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Home , Argentine wine, Buenos Aires wines, Mendoza wine, New World wine, Trapiche (winery), Uco Valley

ARGENTINE , REDEFINED

Meet the pioneering leaders of the country’s From the choicest subzones of Mendoza’s , a new crop of small-batch is forcing tasters to reconsider the basic parameters of ’s signature wine. Meanwhile, along the banks of the Río most innovative wine projects. Negro in , a small with big aspirations is turning the obscure grape into an entirely wine. Along the windy coastline south of Buenos Aires, where wine grapes have heretofore never been grown, one of Argentina’s top winemakers is BY MICHAEL SCHACHNER crafting , and other cool-climate from a fledgling situated fewer than four miles from the Atlantic Ocean. These are the kinds of new and intriguing wine projects that are redefining Argentinean wine. Here, we put the spotlight on a few of those who PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO SABEZ are spearheading these welcome efforts.

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“We’re not trying Who: Andrés Blanchard Who: Daniel Pi for riches or Projects: Bodega Cuarto Dominio and Blanchard y Lurton Project: Costa y Pampa fame. We’re just Where: Uco Valley, Mendoza Where: Chapadmalal, trying to produce Andrés Blanchard grew up in San Martín, Daniel Pi is the head winemaker for Trapiche, a style of a sun-baked commune in eastern Mendoza one of Argentina’s biggest and a that we like.” known for volume production. His family, global export powerhouse. But overseeing made up of immigrants from France and the production of value-priced wines Spain, has grown grapes in this part of is not why Pi is so highly respected in his Argentina since they arrived from Europe native Mendoza. three generations ago. What makes Pi special is his unbridled While respectful of the business, enthusiasm for experimentation. Several Blanchard long ago decided that to gain a years ago, Pi was one of the first to bottle fuller perspective of wine and the world, he high-end Malbec identified by vineyard would have to travel. name. He also makes wines called Imperfecto “It was 2001, and Argentina was in deep and 314 with his son and daughter. economic trouble,” he says. “I had to get out. I had to learn about the world of wine in a place with variety. So I studied What makes Pi special is his and wine marketing in Spain, and worked unbridled enthusiasm for retail in London.” With international experience under his experimentation. belt, Blanchard returned home in 2007. He first was in charge of exports for François Lurton’s stable of properties. That led to a But it’s Costa y Pampa—a project Pi commercial job at Bodega Catena Zapata and has taken on for Trapiche in an unknown a rekindling of an old friendship with Javier area called Chapadmalal, 250 miles south Catena, who Blanchard had played rugby of Buenos Aires near —that with in college. deserves a closer look. Named after the coast- Relying exclusively on a vineyard in La line that gives way to millions of acres of Consulta that Catena owns, the two started sprawling grasslands used for cattle grazing, Bodega Cuarto Dominio (Fourth Generation) Costa y Pampa produces fewer than 4,000 in 2009. Blanchard has steered the label into cases of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon a 35,000-case brand, about 40 percent of Blanc, and Gewürztraminer. which is sold in Argentina. Pi calls the in Chapadmalal “South “We’re not trying for riches or fame,” he Atlantic.” “I think it’s like Long Island in the says. “We’re just trying to produce a style of U.S., or Galicia in Spain,” he says. “It’s a Malbec that we like, one that’s both tradi- maritime spot.” tional, but fresher than what Mendoza is At the 62-acre vineyard he helped plant known for.” in 2009 less than four miles from the ocean, In addition to Cuarto Dominio, Blanchard the soils are “loessic,” says Pi, meaning wind- bottles in conjunction with blown silt and sand. It’s a dry-farmed vine- Lurton. The project, Blanchard y Lurton, yard, thanks to the heavy rains that pelt the produces a blended white from Tocai, Sauvi- Argentine coast, and it relies on poplar trees gnon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and called to break the wind. Grand Vin, as as a less-expensive blend The 2014 was the first for Costa y of Tocai, and Viognier. Pampa, while its 2015 crop was lost to frost. The 2016s are currently on the market, and Recommended Wines they merit a serious taste. Cuarto Dominio 2014 Malbec (Mendoza); 90 $40 Recommended Wines Blanchard y Lurton 2014 Grand Vin (Vista Costa y Pampa 2016 Pinot Noir (Buenos 87 Flores); $30 89 Aires); $20 Costa y Pampa 2016 Chardonnay (Buenos 88 Aires); $20

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Who: Santiago Bernasconi Project: Bodega Aniello Where: Upper Río Negro Valley, Patagonia

Along the banks of the Río Negro in dry, windy Patagonia, Santiago Bernasconi and his two partners have slowly ramped up production at Bodega Aniello, named after the grandfather of one of Bernasconi’s asso- ciates. In just its fifth year, Aniello bottles three levels of wine that emphasize freshness and red-fruit flavors, hallmarks of Río Negro offerings.

“We had grown tired of the M&M [Malbec from Mendoza] conversation and wanted to pursue diversity.”

“We had grown tired of the M&M [Malbec from Mendoza] conversation and wanted to pursue diversity,” says Bernasconi. “Ours is defined by our proximity to the Río Negro, one of the few rivers in Argentina that never dries up. We have heterogeneous soils: gravel, sand and clay. It makes for some interesting wines.” The 006 line, which includes Malbec, and Pinot Noir, is named for the orig- inal vineyard that Aniello purchased in 2011. “On the paperwork, it reads ‘Chacra 006,’ ” says Bernasconi “Chacra means a plot of land, and this one had no name, just a number.” Aniello’s midtier varietal Malbec and Merlot wines blended from various vineyard plots are good, and a white wine made from Pinot Noir is unique within Argentina. But the wine most worth seeking out is a Trous- seau made from vines planted in 1932. “People taste this grape from the Jura in France, and the wine is light and feminine,” says Bernasconi “Ours is fuller in body, more voluptuous and fruity.”

Recommended Wines Aniello 2014 Vino de Parcela Unica Trousseau 88 (Patagonia); $60 Aniello 2015 006 Riverside Estate Malbec 86 (Patagonia); $20

54 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | MARCH 2017 91 92 56 Uco); $40 Uco); $40 Recommended Wines “Above all,that’s what we want to show.” ness, elegance and complexity,” says Gerardo. between each wine, they alldisplay fresh manner, yet while there are differences culture andwinemaking. sents high-elevation (nearly 5,000 feet) viti tallary, asubsection of , repre ripest, most traditional Malbec,while Gual Flores, is the source for SuperUco’s fullest, wine-growing regions. Los Chacayes, inVista year climbs thehierarchy of top Argentine calcareous soils inAltamira, aspot thateach through natural processes.” such that it can be attained, is only available where thegrapes are grown. Perfection, the Uco Valley and that reflect the places idea: to make wines thatare emblematic of very different, butunited behindthe same three brothers,” says Gerardo. “We are all tion of three biodynamic Malbecs. Super­ stream, there’s nodenying thequality of exported to theU.S. are well outof themain Chenin Blancfermented inconcrete eggs. skin-contact Torrontés andalow-alcohol and various cutting-edge wines, includinga unconventional blends, biodynamic Malbecs turned their attention to bottling mostly than adecade ago. Inrecent years, they’ve leaning DoñaPaula brand gaintraction more Alma, Via Revolucionaria andSuperUco. Mendoza boutique wines: Zorzal, Gen de Buenos Aires, where they hand-sell their They’re also popularintherestaurants of well known intheMendozawinescene. Pablo, GabrielandMatías(pictured)—are The brothers Michelini—Gerardo, Juan Where: Uco Valley, Mendoza Project: SuperUco Gabriel and Matías Michelini Who: Pablo, Gerardo, Juan

| “Each of these wines ismadeinthesame One of the SuperUco wines hails from “SuperUco is the union of me and my While afew of theMicheliniwines The Michelinishelpedtheinternational- WINEENTHUSIAST cáreo Coluvio deAltamira Malbec(Valle de SuperUco 2014 Michelini Sammartino Cal Uco, which began in2012asacollec cáreo RíodeLos Chacayes Malbec (Valle de SuperUco 2014 Michelini Sammartino Cal | MARCH 2017

------through natural such that itcan be attained, is only available “Perfection, processes.”

PHOTO CREDIT Who: Jeff Mausbach and Alejandro Sejanovich Project: TintoNegro Where: Uco Valley, Mendoza

Jeff Mausbach (pictured, far left), a gregar- ious guy from Omaha, Nebraska, had been the head of wine education for the Catena group of wineries when I met him in 2001. Since 2010, he’s been making wines with Alejandro Sejanovich (left), a former vine- yard manager with Catena. TintoNegro is a project that concentrates on the Uco Valley, located to the immediate south of Mendoza city and the established subzones of Vistalba, Agrelo and Perdriel. “TintoNegro wines are meant to reflect the heart and soul of Mendoza Malbec,” says Mausbach. “The portfolio explores the where Malbec does best. Gradu- ally, we have isolated vineyard sites with interesting soil profiles. Our techniques aim to showcase the heights of concentration and complexity that Malbec can aspire to.” The TintoNegro wines hail from the Finca La Escuela vineyard in the Paraje Altamira section of Uco. The vineyard is fewer than 20 acres—small by Argentine standards—with four distinct soil types: gravel, stones, sand and silt. TintoNegro bottles a Malbec from each soil type as well as a blend. “Each plot offers different levels of water retention,” says Mausbach. “Silt is the heaviest and coolest, sand is the most coarse and driest. The stony soils are lowest in yields, with higher acidity and an herbal aromatic profile. Gravel refracts our abun- dant sunshine, creating higher temperatures in the vineyard, dark berry flavors and sweet spice aromas.” The four wines show notable differences in aromas, structure and flavors, but also similarities. La Grava’s dark-fruit flavors and structured tannins are textbook Malbec. “Our techniques However, the four-plot blended wine, Finca La Escuela, ranks as TintoNegro’s most aim to showcase complete and complex Malbec. the heights of concentration Recommended Wines and complexity TintoNegro 2013 Finca La Escuela Estate that Malbec can 92 Grown Malbec (Mendoza); $40 aspire to.” TintoNegro 2013 Finca La Escuela La Grava 91 Malbec (Mendoza); $30

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