Vines of Mendoza Blog

Michael Evans, CEO of The Vines of Mendoza, was captured on video talking about our Private Vineyard Estates program in the Uco Valley. Check it out here and learn more about how to make your own wine with us!

By Jenn Kingen Kush & Mike Kush

During a time in our life when we were expected to settle down, my husband and I did the opposite and have never looked back. We left our established professional careers in Chicago 18 months ago to follow our hearts and life passions of wine and travel.
We decided to “chase harvest” in both the northern and southern hemispheres as a way to maximize our winemaking experience and exposure. It has been an amazing journey including sojourns to Alderbrook Winery in Sonoma, Kim Crawford in Marlborough, New Zealand and Niepoort Wines in Portugal’s Douro Valley.
Our travels recently brought us to Mendoza, Argentina where, after visiting in 2002 and last June, we discovered The Vines of Mendoza. After visiting so many wine regions in the world, we were amazed by the experience and professionalism of this unique, world-class organization and were eager to make Mendoza an official part of our globe-trotting apprenticeship.
We were thrilled earlier this year to learn that my husband had secured a cosecha (harvest) position at Viña Cobos with renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs, and that I would be doing an internship here at The Vines.
Recently, I visited the Private Vineyard Estates in the Uco Valley with several owners and prospective owners and, I was completely awestruck at the majestic splendor and the snow-capped Andes towering over these amazing new vineyards.
The vast and rugged panorama has an instantly recognizable sense of tranquility that differentiates it from other wine growing regions. Maybe it is the dramatic mountains, the high altitude or the feeling that you have stepped directly into a gaucho culture, but there is something indefinable that makes the Uco Valley full of discovery and potential. It was inspirational for me to hear the personal stories of the private owners who are impassioned to make their dreams come true here.
I also had the pleasure of meeting the distinguished Santiago Achával, consulting winemaker to the Private Vineyard Estates, and hearing his personal story that started here in Mendoza years ago. This encounter made me appreciate even more the power that wine has to unite people.
As the vines here begin to turn red and gold, our time to leave is unfortunately near. Where our wine-related pursuits will take us next is still to be discovered, but we certainly know Mendoza will be a part of our future, just as it will be for those planting their Private Vineyards in the Uco Valley.

Jenn Kingen Kush & Mike Kush
Harvest Chasers

Jenn & Mike at Uco Valley, Mendoza
If you would like more information about a Private Vineyard Estates, please visit our website: www.vinesofmendoza.com/private_vineyard/ or email us at privatevineyards@vinesofmendoza.com.

Last Friday was a very special day for all of us here at The Vines - cosecha day!

The whole team headed out the Gimenez Riili family’s vineyard in Maipu for a day of picking grapes, followed of course by a traditional asado that even included guitar toting gauchos. It was wonderful for everybody to take part in the winemaking process, and a lot of fun as well!

With steak, Gimenez Riili wine, and musica folklorica… what else could you ask for?

Belén y Julián

María

Juanjo y Pedro

Last Wednesday it was my great honor and pleasure to moderate our weekly winemaker event here at The Vines, for the very first time.

While I regret the illness that laid low our lovely Mariana, Tasting Room Manager extraordinaire and the usual MC at our Wednesday night event, I’d like to share with you all my excitement at having been able to translate for the group and share the story of one of my favorite wineries. By a twist of fate, the guest of honor at my first ‘noche de enologo’ was none other than Fabricio Orlando, winemaker at my beloved Pulenta Estate.

Not to be confused with Carlos Pulenta’s Vistalba Winery, Pulenta Estate was started in 2001 by brothers Hugo and Eduardo (Carlos’ cousins). After selling Bodega Trapiche in 1997 each branch of the storied Pulenta family went off to start their own boutique winery, dedicated to low production and high quality.

Fabricio and the team at Pulenta Estate strive above all else to create wines with elegance, balance and purity of fruit. Their wines have wonderful body and concentration, but more importantly they have a unique expression of varietal character in each wine that they make, in each product line. They have three - La Flor de Pulenta, Pulenta Estate, and Gran Pulenta. We tasted the Sauvignon Blanc Pulenta Estate, La Flor Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec Pulenta Estate, and Gran Cabernet Franc. I certainly found each wine to be a paradigm of the elegance that Fabricio reaches for, and the audience seemed to be in agreement. The feedback was all positive, and for me the experience was marvelous.

If you want to try these fantastic wines for yourself be sure to visit our online wine shop - we currently have La Flor Malbec, Pulenta Estate Merlot, and the Gran Cabernet Franc which was a standout selection in our recent Acequia Reserva Wine Club.

Florencia Pereyra, our community relations manager for the Vines of Mendoza, has the amazing opportunity to work with our consultant Rob Lawson (Napa Valley Wine Company, Pavi Wines) in the Napa Valley for a harvest. We all miss her terribly but will be documenting her experiences and progress throughout this exciting wine adventure. Here is the first in a series of blogs that she is writing from the Napa Valley for everyone here at the Vines of Mendoza.

My first crush!
Yes I did it!!! I am currently in the Napa Valley, California, working as an intern for Rob Lawson, a consultant for several wineries in the Napa Valley as well as the owner/winemaker of Pavi Wines. www.paviwines.com. Here I am in my first harvest, experiencing everything from picking the grapes to working in the cellar with everyone making wine. By the end of my time here I might even be a winemaker!

Flor’s first crush

Yesterday afternoon we crushed Pinot Grigio. It was a nice experience to sort the fruit, selecting just the right clusters. The goal was to keep only the best fruit and take out those that were not a good enough quality to press.

Everyone on the team is great, joking with me all the time. The Mexican guys are the best, however, as I get to speak a little Spanish with them. Claudio, an Italian intern working for Napa Wine Company (were Rob makes all his wines) also helps with the selection and crush process.

It is a very international environment right now in the Napa Valley, with interns from all over the world working the harvest for different wineries. I am meeting many interns from Australia, France, U.S, Chile, Brazil and Argentina all gathering for the same interest…wine.

The weather in California is getting hot and we are getting ready for the red varietals which should be coming in the following weeks…I’m so excited!!!

Flor