Earlier this month, 24 wine producers with vineyards in Los Chacayes IG in Mendoza’s Uco Valley formally established the Association of Producers from the Los Chacayes IG (Asociación de Productores de la IG Los Chacayes). It marks the growing tendency in Argentina to highlight regional differences and put microclimates and subregions, most especially in the Uco Valley, on the international wine map.
Putting Los Chacayes IG on the map
“Los Chacayes was the third IG (Indicación Geográfica) approved by the INV, which certifies that the grapes come from this specific origin,” explains Eduardo Soler, owner and winemaker at Ver Sacrum, who has been elected as the first President of the Association.
The definition of Los Chacayes as an IG is part of the modern denominations of wine regions in Argentina – defined by geographical and climatic characteristics rather than political boundaries. Los Chacayes IG comes after Paraje Altamira IG and Gualtallary IG, and proceeded the announcement of the El Cepillo IG which is imminent.
“We founded an association of producers within the IG to work together to promote Los Chacayes IG and also fund studies into the soils and climate so we can identify better the characteristics of our grapes and wines from this region,” explains Soler. “The association will also enable us to represent the IG together in front of other associations and organisations.”
So far there are 12 founding producers within the IG, each of which have vineyards within the parameters of the IG:
- Ver Sacrum (of which the owner Eduardo Soler is President)
- Bodega Lurton Piedra Negra (of which winemaker Thibault Lepoutre is Treasurer)
- Corazon del Sol (of which winemaker Cristian Moor is Secretary)
- Casa de Uco
- Colli di Boasi
- Chandon
- Bodegas y Viñedos La Esperanza
- Maria Mirta Sance
- Fernando Javier Cutillo
- Esteban Nicolas Rosberg
- SuperUco
- Los Chacayes SA
Another 12 associate members bring the total number of producers within the association to 24 wine producers.
Read more about:
- Los Chacayes Malbec with French winemaker François Lurton
- A taste of Ver Sacrum with Eduardo Soler
- Paraje Altamira and its terroir with Sebastian Zuccardi
- Pipa and the Association of Independent Producers in Paraje Altamira
Main photo from the Los Chacayes vineyards of Corazon del Sol winery.
