VARIETALS SE - Semillon SAN CARLOS SY - Syrah
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VINEYARD MAP GUAYMALLÉN Downtown 5 Mendoza [BN] MENDOZA Mendoza River TO SALTA 846 miles ARGENTINA MAIPÚ 7 8 [MB] [MB] [CS, MB] 7 6 [MB,CS] Perdriel TO BUENOS AIRES 648 miles 10 LUJÁN DE [MB] Agrelo CUYO 9 12 6 6 [BN] [MB] [MB] [CS] RIVADAVIA 11 2 [CF, MB, CS] UCO VALLEY [MB] Ugarteche N El Peral W E S Mt. Tupungato 1 40 21,560 ft [CH, PN, MB] GualtallaryTUPUNGATO Tunuyán River 3 [MB] Los Arboles VINEYARDS 10 1 LUCA 7 MENDEL ANDES MOUNTAINS [MB] 8 TUNUYAN 2 LA POSTA PAULUCCI LUNTA 3 LA POSTA FAZZIO 9 TIKAL Vista Flores 10 10 9 4 LA POSTA PIZZELLA GRAFFITO 1 [MB] TO SANTIAGO, CHILE [MB, CS, [CS] 225 miles CF, SY] La Consulta 5 LA POSTA ARMANDO 11 CHAMAN / REGINATO [PV, MB] 1 [SY] [MB] 11 6 CASARENA / AREYNA 12 BODINI Paraje 1 1 [MB] Altamira 7 4 [SE, MB, [MB] BN - Bonarda SALTA CS, PV] CH - Chardonnay CF - Cabernet Franc ARGENTINA Eugenio Bustos CS - Cabernet Sauvignon MENDOZA MB - Malbec MENDO ZA PN - Pinot Noir CHILE PROVINCE VARIETALS SE - Semillon SAN CARLOS SY - Syrah TO PATAGONIA 10 miles 513 miles # Vineyard River higher elevation Highway Route 40 lower elevation Andes Mountains GET TO KNOW VINE CONNECTIONS Leading Importer of Premium ArgenƟne and Chilean Wine and Japanese Sake In 1999, Vine ConnecƟons pioneered the Įrst naƟonally imported porƞolio of arƟsan wines from Argen- 1 Ɵna. Of the iniƟal 5 brands and 12 wines released, the least expensive was $24 retail. In 2001, Vine ConnecƟons became the US’ premier Japanese ginjo sake importer, oīering sake from 11 family-run breweries spanning the length of the country from Hokkaido to Kyushu. Today, VC represents 2 16 family breweries and more than 30 diīerent sake. In March 2013, Vine ConnecƟons introduced the world to “The New Chile” with a porƞolio of 9 family-run 3 wineries with 11 brands from 12 diīerent regions within Chile. The prices range from $15 to $200 retail. In 2001, Food & Wine Magazine named Vine ConnecƟons one of three “Importers to Watch.” The com- pany was also recognized as an “Importer You Can Trust” by Slate Magazine (2009) and Details Magazine 4 (2010). In 2014, Wine Enthusiast Magazine nominated Vine ConnecƟons for “Wine Importer of the Year.” When Ed y Nick started Vine ConnecƟons, they told themselves, “When people who represent us go into an account, we never want them to have to worry about the quality of the wine in the boƩle.” This 5 mantra sƟll drives their daily pursuit to represent the best wines at all prices. MEET ED MEET NICK 1. I have been a wine lover since college and have worked in the 1. At 16, I lived in Fixin, France as an exchange student. Every wine business since 1986. I am geƫng preƩy good at it, but I sƟll night I would enjoy a boƩle of Burgundy with my host family, learn something new every day. which was my Įrst step into the world of wine. 2. My wine career has been in retail sales, wholesale sales, naƟonal 2. While aƩending Berkeley, I needed a job and found an opening at the North Berkeley Wine Co. I have never worked outside of brand markeƟng, direct-to-consumer, and naƟonal imporƟng. the wine industry since. 3. My boss once told me, “Edward, you should spend more Ɵme 3. I started Vine ConnecƟons as a brokerage/distributor in 1995. drinking Mouton-Cadet and less Ɵme drinking Mouton-Rothschild.” My Įrst client was Billington, the importer for Catena, and I grew That was 1993, and I have been my own boss ever since. California into a top-3 market. 4. I like wines that have the following three characterisƟcs: 4. I met Ed aŌer hearing a KFOG radio ad for his direct mail company 1) balance, 2) balance, 3) balance. "Passport Wine Club" while driving over the Golden Gate Bridge. 5. My favorite hangover quote: “You can never say, ‘I drank too much 5. I have been in the wine business for almost 30 years, but it feels wine last night.’ You CAN say, ‘I drank A LOT of wine last night!’” like yesterday when I was driving cases of wine in my Nissan Sentra making sales calls and deliveries to Southern California. ARGENTINE WINE 101 AVG. ELEVATION Compared to other major wine regions HIGH ALTITUDE high concentration of aromas, mouthfeel, and color Mendoza + 3,000 ft high acidity and freshness INTENSE SUN EXPOSURE Napa Tuscany Bordeaux 20 ft 125 ft 175 ft Salta ARGENTINA 5th clay sand loam limestone largest wine producer Buenos Aires in the world SOIL Mendoza Region Vineyard soils vary from sand to clay, but are North & East Mendoza predominantly loamy with excellent drainage. Most soils are low in organic material due to elevation and climate, acres 75kof vines planted creating desirable vine stress. Luján de Cuyo 80% CLIMATE Uco Valley of Argentine wine 300 days of sun comes from Mendoza Yields ripe grapes with thick skin for concentrated wines and 1551 MENDOZA year the first vines were smooth tannins. planted (mission grape) <10 inches of rain / year Irrigation comes mostly from 1850 Andes snowmelt. year Malbec was brought to Argentina from France ARGENTINA IN NUMBERS 30˚F temp shifts Large day-to-night temperature swings creates natural acidity MAIN VARIETALS Percent of acres planted and balance. 26% Malbec 12% Bonarda ECO FRIENDLY 10% Cabernet Sauvignon 8% Syrah Pesticides and herbicides are barely needed and rarely used. The high altitude and desert climate 7% Torrontés reduce issues of insects and molds. 4% Tempranillo 4% Chardonnay Vines are resistant to Phylloxera because of healthy 4% Merlot and strong roots. They are able to be planted without 9% Other Reds grafting onto rootstock. 16% Other Whites www.vineconnections.com CRITICS APPLAUD VINE CONNECTIONS’ ARGENTINA PORTFOLIO 25 WINES SCORE 90+ POINTS "Attractive, well-defined, very composed.” - Wine Advocate “Impressive juice... nicely integrated oak” "Balanced, elegant, delicious." Red Blend 2014 - The Wine Advocate 89 VIN 89 WA - Wine Advocate 2013 Malbec 2014 Owen’s SV Cabernet 2014 91 WA 92 W&S 90 WA Cabernet Franc 2015 2014 2013 Naoki’s SV Malbec 2013 89 WA 89 WA 90 WA 91 WA Petit Verdot 2014 2012 89 WE 90 WA Pizzella Malbec 2014 90 WA 2013 90 VIN Fazzio Malbec 2015 “Finding the expression of Salta in a 92 JS 2014 more balanced way” Wine Label of the Year, 2016: 90 W&S Paulucci Malbec 2015 - The Wine Advocate La Posta Fazzio 90 JS -International Wine & Spirits Competition Armando Bonarda 2015 90 JS Torrontés 2016 2014 89 WA 90 WE Malbec - Tannat 2014 “Value Brand of the Year, 2015” Tinto Red Blend 2015 89 WA JS WA - Wine & Spirits 91 89 Malbec 2015 2014 90 WA 93 WA 90 VIN 2013 93 JS 91 WA "Compelling...Impressive...Very Satisfying." - Tanzer Pinot Noir 2015 92+ WA # 2013 19 OF TOP 100 WINES, 2012 Malbec - Wine Spectator 91 WA 90 JS Nico 2011 Chardonnay 2015 2014 93 WA 91 VIN 93 WA 92WA 91 VIN 2010 2013 93 WA 93 WA 90 VIN 2009 Syrah 2015 94 WA 93 JS 90 WA Beso de Dante 2014 2013 2013 90 WA 92 WA 91 JS 90 WA 90 VIN 2012 Malbec Paraje Altamira 2014 2013 91 VIN 90 WS 91 WA 92 VIN Lunta Malbec 2014 "Fresh and light... easy to drink." 92 JS 89+ WA 2013 - Wine Advocate 92 W&S 90 JS "These are splendid, intellectual Mendoza wines." - Wine Advocate Malbec 2014 # 92 WA 91 JS 90 VIN 45 OF TOP 100 WINES, 2012 Patriota - Wine Spectator 2013 93 JS 92 WA Patriota 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 90 WA 92 JS 91 WA 91 VIN 2014 2013 92 W&S 90 VIN 93 WA 91 WE 90+ VIN Natural 2015 Semillon 2016 91 WA 92 VIN 2014 2015 90 WA 90 VIN 92 JS 91 WA 90 VIN Amorio 2014 Unus 2013 90 WA 95 JS 93+ WA 93 WE 2013 2012 93 WA 90+ VIN 90 WE 95 JS 93 WA 93 WE Jubilo 2015 Finca Remota 2013 92 WA 95 WA 93+ VIN 2014 2012 91 WA 91 VIN 91 WE 95 JS 92 VIN WA = The Wine Advocate VIN = Vinous reviewed by Stephen Tanzer IWC = Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine JANUARY 2017 Cellar W&S = Wine & Spirits WS = Wine Spectator WE = Wine Enthusiast JS = James Suckling IMPORTED BY VINE CONNECTIONS VineConnections.com Areyna marks a moment in time in the evolution of Lujan de Cuyo, sparking the modern chapter of this region’s traditional past to unleash its full potential. WHY DOES AREYNA STAND OUT? 1) Rethinking a classic, historic wine region to reveal freshness and innovation, Areyna’s estate wines are full of bright flavors and inspiring energy. 2) Dubbed the “punks of Lujan” for their nonconformist outlook on winemaking in the region, the Areyna crew is led by adventurous and ambitious winemaker Mariano Quiroga Adamo. 3) Areyna loosely translates to “sand” in Spanish, referring to grains of sand passing time through an hourglass. It also acknowledges the umbrella winery, Casarena, or “house of sand,” relating to the 1930s winery made of sand‐colored stone and the sandy soil surrounding the estate. WINES • Cabernet Sauvignon: An Old‐World style Cab from the oldest region of New World Mendoza known for the varietal. Flavors of fig, cassis, dark fruits, and spices with bright acidity. • Malbec: Estate‐grown Malbec with impressive structure, lively acidity, and a lingering finish. Expressive estate‐grown wines that impress any palate and showcase the unique winemaking region of Mendoza.