Argentina, where variety comes second nature

The diversity of Argentine wines, the origins of their makers and the size of their ventures may surprise consumers in other parts of the world. But Argentina is home to an industry that ranges from multi-generation family projects to young winemakers inspired by small producers around the world, wineries whose owners have achieved worldwide fame in countries such as Chile and wines grown at the foot of the Andes Mountains.

Kaiken, Argentine wines by a Chilean legend

Although he has achieved cult status for Chilean and South American wine, Aurelio Montes decided in 2001 that his Kaiken winery would be located in Mendoza, Argentina. Montes was familiar with wild Patagonian geese, which fly over the Andes mountain range separating Argentina and Chile, and they inspired the name for his venture. The bird symbolises “the crossing of borders”, according to Kaiken. Drawing on his extensive experience at Montes Winery in Chile, which he founded, Montes began to travel around Argentina in 2000, until he decided to locate his Argentine project in the district of Vistalba, Luján de Cuyo. Kaiken has 20 hectares of its own vineyards there, complemented by 64 hectares in Agrelo (also in Luján de Cuyo) and 35.4 hectares in Los Chacayes, in Mendoza's Uco Valley. The varietals grown are Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Petit Verdot.

Gustavo Hormann, manager and winemaker at Kaiken.

From the outset, one of Kaiken's priorities was to achieve a broad-ranging global presence through a very dynamic export policy including attendance at major international exhibitions. This is reflected in sales figures that are clearly fuelled by exports, with 95% of production shipped overseas. Kaiken is present in almost 70 countries, and its main markets are the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Finland, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil and Russia.

Gustavo Hormann: “Our collection combines quality and variety, with a focus on sustainable practices”.

Gustavo Hormann, the manager and winemaker at Kaiken, defines the project: “At Kaiken we are dedicated to creating exceptional wines that reflect our passion for excellence and Argentina's tradition of winemaking. Our collection combines quality and variety, with a focus on sustainable practices that respect the natural environment. Each bottle captures the unique essence of our terroir, offering an authentic and expressive experience for wine lovers”.

Kaiken's project features an ‘open-air restaurant’, called ‘Ramos Generales’, which revolves around an open-fire-cooking-style kitchen set in the winery's meadow next to the vineyards. It is run by Francis Mallmann, Argentina's most famous chef – he is the only one to have his own episode in Netflix's ‘Chef's Table’ series. Kaiken also offers a wine tourism experience, with tours of the vineyards, tastings and a visit to its ‘Cava del Angel’, where the wines mature.

The most emblematic brands are Ultra, stemming from the Latin for ‘beyond’, and Mai, a wine that seeks to convey the alliance between Argentina and Chile at the root of the project - it is made from grapes grown in a vineyard planted in 1910. Kaiken also produces a line of sparkling wines featuring a Brut and a Brut Rosé, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from the Uco Valley. It also produces a special wine from grapes grown in Canota, Las Heras – an experimental terroir for Argentine wines. Labelled ‘Nude’, it is a rosé blended from 90% Grenache and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

A cursory glance at the winery’s main ranges offers an idea of the diversity of its wines: Estate (Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, Chardonnay, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon); Indómito (Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Franc); Terroir Series (Malbec-Bonarda-Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec, and Petit Verdot); Ultra (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot); Aventura (Los Chacayes Norte Malbec, Los Chacayes Sur Malbec and Valle de Canota Malbec), Disobedience (a red blend made by Aurelio Montes and Francis Mallmann), and Obertura, a Cabernet Franc.

Kaiken is the Argentine project of Aurelio Montes who pioneered production of premium wines in Chile.

Ramos Generales is Kaiken's outdoor restaurant.

Cabrini, Malbec and ‘liquoroso’ spanning 5 generations

Malbec is the pride and joy of the Cabrini family. One of the reasons is because the winery is located in Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo, in the heart of Malbec’s original homeland in Argentina. But another reason is because the family owns a vineyard dating back to 1911 which increasingly provides grapes of higher concentration and quality. The Cabrinis have not only pioneered Malbec since their winery was founded, they can also boast five generations at the company’s helm, which is unusual for a relatively young country like Argentina.

Remarkably, they have managed to maintain all of their Malbec vineyards since the outset, refusing to destroy them during the great crisis of the 1980s in the Argentine wine industry, despite the high economic cost of doing so. As winery manager Fernando Cabrini comments, “We always knew it was a varietal of the highest quality, but at that time it was not recognised as the great Argentine wine it is today”.

Fernando, Mauricio and Hugo Cabrini.

Cabrini recalls how “Our winery was built in 1918 by our great-grandfather, Leandro Cabrini. Originally it was a collection of ‘piletas’ or pools, with buildings that emerged over time. Its location was strategic for two reasons: firstly because of the Malbec vineyard, planted in 1911, and secondly because it was located next to the railroad station, which was used to ship wine across the entire country and was the most efficient means of transportation at the time”.

The original Perdriel vineyard covers 6 hectares, complemented by another 8 hectares in Ugarteche, Luján de Cuyo (Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo and Chenin), and 36 hectares in Tupungato, Uco Valley. “The Uco Valley vineyard dates back to 1957, when there were very few vineyards in that area and they did not have the recognition they have nowadays”, stresses Cabrini. “It was chosen by our grandparents because of the quality of its soil and water, and we have Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Tempranillo planted there”.

A reflection of the value that the family places on tradition is that all its labels bear the name ‘Cabrini’. Some, with more than 70 years of presence in the market, have been revamped in recent times. In terms of sales, the ratio between the domestic and export markets varies according to economic conditions, which are traditionally unstable in Argentina. Generally speaking, though, 75% of sales are in the domestic market with a balance of exports. The company’s main international markets are the United States and the United Kingdom, although it also has a presence in other continental European countries and Vietnam. The Cabrini family also makes a special ‘Licoroso’ wine, which the Catholic Church uses for mass throughout Argentina. It is a fortified sweet rosé wine blended from Malbec, Tempranillo, Bonarda and Lambrusco with an ABV of 16.5 % and between 80 and 100 grams of residual sugar. It has had a permit from the Archbishopric of Mendoza since 1987, and Pope John Paul II used it in the Jubilee Mass in 2000 at the Vatican.

The first and second generation of the Cabrini family, who planted their first vineyard in 1911.

Les Amis, a small project with French inspiration

Martín Bilbao’s young age belies his extensive experience in the vineyards of France, prompting him to create ‘Les Amis’. The project was “inspired by the small independent French winegrowers, who with a lot of passion and dedication cultivate their vines in order to turn them into high quality wines”. To date, Les Amis is the only label he has released commercially, and its name is French “because since I began winemaking, I have had a connection with France, a country where the passion for wine is ubiquitous”.

Martín Bilbao, the creator of Les Amis.

Bilbao’s plan is to make classic wines that showcase the potential of Mendoza's old vines to produce quality wines, primarily in what is known as the First Viticultural Zone. He thus leases two small vineyards covering one hectare each, located in Russell (Maipú) and Carrodilla (Luján de Cuyo). “Technically, the project started in 2021 with the first harvest of Les Amis”, recalls Bilbao. “But the desire to make the project a reality came some time ago, after having travelled and worked in different wine regions of France, including the Rhone Valley, Champagne, Chablis and Bordeaux. After meeting different independent winegrowers I was highly motivated to replicate this model in Argentina”.

Les Amis makes a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is about to bottle its 2023 Malbec from Luján de Cuyo. The philosophy for both is the same: old vineyards with low yields, ensuring concentrated wines with great typicity. Currently the wines are only sold in the Argentine market, but one of the objectives is to export to Brazil, due to its proximity and demand for this style of wine. Bilbao’s commitment to terroir is tangible: “I come from a small town in Mendoza where my ancestors settled many years ago. They were dedicated farmers, growing vegetables, fruit trees, olive groves and of course grapevines. I have strong roots in this land. Among my fondest childhood memories are the times spent with my grandparents during the harvest in the family vineyard which produced the house wine”.

Bilbao adds: “In my lifetime I have been fortunate to have great friends, who have shared their customs and passions with me. Coincidentally, one of them introduced me to the world of wine, and from that moment on, it opened up a whole host of experiences for me that changed the course of my life”. Commenting on the name of his venture, he says “One day I decided to start my own personal project as a tribute to the friendship that opened the doors to wine for me and led me to meet new friends. Each bottle is made with their unconditional support and designed to be shared among friends, because they are the reason for this adventure”.

The ‘Les Amis’ project is inspired by France’s small independent winegrowers.

Andeluna, under the influence of the Andes

In Spanish ‘Andeluna’ symbolises the fusion of Andes and the moon, depicting the location of the vineyards at the foot of the mountains and “the moon that covers them with its light”. The moon may be universal, but the Andes Mountains – whose formation ended some five million years ago – provide a geographical element that strongly influences the wines. Here, the soils are “stony with vines struggling to put down roots. There is also limestone which yields wines showing great personality”, stresses Marcelo Burgos, the winery’s general manager.

Andeluna, at the foot of the Andes mountain range.

The winery was built in 2005 and came under the ownership of the Barale family in 2011. Their goal is to produce wines using sustainable practices. The family owns 80 hectares of vineyards in Gualtallary, Tupungato, an increasingly renowned area located 1,300 metres above sea level. The site is characterised by its altitude, diurnal shift, brightness, stony and alluvial soils, excellent drainage and scarce rainfall which guarantees healthy fruit.

The Gualtallary vineyard is certified 100% organic, precluding the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides, as well as any inputs of animal origin. The certification means that Andeluna’s wines are 100% suitable for vegans, thus catering to increased demand in a number of markets. The winery exports 60% of its wines to more than 30 countries and its main markets are the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, South Korea and Germany.

The Barale family makes their wines sustainably.

According to head winemaker Manuel González Bals the Uco Valley “is one of the most impressive places in the world to grow vines”. His challenge is “to reveal the typicality of the location through sustainable vineyard management techniques”. Among other things, Andeluna uses drip irrigation and wastewater treatment, it markets vegan wines, encourages internship programs, flexible maternity leave and on-going staff training.

Its main brands are Raíces, 1,300, Altitud, Pasionado, Emblema and Los Francs de Andeluna. Its varietals include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Torrontés, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Noir. The winery has a capacity of nearly 1.5 million litres stored in stainless steel tanks, an underground cellar with 1,000 oak barrels and a storage capacity of nearly 1 million bottles. General manager Marcelo Burgos stresses that Andeluna was selected by the 2023 Luxury Lifestyle Awards for the Top 100 Premium Wine & Spirits Brands in the World, “in recognition of the quality, craftsmanship and dedication with which it has produced its wines over its 20-year history”. Another of the winery's distinctive features is its hospitality area, which offers a 360° experience with tours, tastings, recreational activities and cooking classes. It also owns the Andeluna Winery Lodge surrounded by vineyards.

Manuel González Bals, the head winemaker at Andeluna: “The Uco Valley is one of the most impressive places in the world for growing vines”.

The Andeluna Winery Lodge offers accommodation surrounded by vineyards.