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Wine Information
Variety:
100% Malbec
Origin:
Pedernal Valley, San Juan, (1350m above sea level)
Ageing:
French and American oak barrels for 15 months.
6 months in bottle at controlled temperature.
Tasting notes:
This deep-purple colored wine with bright highlights denotes the pure character of fruit and its great aromatic complexity. It features an excellent balance between fruit and wood; notes of ripe plum, toasted coffee and chocolate. It has good structure and gentle tannins.
Food Matches:
Roasted meat, ripe cheese.
Background of origin:
The El Pedernal region started its viticultural activity in 1993, and therefore it is considered new among Argentine vineyard sites. The valley is of glacial origin, and crushing and friction generated the dark, flat stones after which the valley was named. Pedernal is a synonym of silex, a mineral used during the Stone Age to make cutting tools since it can be chipped into small, thin pieces; it is also used to start fires since it sparks when it is hit against a similar or harder stone.
In this region, joint efforts transformed an arid scene into soft slopes covered with vineyards which increase year after year with new cultivation sites. This is not a random task, but the result of research studies that confirmed that certain vine varieties are able to adapt to this privileged ecology.
The valley offers optimal conditions to produce grapes of high enological quality, especially Malbec grapes. Summers are mild with cool nights. Temperatures range between 18°C and 20°C (64°F and 68°F) and allow for the production of polyphenols, tannins and color to obtain well structured wines. The soils are poor, with 20-40 cm (7.7 to 15 inches) of loam, silt and rocks, which limits the vegetative expansion of the plants, lowering their yield. Average annual rainfall is scarce and the irrigation water supply comes from springs originated in The Andes Mountains. Drip irrigation has been implemented in the area and the plants depend on it.
However, the region by itself does not define everything; it builds the grapes’ character which is passed on to the wine infusing it with its climate, altitude and terroir. And that character is built not only by the region, since a vineyard left on its own has no chance of defining itself. Quality depends on proper vineyard management, which is in the responsibility of the vine grower.
This task is another challenge, supported by the effort and dedication of those who settled in a region that is a part of the Argentine viticultural heritage.
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