I do, however, believe there are interesting differences between vintages in Argentina. It is important not to generalize and talk of Argentina as a single wine region, as unfortunately many wine guides do. Instead, Argentina should be specifically assessed by region. It is a big country with very well-defined and distinct wine regions, from Salta in the north to Rio Negro in Patagonia. Even within Mendoza, there are four main wine regions that are all very distinct. Even beyond differentiating regions, specifications should be made among the varietals as well. For example, a good year for Malbec might not be the best year for Cabernet Sauvignon.

The truth is that a year with difficult climatic conditions, tends to make a superb vintage. It is actually in those difficult years, when the vines struggle and growers take the right decisions at the right moment, when we are able to judge that a vintage is a great one.  Of course that does depend on from which viewpoint you are making that evaluation.  A good year for a mass grape producer might be very different then for a winemaker who is looking for the best grape quality without caring much about volume.

According to Paul Hobbs and Alberto Antonini, International winemakers, 2011 was a year with equal or better quality compared to the 2002 and 2006 harvests – the best ones registered in Argentina’s history – mainly because of the balance of the wines, fruit expression, elegance, pureness and fruit clarity. I have to say that 2011 was a great year for The Vines of Mendoza. When tasting the wines with Santiago Achaval, our consulting winemaker, and Pablo Martorell, our head winemaker, we all agreed that the quality obtained in 2011 from our relatively young vines is amazing. The wines have an amazingly deep color, , great tannin structure, a lot of fruit expression, and very good aging potential.

Personally, I do believe in the differentiation of vintages and I think it is a challenge for our industry to market the wines and price them according to the results we obtain in the different years. I understand cash flow is important for wineries, and so  holding on to the best vintages and waiting for the right moment to release a wine can be very difficult decision. Yet, I bet there are many wine lovers that would adore walking into the best wineries in Argentina and being able to purchase our best vintages without caring much about price. As they probably do in some of the best wineries around the world!

The Vines Winemaking team – Pablo Gimenez Riili, Pablo Martorell, Santiago Achaval, Mariana Onofri – tasting the 2011 vintage.

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Pack your bags! We’re building Argentina’s finest luxury boutique resort and spa. Imagine laid back luxury that combines the spirit of the outdoors, fresh food and fine wine, and service that makes everyone feel like
family.

The Vines Resort & Spa will be sure to please every discerning traveler seeking an inspiring trip to the heart of Argentina’s wine country. If you love the outdoors and natural tranquility, you can ride horses through the Andes or take a bike tour of local vineyards. If you’re looking to distress and re-charge, unwind with a vinotherapy treatment or yoga class. Into good food and wine? Get your palate ready! Taste the fresh, delicious food picked right from our finca and our extensive list of Argentina’s finest wine including our very own Recuerdo wines. If you just want to get away from it all, you will enjoy the secluded atmosphere and your own private outdoor fire pit. We’ll let you decide how toasty you want your marshmallows.

For those interested in a vacation home, but don’t want to deal with the maintenance, this is your chance to own your very own Casita with gorgeous views of the Andes Mountains.

If you’re feeling inspired and want to learn more, check out our website: www.vinesresortandspa.com. We’ll be continually updating with details and features as we look forward to our first guests in December 2012.

And we’ll keep you updated with our progress on our blog too. We’d also love to hear from you. What do you want to do most during your trip, and what amenities would you like to see?

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It’s springtime here in Mendoza, which means our vines at our Private Vineyard Estates in the Uco Valley are coming out of hibernation and enjoying the mountain sunshine! We are also busy in the vineyard planting new vineyards as well as maintaining our owner’s established vineyards.

After pruning all of the vineyards during winter, the vines are now properly positioned to concentrate their energies on the spurs that remain. Overall throughout the year, we want to make sure that we optimize sunshine and right now, shoot thinning is important to create proper air- circulation amongst the vines as well as remove any shoots that will not bear fruit. These “just beginning to flower” vines can then concentrate all of their efforts on fewer shoots which will then achieve greater sugar and flavor concentration for the future grapes.

It is an exciting time of year for us at The Vines of Mendoza, as the vineyards start to develop their full canopy and transform the dramatic landscape into beautifully manicured vineyards.

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Aerial View- The Vines Resort & Spa

The Vines Resort & Spa Construction site

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In Argentina, the use of oak has followed worldwide trends, without any doubt. But, nowadays our best winemakers seem to be in consensus about this premise: obtain an ideal integration of oak and wine. One of the latest techniques that has received considerable attention in accomplishing this goal is to conduct the primary, or alcoholic, fermentation in new oak barrels.

For most of us, the mention of “barrel fermentation” immediately brings up images of Chardonnay, which traditionally has been fermented in oak. However, for an increasing number of high-end producers, some of those barrels are full of red grapes.

On the practical downside, fermenting in oak barrels requires much more work and money. Barrels need to have the heads popped off before filling, then re-attached for fermentation, then removed again for pressing, and finally put back on for aging. From two barrels you ferment grapes you will end up with enough wine to fill only one. Marcelo Pelleriti, Monteviejo Winery’s general manager and winemaker, explains “We currently ferment 300 barrels of reds, and have been obliged to develop new coopering skills”.

Achieving the proper fermentation temperature and having the infrastructure to roll the barrels represent other practical issues. That is why Baron Tonnellerie has designed OXOline. It is a rack system equipped with rollers to turn the barrels for cap management—rotary fermentors on a micro scale. Michel Rolland has called this the single most important development in fermentation technique in the last two decades. And I am happy to say that we – THE VINES -  are one of the first wineries to implement the OXOline system in Argentina.

Among the benefits of barrel fermentation explains Pablo Martorell, our head winemaker, is that the small volume (225 liters) keeps the temperature naturally low during fermentation: it rarely exceeds 22° to 25° C. The fermentation is relatively slow and gentle. The early contact between fruit and wood speeds oak integration, improves mouthfeel and gives the wine a more refined character. Plus, the polymerization of pigment with tannin helps long-term color stabilization, and barrel fermentation gets that process going more rapidly.

Contrary to the minimalist viewpoint that LESS is MORE, when talking about oak refinement MORE is LESS: the more oak you lay on the wine, the less you notice it—and the sooner, the better. An easy exercise would be to compare a wine fermented in stainless steel with oak staves with a barrel fermented red. You won’t find the strong simplistic coffee smell on the second but you do find a delicate sense of freshness, and a preservation of vibrant fruit. When tasting a barrel fermented wine you should discover the perfect marriage between fruit and oak!

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It’s always such a treat whenever anyone comes to visit because it means it’s time to visit the wineries. This time around was no exception and visiting the wineries at this time of the year is especially nice because they’re not very busy and you get most individualized attention. Do wear a coat for the chilly cement cellars.

Anyhow, after visiting Pulenta Estate today, I had to write something up because of the very thorough explanations we received from our tour guide, Soledad. Sometimes when visiting wineries, the tour guides assume you already know as much as they do and only tell a few unique characteristics about their own winery. However, even after arriving a bit late (Argentinean time, right?), we got a rundown start to finish on how wine is made in general and the special characteristics of Mendoza’s wine region.  

Pulenta is a medium-sized bodega located in Alta Agrelo in Lujan de Cuyo. The winery is dedicated to only producing a limited amount of fine wines so they only select a portion of their grapes for their wines and sell the rest to other wineries (for example, they sell some of their grapes to Chandon for their sparkling wine). The Pulenta family has been involved in wineries for three generations and used to own Trapiche winery before they sold it within the last decade and then opened Pulenta in 2002. Antonio Pulenta is 93 years old and credits his longevity to lifelong wine drinking. If you’d like to try their wines beforehand, their lines are (from lowest to highest): La Flor, Pulenta Estate  and Pulenta Gran Corte.  The visit ranges from 30-60 pesos, depending on how many wines you’d like to taste.

http://www.pulentaestate.com

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What is a malolactic fermentation and how does it affect a wine?

MLF normally occurs after the primary fermentation has been completed, when the grape sugars have been converted by yeast into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). Lactic acid bacteria, Oenococcus oeni, (and some other species of Lactobacillus and Pediococcus) are responsible for this conversion. The major function of these bacteria is to convert one of the main wine acids,(there are two main acids and many minor ones found in grapes),L-malic acid, to another type – L-lactic acid. During this conversionCO2 is produced, so that’s why it’s called “fermentation”!

Most red wines that undergo a malolactic fermentation are improved by it, however wines that rely on a higher acidity level to show their full potential, such as most Argentine whites, would never benefit from it. Torrontés, Sauvignon Blancs, or similar younger varietals need the crispness in the acidity and youthful freshness to come through.

Lactic acid bacterial growth is inhibited by cooler temperatures, as well as the addition of sulfur dioxide (SO2) – an anti-bacterial agent. Winemakers are able to stop the onset of MLF, and can therefore control the style of wine being made by maintaining SO2 levels and lowering the wine temperature throughout the entire winemaking process.

The wines that benefit from MLF tend to be fuller-bodied, dry whites, such as Chardonnay, and most  medium- to full-bodied reds. It is these heavier wines that need to be somewhat softened to ensure an attractive lower acid to fruit balance.

In our winery, Pablo Martorell, our winemaker, decided to have a partial malo-lactic fermentation in our Chardonnays and a non-malolactic fermentation in our Torrontes and Sauvignon Blancs. For our reds, however, all wines are undergoing this secondary, but very important, fermentation. And here is an interesting fact about MLF – in Argentina one of the most important lactic bacteria – the Oenococcus oeni – is in very high concentration (98%), and it is not necessary to inoculate to make MLF start, our wines start this fermentation spontaneously!

Putting a wine through a malo, when in tank or barrel, is encouraged during the winemaking process as it will be less likely to repeat the process when it is in the bottle. If a wine unintentionally undergoes MLF when in bottle, it can be disastrous to the consumer. Apart from the wine losing its fruit integrity, it will appear to still be fermenting, as CO2 will be produced and an unpleasant lactic aroma would be detected.

How does Malolactic fermentation affect taste?

Considering that MLF enhances the body and flavor of the wine, it produced wines with greater palate softness and roundness. Most winemakers believe that there is much better integration of fruit and oak if MLF occurs while the wine is in barrel. This fuller mouthfeel is, for most people, more pleasing to the palate.

It has been noted that malic acid resembles the taste of green apples, (malic comes from the Latin word for apple, malum). An appley taste is often found in wine descriptions. In contrast, lactic acid is prominent in milk and is much more rich in taste, more like full-fat butter (lactic is derived from the Latin word for milk, lac).

The mouthfeel of malic acid can be described as “hard and metallic” against the “softness” of the lactic acid. MLF is a natural de-acidification and softening of the wine’s palate.

MLF is a natural way of softening wine and making it much more acceptable to the palate and easier to drink!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4730535

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It is also the time in the vineyards when the vines become dormant and we begin the pruning process in order to get the vines ready for the next growing season. As we have vines that range from 1 year to 5 years old on the property, they are all at different phases of the overall training process. In the first two years it is critical to establish the trunk and the cordons that then become the permanent structure and support the buds and canes that then flower and become grapes. Once they have reached 3 years old the permanent part of the vines, the trunk and the cordons, have been established.

We use a single curtain, vertical shoot positioning system with a bilateral cordon. This system allows us to optimize sunlight and achieve high quality with low yields.

Below is a great video by The Vines agronomist Francisco Evangelista who explains the philosophy behind pruning as well as the techniques used in our own Private Vineyard Estates in the Uco Valley.

Overall Pruning the vines can be defined as “the removal of plant parts to obtain horticultural objectives”.

These objectives include:
- Controlling the size & form of the grapevine.

- Optimize the production potential of the grapevine.

- Maintain a balance between vegetative growth and fruiting.

Training the grapevines on the other hand optimizes the utilization of sunlight and promotes productivity.

- Adapts to the characteristics of the grape cultivar.

- Promotes efficient & sustainable vineyard management practices.

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We finished our last harvest on Friday at The Vines Private Vineyard Estate with all of the staff on hand to bring in the last of the grapes. It has been a very busy season with owners, guests and of course the grapes and wine that we have made over the last few months. We started on March 1 and finished on April 29th. The cellar crew at the winery has had their hands extremely full but we are extremely pleased with the grape quality and the wines!

Here is the rundown for our harvest.

COSECHA 2011
The grapes were harvested from 280 acres or 113 hectares

240,000 Kg (265 tons) of grapes were processed at the winery
18,160 bins of grapes went through the hand selection process at the sorting table
160,000 Kg were of Malbec (2/3 of the total)
7%  were of white varietals
1% was of our own Torrontes
16 different varieties in total

9,500 Kg (20,943 lb) was the average amount harvested per day
19,000 Kg (41,887 lb) was the most we harvested in one day
Over 60 people worked in the harvest

But the work is not over as we have over 160 different microfermentations in the winery!

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Here at The Vines, we like to entertain our guests with long meals and plenty of wine out in the midst of our vineyards, in perfect view of the Andes Mountains. It sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? Things didn’t quite happen that way on Thursday.

The morning greeted us with a clear blue sky and warm sun rays. However, we couldn’t help but to notice a wall of cloud rising over the Andes, slowly casting a dark shadow over the Uco Valley.

Shortly after 1:00 pm, we gathered among the vines for a midday asado. One moment, things were tranquil. In the next moment, we were standing in the middle of a violent wind and sand storm. One sweeping gust hit us like a wave and thus started La Zonda, which would last for hours.

I’m pleased to report that everyone in attendance was ready to roll with what ever Mother Nature threw at us. After a couple of wine glasses tumbled to their ends, everyone stuck their glasses between their knees, turned all condiment bottles on their sides, secured their shades for eye protection, and chewed through the gritty sand that was piling onto their plates.

Mario, our asado maestro, acted creatively when dust coated the chicken he was grilling. A quick bath in the local white wine, Torrontés, removed the sand, and proved to be a rather delicious addition (do try this at home next time you barbeque, but I suggest passing on the dirt part).

We embraced Mother Nature over the main course, but come dessert, we were completely over it. It was a team effort, and in a matter of minutes we managed to relocate our entire dessert service operation into the Bodega tasting room. Before we knew it, we were nibbling cheeses, shoulder to shoulder, in the dark of the temporarily powerless tasting room. Albeit, it felt great watching the storm blow by, through the large glass doors, knowing we were safe and in the good company of thousands of litres of wine.

Thursday’s asado could have been a disaster, if it weren’t for our optimistic guests, and the team at The Vines adjusting to situations as they arose. I’d love to say that I can’t wait until next time, but I will happily forgo attempting to pour wine during La Zonda any time soon.

About the author: Lindsay Trivers is a Sommelier at The Vines of Mendoza, in the most recent chapter of her world-wide wine discovery tour. She has worked extensively throughout Canada, New Zealand and Australia, developing her palate and working vintages along the way. While here, in Mendoza, She will be living and reporting on life at the bodega (winery), plus happenings from the tasting room and cellar. Stay tuned to The Vines of Mendoza Blog for vintage updates, wine tips and reviews, to find out how our guests are keeping busy, and much, much more.

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