News
Estate management handover at Bodegas CARO
Bodegas CARO, the Argentinean estate of the Catena and Rothschild (Lafite) families, is happy to welcome Philippe Rolet as Estate Manager starting on January 21st.
Previously CEO of Bodegas Argento S.A., Rolet began his career at Domaine William Fèvre, (France) before joining the Alta Vista Group in Mendoza where he was CEO and President. Aged 46, he holds a French Management degree and is today at the head of the French Honorary Consulate in Mendoza.
Fernando Buscema, the Technical Director of Bodegas CARO since 2012, will be joining the Catena Institute of Wine fulltime, where he already holds the position of Executive Director. While taking up his new duties, he will remain involved in the supervision of Bodegas CARO as member of the Board.
“Bodegas CARO is a family affair between us and the Catenas and we are thrilled to welcome Mister Rolet to help us write a new chapter in a story that has strong roots both in France and Argentina, just like him.”, commented Saskia de Rothschild, President of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). “Over the past years, Fernando was key in our efforts to build CARO’s identity, looking for the perfect balance between Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec and between two countries. We wish him the best at the Catena Institute.”
Laura Catena, Board member of Bodegas CARO and Founder of the Catena Institute of Wine: “It is an absolute honor for us to make CARO with the Rothschild family, one that shares our passion for making wines of place and caring for the land and the people involved in this beautiful art of winemaking. My father Nicolás and I are thrilled to welcome the talented Philippe Rolet and wish to thank Fernando for his dedication to helping our two families make a Grand Vin in Argentina. I am personally looking forward to continue working with Fernando at the Catena Institute, and to experience the yearly harvests of CARO with Saskia, Philippe and the winery team for many decades to come.”
About Bodegas CARO:
The idea of a partnership between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family was born in 1998. The initial enthusiasm quickly developed into a plan to produce a unique wine that would combine two cultures, French and Argentine, two grape varieties, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the expertise of both families. Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family place great importance on selecting the location of the vineyards. The objective is to choose the best terroirs to enhance the alliance between Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Bodegas CARO produces three wines: CARO, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec that reveals the harmonious balance between the Argentine and Bordeaux styles; AMANCAYA, a delicate wine with the same spirit as CARO, and ARUMA, a pure Malbec.
Harvest Report 2017:
During the 2016/17 season, budbreak occurred on its usual date, at the end of September, with warm days after a rigorous winter. Following a normal flowering, fruit set was affected by a frost on October 21 that caused a large decrease in the number of berries per bunch, reducing the 2017 harvest.
Veraison began on its usual date in January, although it lasted for three weeks, ending in early February. During the sprouting period, rainfall of 188 mm was recorded, slightly higher than the historical 102 mm, and temperatures were close to the usual records.
After summer, the month of February gave us nights up to four degrees warmer than usual. This phenomenon, along with a drier trimester, helped to anticipate the harvest between two and three weeks.
First Zone, Mendoza
Unlike the Uco Valley, sprouting took place a couple of weeks later than usual, towards the end of September. After normal flowering, fruit set also was affected by a frost on October 21 that caused, in this area too, a large decrease in the number of berries per bunch, reducing the 2017 harvest.
As in the Uco Valley, veraison began on its usual date in January, although it lasted for three weeks, ending in early February. During the budbreak/veraison period, rainfall of 108 mm was recorded, coinciding with historical records, and temperatures were close to the usual ones.
After the summer, despite the warm February nights and dry days, the harvest occurred at its usual date in the first two weeks of April, due to a sprouting delay in this area.
AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR FOR MALBEC
Malbec is very sensitive to low temperatures during the fruit set. The frost of October 21 led to reduce the production between 25 and 50%, depending on the area and the plot. However, Malbec benefited greatly from the dry and warm days after the summer, which allowed it to reach the typical expression of the high altitude vineyards of Mendoza. The grapes were characterized by their unique balance between sugar and acidity, along with the traditional softness of Malbec tannins.
The Malbec harvest in the First Zone took place between March 13 and April 11. In the Uco Valley, the harvest was carried out between March 15 and 29 of the same month, which implied an anticipation of up to three weeks for some plots.
A BALANCED SEASON FOR CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Wetter days prior to veraison contributed to the different plots, evolving according to their type of soil. The Cabernet Sauvignon from deeper soils had a slower maturity, while those from stony soils reached an excellent balance and their typical spicy character with greater agility.
The Cabernet Sauvignon harvest began on March 23 and ended on April 7, being all these grapes from the Uco Valley and with an anticipation of up to three weeks for some plots.