton, Revolver, Riccitelli Wines, Rutini, Salentein Terrazas de los Andes, Trapiche and Zuccardi, while Bodega del Río Elorza (Río Negro), El Porvenir de Cafayate (Cafayate) and Pulenta Estate (Agrelo) make very good Chardonnays in other regions. If great Chardonnay was rare in Argentina even a decade ago, top Sauvignon Blanc was almost an oxymoron. The country s dry, continental climate was considered too hot to produce wines with varietal typicity. One person has transformed the image of Sauvignon Blanc in Argentina: Matías Michelini, sometimes described as green Michelini because of his fondness for earlier-picked, lower alcohol wines. First at Doña Paula, then at Finca Sophenia and now at Passionate Wine and Zorzal (where he works with his brothers, Juan Pablo and Gerardo), Michelini has made a series of brilliant Sauvignon Blancs. Look out in particular for the Zorzal Eggo Blanc de Cal. Michelini isn t the only excellent Sauvignon Blanc producer, mind you. Doña Paula and Finca Sophenia are still right up there in terms of quality, as is Colomé, whose Altura Máxima Sauvignon Blanc comes from the highest vineyard in the world, Bodega Tacuil, also in Salta, and O. Fournier, whose Alfa Crux is made in a Graves-like style. I d also recommend the barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blancs from La Giostra del Vino, made by the Italian Giuseppe Franceschini. Riesling is another unlikely success story in Argentina. There s not a whole lot of it in the ground (111 hectares to be precise), but what s planted has real potential, especially in Gualtallary (Doña Paula), Las Compuertas (Luigi Bosca) and Chapadmalal (Trapiche s Costa & Pampa), mostly made in a dry style. The last member of this trio is the most recent, as well as the most exciting site for Riesling and other aromatic varieties such as Albariño and Gewürztraminer. It s an unirrigated estate situated five kilometres from the Atlantic on what was previously a diary farm. Even the Uruguayans don t grow grapes this close to the ocean, but the early indications are that Trapiche is on to a winner. And what of Argentina s other whites? Well, there are a handful of decent Viogniers (Alamos, DiamAndes, Escorihuela Gascón and Lagarde), a Gewürztraminer or two (Rutini and Mar & Pampa) and at least one very good Pinot Gris (Piedra Negra), but the variety with the greatest promise is Semillon, just as it is in South Africa. Plantings are reasonably sizeable at 799 hectares, and Marcelo Miras, Passionate Wine, Riccitelli Wines and especially Mendel make exciting interpretations of the grape. White blends are under-represented in Argentina, especially at the top end. Producers seem wary to step out of well-defined stylistic varietal boxes, which is a shame. But this is changing. A handful of wineries are combining Page 20

21 varieties to good effect, most notably Blanchard y Lurton, Bodega Underground, Bressia, Dominio del Plata, La Giostra del Vino, Finca Agostino, Morelli Vino de Cava, Mythic Estate, Monofri Wines, Passionate Wine and Piedra Negra. The Uco Valley has established itself as one of the New World s greatest wine regions. If you d visited in the early 19s, the idea that this isolated corner of Mendoza province would one day be regarded as the source of the majority of Argentina s best reds would have been fanciful. Plantings had dwindled to a nadir of only 6,000 hectares as growers, incentivised by government vine pull schemes, uprooted vineyards and replaced them with fruit and veg. In the space of a decade, the town of La Consulta, the location of many of the Uco s oldest plantings, lost 80% of its vines. Today, the valley today is almost unrecognisable. The Andes are still there, providing one of the wine world s most dramatic backdrops, but almost everything else has changed. There are more vineyards (plantings have more than quadrupled to 27,600 hectares), over 100 brands and 20 wineries. The Uco has also become a tourist and lifestyle destination, complete with four real estate projects and its own golf course. It has gone from backwater to boom town, attracting investors from sources as diverse as France, Russia, Spain and the United States. What s even more remarkable is the wine quality that is emerging from the Uco, although the potential has always been there. The first vineyards were planted as long ago as the 10s by Italian and Spanish immigrants and, in some cases, are still producing impressive wines. The major Argentinean wineries valued the fruit they produced for its colour, perfume and acidity, but very few of the resulting wines were stand-alone bottlings. Although generally regarded as a single homogenous region, the Uco is surprisingly diverse. It is only 43 miles in length and 25 in width, yet the valley s vineyards vary considerably. The valley is bounded on four sides - by desert in the south, the Andes in the west, by gorges and dry riverbeds in the east and by a series of hills, or cerillos to the north adding to its sense of isolation. At its lowest point, the Uco is 1,000 metres in altitude; at its highest (at least as far as viticulture in concerned) around 1,600 metres. The further north you go, the higher the vineyards and the cooler the resulting temperatures. Nonetheless, this is a region where dry farming is very rare indeed. Without water from wells or the Tunuyán or Las Tunas rivers, vines would struggle to survive, such is the intensity of the sunlight. Diurnal variation (up to 20 C in summer and 18 C in winter) helps to mitigate the dry heat (and preserve acidity in the grapes) but this is still an extreme region. Not so long ago, the main focus in the Uco was on altitude and, to a lesser degree, aspect. But now it s on soil type, water holding capacity and drainage. This growing interest in terroir is reflected in the number of soil pits (or calicatas ) that are regularly dug all over the region, as well as in the recent creation of Paraje Altamira, the country s first GI (Geographical Indication), based on a rigorous study by Professor Ricardo Pérez Valenzuela. The valley is divided into three sub-regions, following political and geographical boundaries rather than differences in terroir. From north to south, these are Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos. Very few wineries use these terms on their labels these days. They are far more likely to talk about smaller viticultural zones within the Uco, such as Chacayes, El Cepillo, Gualtallary, La Consulta, Los Arboles, Paraje Altamira, San Pablo and Vista Flores. Gualtallary is the most recently developed of these, and yet it s arguably the one with the most potential, having the both the highest altitudes and the greatest concentration of limestone. It s equally well suited to whites as the Chardonnays from Catena and Luca, the Sauvignon Blancs from Zorzal and Passionate Wine and the Riesling from Doña Paula have demonstrated as it is to reds, especially Malbec and Cabernet Franc, but also Pinot Noir. Additional producers to look out for are Altos Las Hormigas, Bodega Aleanna, Gen de Alma, Finca Ambrosía, Navarro Correas, Per Se, Revolver, Riglos, Tres 14, Trapiche, and Zuccardi. But the Uco isn t only about Gualtallary. Paraje Altamira, as that GI designation makes clear, is making many of the Uco s best reds at Page 21

22 the moment, including Zuccardi s Piedra Infinita and Aluvional, Mendel s Finca Remota, Altos Las Hormigas Appellation Altamira Malbec, Bodega Teho Zaha Malbec from the Toko Vineyard and Achával Ferrer s Finca Altamira, and is arguably the valley s equivalent of a Grand Cru. Add the wines from La Consulta, where the vines tend to be older, and a handful from Vista Flores and Los Arboles and you have a valley with at least five distinct, high-quality sub-zones. Most exciting of all is that the best is yet to come. The average age of the Uco s vineyards is young the result of that vine pull as well as the recent boom in plantings and some of the finest terroirs may still be undiscovered. But that s in the future. What the valley is producing right now has radically changed the profile of Argentinean wine. There s life beyond Mendoza. It s hard to think of another country where a single region dominates the wine industry the way Mendoza does in Argentina. Buenos Aires may be the nation s political, economic and artistic hub, but Mendoza is its undisputed wine capital, with the wineries, the vineyards and the research institutions to prove it. A quick glance at the statistics confirms this. Out of 226,388 hectares under vine, 160,983 are in Mendoza, equivalent to 71%. Not even Rioja, which bestrides the Spanish wine scene, can match it. Mendoza s vineyards are far from uniform. There are significant differences between the sub-zones of Luján de Cuyo (Perdriel, Agrelo and Ugarteche), the traditional heart of the Argentinean wine business, let alone the scorching flatlands of eastern Mendoza and the cooler, higher, Andean-influenced Uco Valley, whose northern end in particular is producing some of the most elegant whites and reds in the country. And yet there is a very real sense in which Mendoza, to many consumers, is Argentinean wine. That s only part of the picture, however. The other 29% of this large varied winemaking country adds welcome complexity to the tableau. The latitude of Argentina s vineyards stretches from 22 to 42 latitude, or to put it another way, from Jujuy in the north to Chubut in the south, a span that is almost as long as Chile s. Argentina s wine regions are often divided, geographically rather than stylistically it must be said, into three groups: the northwest (Salta, Catamarca and La Rioja), Cuyo (Mendoza and San Juan) and Patagonia (Neuquén and Río Negro). This is a crude, but still useful, way of understanding the country. Could any of these areas challenge Mendoza s supremacy in the coming decades? Definitely not in terms of quantity, but there are signs that the quality of what is emerging from some of these new (or recently rediscovered) areas could match some of the best wines in Mendoza. Four of them are particularly promising: Calingasta, Chapadmalal, Payogasta-Salta and the Pedernal Valley, each of which has already produced some excellent wines. Calingasta is an old vine-growing region in one sense. Some of the vines in Barreal, its most interesting sub-region, were planted in the 10s, grown at 1,500 metres of altitude on pergola trellising and located even closer to the Andes than the Uco Valley on the western side of the precordillera (foothills) of this majestic mountain range. It s a really old area, says Sebastián Zuccardi, who is one of the partners in an exciting new venture called Cara Sur, making wines from Bonarda, Criolla and Moscatel Tinto. Historically, the grapes were used to make cheap wines, but the potential is huge here. If Calingasta is a traditional region, Chapadmalal is all about the shock of the new. There were no vineyards planted here until Trapiche converted an old cattle farm situated a few miles from the Atlantic to the south of Buenos Aires. They started with 10 hectares of Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer and have now added another 15 hectares, extending the line up of grapes to include Albariño, a first for Argentina. The vineyards are dry farmed (not surprising giving the comparatively wet climate) and after six years in the ground are producing some of the country s most refined white wines under the expert eye of chief winemaker, Daniel Pi. I m also increasingly impressed by the wines emerging from the Pedernal Valley in San Juan, a high, windy, isolated spot with altitudes that vary between 1,250 and 1,500 metres. Considerably cooler than the majority of San Juan s vineyards, with silex and limestone soils, Page 22

23 it has enormous potential. There are only 800 hectares planted here, most of them owned by Las Moras, Pyros and growers who sell their wines to other wineries, but there are surely more to come. Every bit as exciting is Colomé s biodynamically farmed Altura Máxima vineyard in Payogasta-Salta: 25 hectares of Malbec, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc planted at a lightheaded 3,111 metres above sea level, making it the highest vineyard in the world. Growing grapes in such an isolated spot, two and half hours drive from the main Colomé winery (which is pretty secluded itself), is extremely tricky, with no sunlight until 10 am because of shadows from the surrounding peaks. This quartet of regions has added considerably to the diversity of Argentina s wine scene. The exciting thing is that I could have chosen another half a dozen up- and-coming sites. And with more adventurous winemakers constantly searching for new and interesting locations, there are surely plenty more to be discovered. Or rediscovered. Mendoza will always be the centre of the Argentinean wine industry, but as the emphasis shifts from technique to terroir as evidenced by the number of soil pits or calicatas that litter the country s vineyards so Argentina will continue to experiment and explore new areas. I can t wait to taste the results. Young winemakers are having a growing impact. It may be a sign that I m getting old, but the average age of the country s oenologists seems to be falling. The extreme example is Manuel Michelini, son of winemakers Gerardo and Andrea Michelini and the man behind Plop!, who is all of 20, but there are more recently qualified people working in the industry that any time in the last 25 years, a sure sign that people see a future in wine once more. I ve probably missed a few of the leading names, but look out for the wines from Lucas Amoretti (Entonado), Agostina Astegiano (Avarizza), German Berra (Finca Flichman), Gabriel Bloise (Chakana), Agustín Lombroni (Bodega del Río Elorza), Santiago Mayorga (Cadus), Raul Dávalos (Bodega Tacuil), Leo Erazu (Altos Las Hormigas), Marcos Fernández (Doña Paula), Fernando Gabriel (El Relator), Agustín Lanus (Altos Terruños), Mario Malatto (Filus), Juan Pablo Michelini (Zorzal and 2km), Cristian Moor and Teresita Barrio (Moor- Barrio), Karim Mussi (Altocedro), Mariana Onofri (Onofri Wines), Lorenzo Pasquini (Cheval des Andes), Matiás Prieto (Entre Vero), Mariano Quiroga (El Porvenir de Cafayate), Gaspar Rastrilla (Casa de Uco), Gustavo Rearte (Achával Ferrer), Matías Riccitelli (Riccitelli Wines) and Sebastián Zuccardi (Zuccardi). The future of Argentinean wine is in excellent hands. Argentina is increasingly focused on expressing its vineyards - and its vintages. It s hard to wander into a vineyard these days without stumbling on a soil pit, or calicata, dug to show what lies beneath the surface in the so-called root zone. Even ten years ago, these were very rare in Argentina, but no one plants a vineyard these days without thinking about soils and geology. The work of viticulturists such as Pedro Marchevsky (Humberto Canale), Martín Kaiser (Doña Paula), Edy del Popolo (Dominio del Plata and Per Se), Alejandro Sejanovich (Casarena, Tintonegro, Manos Negras and Bodega Teho), Luis Reginato (Catena and Chaman) and the Chilean Pedro Parra (Chakana and Altos Las Hormigas) has been vital in this respect. Not so long ago, the main focus was on altitude that desire to temper heat again but now it is on soil type, water holding capacity and drainage. The greater understanding of the influence of calcium carbonate and limestone in wine flavour (although this is a controversial subject, as some argue that both have no taste) and structure has been particularly beneficial to Argentina, bringing what I identify as a soilderived freshness to many of the top wines, especially from Alta Mira and Gualtallary. There are almost certainly great vineyard locations that have not yet been discovered in Argentina, but Argentineans are making more of what they have than ever thanks to better viticulture. Argentina doesn t have an appellation system. Or, if it does, this tends to be based on political or geographical boundaries rather than soil types. This is further complicated by the fact that some would-be appellations Cafayate, Perdriel and Gualtallary are registered as brand names. But the establishment of Paraje Page 23

24 Altamira as a GI (Geographical Indication) three years ago as, based on the work of the academic Professor Ricardo Pérez Valenzuela and a rigorous study of soil types, is a first step towards something more meaningful. Could Argentina develop a Burgundian-style system of communes and recognised vineyard sites? For now, it s some way off, but it s a tantalising prospect. One important feature of vineyard expression, as opposed to the desire to correct and manipulate wines in the cellar, is vintage variation. It s tricky to generalise about such a large wine country, but vintage summaries still have a degree of validity. What we can say is that 2013, 2014, 2015 and the on-going and very late 2016 harvests have been cooler than normal. The temptation is to regard these as inferior to hotter recent years like 2012, but that is not necessarily so was certainly tricky, and 2016 is proving no less so, but 2013 and 2014 in particular have produced some outstanding wines with appealing freshness and balance. We really love cool vintages, says Edy Del Popolo of Per Se and Dominio del Plata, because they provide better precision: more frank, pure and delineated wines with more authenticity and natural acidity and less alcohol. To make profound wines, the sites are key. Expressing the different vintages is part of that. Del Popolo argues that Argentina generally swings between warm and dry vintages (La Niña-affected) and cool and wet ones (El Niño-affected). The former were 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2012, while the latter include 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and now In other words, the last hot vintage was in The economy is finally getting back on track. A year ago in these pages I argued that Argentina needed better and less corrupt politicians to run its finances and institutions. I also suggested that Mauricio Macri, then the mayor Buenos Aires but considered an outside bet for the presidency, sounded like a promising and competent potential successor to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Well, it happened on November 23rd last year. It s too early to say for certain whether Macri s victory marks what the Financial Times called the beginning of a new era for Argentina, but that does seem to be the case. Thanks to the devaluation of the peso necessary and brave most wineries are looking to the future with renewed confidence. The industry needs outside investment, dollars and a stable economic base. And after a decade in the doldrums, things are finally looking up. Page 24

25 Map of Argentina s growing regions Page 25

26 A short guide to Argentina s growing regions Argentina s vineyards stretch from 22 to 42 latitude. Most are planted within sight of the Andes, although altitudes vary considerably, from 250m to just over 3,100m. Here are the most important details about each of the wine regions. Grape varieties of particular interest are highlighted in bold. Catamarca Vineyard area: 2,651 hectares Main varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Torrontés In a nutshell: Isolated, mountainous and generally less well developed, wine-wise than neighbouring Salta. The centre of the wine industry is the Fiambala Valley, but this is one Argentina s least well-visited regions. Recent plantings in the Santa Maria district by Michel Torino are promising. La Pampa Vineyard area: 216 hectares Main varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Viognier In a nutshell: Mostly known for the production of a single winery (Bodega del Desierto), this is a new, isolated vineyard area that has been making wine since The initial results are promising, made with help from American guru, Paul Hobbs. La Rioja Vineyard area: 7,455 hectares Main varieties: Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Syrah, Tannat, Torrontés In a nutshell: The site of Argentina s first vineyards. Some good wines here the Fairtrade and organic projects are particularly interesting while the La Riojana co-operative is one of the country s best. An area with as yet unrealised potential, although the wines from Valle de la Puerta are worth looking out for, as are those from Chañarmuyo. Mendoza Vineyard area: 160,983 hectares (including San Rafael and the Uco Valley) Main varieties: Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Tocai Friulano, Torrontés, Semillon, Viognier In a nutshell: The hub of the Argentinean wine industry. A large and varied area that produces most of the country s best wines. Maipú, East Mendoza and San Rafael tend to produce cheaper styles than the best sub-regions: traditional Luján de Cuyo (which includes Agrelo, Perdriel, Lunlunta, Ugarteche and Vistalba) and the cooler, higher altitude Uco Valley (see separate entry). Page 26

27 framed by a dry, cactus-strewn desert and spectacular scenery. Some increasingly good red blends here, as well as varietal Malbecs and Tannats. Still best known for its Torrontés Riojano, but plantings are now shared equally between reds and white. Increasingly impressive. Neuquén Vineyard area: 1,741 hectares Main varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon In a nutshell: Comparatively new, low-lying (for Argentina) area created thanks to a large irrigation dam a decade or so ago. Quality is good rather than spectacular, as this is quite a warm area. But the wines are improving with every year, as the vines get older. The red, iron-rich soils of Añelo are very promising, especially for Pinot Noir of all things. Río Negro Vineyard area: 1,674 hectares Main varieties: Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Ugni Blanc In a nutshell: The oldest vine-growing region in Patagonia and the source of most of its best wines, with greater freshness and longevity than those of Neuquén to the west. Marked diurnal temperature swings and old vines make this an area to watch for everything from Pinot Noir to Malbec, via Merlot and Riesling. Salta Vineyard area: 3,051 hectares Main varieties: Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Tannat, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Torrontés In a nutshell: Contains the highest vineyards in the world (Altúra Maxima is at 3,111 metres), San Juan Vineyard area: 47,6 hectares Main varieties: Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Moscatel, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Torrontés, Ugni Blanc, Viognier In a nutshell: A large, mostly hot area that is second only to Mendoza in size. Produces a lot of basic, quaffing wine, much of destined for domestic consumption, but more recent plantings in the higher, cooler Pedernal and Calingasta Valleys are spectacularly good. Makes some of Argentina s best Syrahs. Tucumán Vineyard area: hectares Main varieties: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Tannat, Torrontés, Syrah In a nutshell: Best known for its share of the Calchaquí Valley (with neighbouring Catamarca and Salta). Plantings are comparatively small and are mostly located in the sparsely populated Tafí del Valle department. High altitude viticulture (starting at 1,800m) is the theme here in a region that has real promise. Uco Valley Vineyard area: 27,600 hectares Main varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo In a nutshell:. Currently the most exciting region in Argentina, thanks to a combination of foreign investment, high altitudes, the proximity of the Andes, old vines (especially in La Consulta) and new plantings in Gualtallary. The potential of Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Malbec (particularly if they are grown on limestone) is enormous, especially as some of the new vineyards mature. Look out for sub-regional wines from recently delimited Paraje Altamira, as well as Chacayes, Gualtallary, La Consulta, San Pablo and Vista Flores Page 27

28 The podium Winemaker of the Year Sebastián Zuccardi Young Winemaker of the Year Matías Riccitelli Winemaking Legend Pepe Galante Red Wine of the Year 2013 Zuccardi Finca Canal Uco, Paraje Altamira White Wine of the Year 2013 Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard White Bones Chardonnay, Uco Valley Sparkling Wine of the Year 2006 Cruzat Gran Millésime, Mendoza Red Wine Discovery of the Year 2013 Buscado Vivo o Muerte La Verdad, Gualtallary White Wine Discovery of the Year 2014 Blanchard y Lurton, Uco Valley Page 28

29 The 2016 Argentinean top 100 A personal selection of the country s best wines MALBECS Best 2013 Achaval Ferrer Finca Altamira Malbec, Uco Valley 2013 Achaval Ferrer Finca Bella Vista Malbec, Perdriel 2013 Achaval Ferrer Temporis Malbec, Mendoza 2014 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Appellation Piedras, Gualtallary 2014 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Appellation, Paraje Altamira 2013 Bodega Aleanna El Enemigo Malbec, Mendoza 2014 Bodega Cuarto Dominio Chento Single Lot Malbec, Mendoza 2013 Casa de Uco Malbec, Vista Flores 2013 Catena Fortuna Terrae Malbec, Uco Valley 2013 Catena Mundus Bacillus Terrae Malbec, Uco Valley 2014 Chakana Ayni Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2013 Colomé Altura Máxima Malbec, Salta 2013 Colomé Auténtico Malbec, Salta 2013 De Angeles Viña 14 Single Vineyard Gran Malbec, Vistalba 2013 Dominio del Plata Susana Balbo Limited Edition Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2012 Doña Paula Alluvia Parcel Malbec Bush Vines, Gualtallary 2012 Doña Paula Selección de Bodega Malbec, Mendoza 2012 Entonado Malbec, Luján de Cuyo 2013 Luca Nico by Luca High G Lot Malbec, Gualtallary 2013 Mendel Finca Remota Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2013 Noemía Malbec, Río Negro 2012 Norton Lote A112 Malbec, Agrelo 2014 Per Se Volare del Camino Malbec, Gualtallary 2013 Pulenta Estate Single Vineyard Malbec, Gualtallary 2013 Puramun Malbec Reserva, Mendoza 2014 Riccitelli Wines República del Malbec, Vistalba 2014 Salentein, Single Vineyard Malbec Plot No. 21, Uco Valley 2011 Terrazas de los Andes Single Parcel Los Castañoas Malbec, Las Compuertas 2013 Tintonegro Finca La Escuela Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2013 Tintonegro La Escuela Vineyard La Piedra Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2013 Tintonegro 1955 Vineyard Malbec, La Consulta 2012 Trapiche Terroir Series Malbec Cristina y Bibiana Coletto, Tupungato 2012 Trapiche Terroir Series Malbec Finca Ambrosía, Gualtallary 2012 Trapiche Terroir Series Malbec Finca Orellana de Escobar, La Consulta 2013 Viña Cobos Malbec, Perdriel 19 Weinert Estrella Malbec, Luján de Cuyo 2013 Zuccardi Aluvional Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2013 Zuccardi Aluvional Malbec, La Consulta 2013 Zuccardi Aluvional Malbec, Gualtallary 2015 Zuccardi Concreto Malbec, Paraje Altamira 2013 Zuccardi Finca Canal Uco, Paraje Altamira 2013 Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita, Paraje Altamira Page 29

30 RED BLENDS Best 2013 Andeluna Pasionado Cuatro Cepas, Tupungato 2011 Atamisque Assemblage, Uco Valley 2015 Bodega Tacuil Viñas de Dávalos, Molinos 2013 Bodega Vistalba Corte A, Vistalba 2013 Buscado Vivo o Muerte La Verdad, Gualtallary 2012 Casa Bianchi Enzo Bianchi, San Rafael 2013 Caro, Mendoza 2011 Catena Zapata Nicolás, Mendoza 2013 Cheval des Andes, Mendoza 2013 De Angeles Viña 14 Single Vineyard Gran Corte, Vistalba 2012 Fabre Montmayou Grand Vin, Mendoza 2013 Finca Flichman Dedicado, Tupungato 2013 Mendel Unus, Mendoza 2010 Norton Gernot Langes, Mendoza 2014 Per Se Francesca, Gualtallary 2014 Per Se La Craie, Gualtallary 2012 Pulenta Estate Gran Corte, Mendoza 2012 Pyros Special Blend, Pedernal 2013 Riglos Gran Corte, Tupungato 2011 Trapiche Iscay, Mendoza 2013 Trapiche Iscay Syrah/Viognier, Uco Valley 2013 Tres 14 Imperfecto, Gualtallary 1983 Weinert Cavas de Weinert Gran Vino, Luján de Cuyo 2013 Zorzal Field Blend, Gualtallary 2012 Zuccardi Zeta, Uco Valley OTHER REDS Best 2014 Altocedro Pinot Noir, La Consulta 2012 Bodega Aleanna El Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Gualtallary 2013 Casarena Lauren s Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Agrelo 2014 Catena Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon, Agrelo 2013 Chacra Treinta y Dos Pinot Noir, Río Negro 2015 Chacra Sin Azufre Pinot Noir, Río Negro 2013 De Angeles Viña 14 Single Vineyard Gran Cabernet Sauvignon, Vistalba 2013 Finca Las Moras Gran Syrah, San Juan 2015 El Porvenir de Cafayate Laborum Single Vineyard Tannat, Cafayate 2012 José-Luis Mounier Laguna Brava Tannat Selected Reserve, Cafayate 2013 La Mascota Gran Mascota Cabernet Sauvignon, Paraje Altamira 2013 Luca Nico de Luca High G Lot Pinot Noir, Gualtallary 2012 Pulenta Estate Gran Cabernet Franc, Agrelo 2013 Riglos Gran Cabernet Sauvignon, Tupungato 2013 SonVida Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2013 Viña Cobos Marchiori Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Perdriel 19 Weinert Estrella Cabernet Sauvignon, Luján de Cuyo 2015 Zorzal Eggo Franco, Gualtallary 2013 Zuccardi Finca Los Membrillos Cabernet Sauvignon, La Consulta 2014 Zuccardi Emma Zuccardi Bonarda, Paraje Altamira Page 30