In 2005, the Bonnie family, owner of the renowned Château Malartic-Lagravière (Grand Cru Classé de Graves) and of the Château Gazin Rocquencourt (Pessac-Léognan), decided to leave France in search for new horizons in the world of wine. It all began with the acquisition, along with their partners, of a single 130-hectares (321 acres) block of land in the heart of the Uco Valley, to the south of the city of Mendoza. That is where Bodega DiamAndes was born, as a member of the prestigious Clos de los Siete group. The winery's architectural design blends harmoniously into the stunning Andean scenery. In this context, the winemaking process has taken place under exceptional conditions since the 2007 vintage.
The name DiamAndes is a pun on the words “diamante” (Spanish for “diamond”) and “Andes” (the name of the mountains that provide a background to the estate). Alfred-Alexandre Bonnie came up with it one day as he was enjoying a barbecue at Laguna del Diamante, in Mendoza. The reflection of the Maipo volcano on the lake made him associate the two words.
CLOS DE LOS 7
DiamAndes is part of the Clos de siete. Clos de los Siete is the result of a venture undertaken by a group of French winegrowers. It is located at the foot the Andes mountain range, in the heart of the Uco Valley, at the district of Vista Flores, Tunuyán. Their vineyards spread across 850 hectares (2100 acres) at an altitude of 1,000-1,200 masl.
The history of Clos de los Siete is closely linked to enologist Michel Rolland, a consultant for prestigious wineries around the world for some years now (Malartic-Lagravière and Gazin Rocquencourt among them). The project was actually conceived in 1998. Michel Rolland’s enthusiasm made it possible for the group of French partners to come together. They all belonged to families related to the wine business, whose names are inevitably associated to the most renowned Grand Crus worldwide.