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viña viva at Braccobosca winery and vineyard in Atlantida Uruguay, vineyard stays in Uruguay
Uruguay FeaturesTravel UruguayTravel & Culture

Viña Viva to let you live the vineyard experience at BraccoBosca

by Amanda Barnes
written by Amanda Barnes

Have you ever had the pleasure of waking up among the vines? BraccoBosca winery in Uruguay has just opened its new vineyard cabins to allow you to do just that!

“We called it Viña Viva because it is exactly the place where you can learn about nature and the vineyard while living alongside it,” says BraccoBosco owner and Director Fabiana Bracco. “The idea is that people can get to know more about what happens during the natural cycle of the vines while being up close and personal with them.”

The vineyard cabin overlooks the family’s vines in the Atlantida region of Canelones, and has exclusive use of a swimming pool nestled between the vines too. Each morning a picnic hamper of breakfast items is delivered to the door of the cabin, which you can choose to take into the vineyard for an alfresco brunch among the vines if you choose!

Find out more about BraccoBosca winery in our online winery guide. The cabin costs U$S140 for weeknight stays, and U$S190 at weekends.

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Bouchon Family Wines winemaker Christian Sepulveda interview on Maule
Chile FeaturesChile Wine GuideWineMaule

Old vines & Maule wine regions: Terroir Talk interview with Bouchon winemaker Christian Sepúlveda

by Amanda Barnes
written by Amanda Barnes

Have you discovered the old vines and wines of Maule yet? Bouchon Family Wines winemaker Christian Sepúlveda shares a masterclass into Maule wine regions and the incredible diversity of old vines that thrive here, with a special focus on Semillon, País and Carignan.

In this winemaker interview, and part of our Terroir Talk series, one of Chile’s most exciting winemakers of the new generation dives deep into what makes Maule unique and distinctive. Amanda Barnes interviews Christian Sepúlveda about the terroir secrets and old vine treasures in Maule’s diverse regions – from Costa to Entre Cordilleras and Andes. Touching on the importance of the coastal influence and granite concentration in the soils, this is ideal for MW, MS and WSET students!

As a way to explore the wine regions, they taste through three emblematic wines for Bouchon and also for Maule: Bouchon Granito Semillon, Bouchon País Salvaje and Bouchon Vigno Carignan.

 

Interview with winemaker Christian Sepúlveda, Bouchon Family Wines

Wine tasting Bouchon Family Wines Maule

Three incredible and emblematic wines, not only for Bouchon but for Maule. Don’t miss these vinous gems!

Bouchon Family Wines Semillon Maule ChileBouchon Family Wines Semillon Granito

Semillon is a superheroine waiting to be uncovered in Chile… There used to be well over 35,000 hectares planted but today just shy of 800 remains. Bouchon has been one of the key advocates for bringing this incredible variety back into the limelight and Granito Semillon is a shining example of how wonderfully the variety works in South America.

Attractive notes of dried flowers, pear, Meyer lemon and beeswax greet you on the nose while in the palate it sings with a racy acidity, rich weight and textural, long finish. This is a white wine for red wine lovers, and I adore it! One of the best white wines in Chile.

  • Maule Costa, Batuco
  • 100% Semillon
  • Winemaker: Christian Sepúlveda, Bouchon Family Wines
  • Winemaking: Oak fermented (15 – 18C) for 10 days, 12 months aged in French oak.

 

Bouchon Family Wines País Salvaje

Bouchon Pais Salvaje wine from Maule, guide to best wines in MauleThis wine comes with a rather incredible story. Made from very old País vines which grow wild among the trees in the river creek in Bouchon’s Mingre vineyard, the grapes are all harvested by hand and require scaling up ladies and crawling under bushes to reach! The wine is then made in a very simple, artisanal way which reflects the true character of this wild País.

It’s a gloriously fruity and fresh wine with notes of rosehips, wild strawberries and meadow flowers, but in the palate it is actually quite serious with grip, freshness and a long finish. Chile’s answer to a very serious Beaujolais!

  • Maule, Mingre
  • 100% País
  • Winemaker: Christian Sepúlveda, Bouchon Family Wines
  • Winemaking: Fermented with native yeasts

Harvesting the wild vines of Pais for País Salvaje Bouchon Family Wines in Maule

Bouchon Family Wines VIGNO Carignan

Bouchon Vigno Carignan from Maule, tasting notes and winemaker interviewCarignan is undoubtedly one of the stars of Maule’s old bush vines, and VIGNO has really helped put it on the map by establishing an appellation of sorts to protect these old vines and the growers that depend on them. Bouchon Family Wines is part of VIGNO, in fact Julio Bouchon is President of the association, and this wine is an excellent example of the finesse that old vine Carignan can have.

With hypnotic notes of blackcurrant and roses with an undercurrent of earthy, game aromas, this is a complex wine. Even after four years in bottle, the acidity is still really fresh and bright, which perfectly frames the spicy tannins and juicy finish. A wine for rich stews.

  • Maule, Cauquenes
  • 100% Carignan
  • Winemaker: Christian Sepúlveda, Bouchon Family Wines
  • Winemaking: 12 months in large foudre, and at least a year in bottle
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Interview with Andrés Vignoni winemaker at Viña Cobos winery
MendozaArgentina Wine GuideArgentina FeaturesWine

Old vine Malbec: Terroir Talk interview with Andrés Vignoni

by Amanda Barnes
written by Amanda Barnes

Mendoza is renowned for its Malbec and some of the superlative wines come from old vines as Viña Cobos winemaker Andrés Vignoni explains in this interview. As part of our winemaker Terroir Talk series, Amanda Barnes interviews Andrés on the challenges and rewards of old vines and what makes the wines so distinctive. Not only about old vines, but this informative interview also acts as a Malbec masterclass as Andrés shares his great knowledge about working with the variety in several sites around Mendoza’s wine regions.

With a tasting of the Viña Cobos Bramare single vineyard Malbec wines, winemaker Andrés Vignoni deep dives into the appellations and wine regions of Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley with a particular focus on Villa Bastias, where their Bramare Zingaretti comes from 100-year-old vines, and the region of Perdriel, where their Bramare Marchiori comes from 80-year-old vines.

Andrés is one of the most promising winemakers of his generation in Mendoza and this fascinating interview explores the experimentation in winemaking that the team at Viña Cobos are doing as well as looking at how the style of Mendoza Malbec has evolved over the years. Quintessential viewing for Malbec lovers!

 

Interview with winemaker Andrés Vignoni of Viña Cobos

Tasting of Viña Cobos Bramare single vineyard Malbec wines

Vina Cobos Lujan de Cuyo Perdriel Malbec tasting note and winemaker interviewViña Cobos Bramare Malbec Marchiori Estate

This is a worldclass Malbec and such a quintessential expression of how Perdriel’s old vine Malbec made the variety famous around the world for its supreme quality and approachable style. With a comforting nose of red plum, sweet and exotic baking spices, and tea leaves, it is a seductive Malbec that draws you in.

In the palate, the classically sweet and ripe tannins make this incredibly approachable even in its youth but the full body and bright acidity with a long, aromatic finish let you know that this will cellar well for decades. A Malbec for Malbec lovers.

  • Perdriel, Lujan de Cuyo
  • 100% Malbec
  • Winemaker: Andrés Vignoni
  • Winemaking: 18 months in French oak (55% new). Unfiltered.

 

 

Vina Cobos Bramare Malbec tasting notes and winemaker interviewViña Cobos Bramare Malbec Zingaretti Estate

This gorgeous Malbec really shows the elegance and finesse you get from these 100-year-old vines in the cool sub-region of Villa Bastias.

Filled with wild floral notes, jarilla and spice aromas, it is a nuanced Malbec that has a fragrant style with a long finish, fine but firm tannins and persistent slatey minerality. A Malbec for Pinot Noir lovers!

  • Villa Bastias, Uco Valley
  • 100% Malbec
  • Winemaker: Andrés Vignoni
  • Winemaking: 18 months in French oak (55% new). Unfiltered.

 

Part of our Terroir Talk series with some of the best winemakers in South America and a focus on the new generation of winemakers and wines.

Find out more about Viña Cobos in our online winery guide and on their website; and check out our interview with Andrés Vignoni on Mendoza Chardonnay!
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Cereza grape variety in Argentina, guide to Criolla wines in South America
Argentina Wine GuideArgentina FeaturesWine

A guide to the Cereza grape variety & wines

by Amanda Barnes
written by Amanda Barnes

Have you ever heard of Argentina’s Cereza grape variety or wines? Did you know that there’s almost as much Cereza planted in Argentina as there are vines in the whole of Burgundy? And yet hardly anyone has heard of the pink-skinned Cereza grape which is native to Argentina.

A guide to Argentine Cereza grape variety & wines

In some ways, Cereza is the ultimate Criolla grape — born of a cross between two of the first grapes to arrive on the continent, Moscatel de Alejandría and Listán Prieto (aka. Criolla Chica). Although it has existed in Argentina for centuries, Cereza was planted in unprecedented quantities in the 1980s. It comes second to Malbec in terms of hectares planted, but because of its high yields, Cereza is actually the number one grape variety harvested each year by volume, representing 20% of Argentina’s total production. We could call it the unsung hero of Argentine wine, but in order to do that we’d need to identify Cereza’s heroic qualities… 

Strong? Yes. Cereza is an incredibly vigorous variety that grows well in dry conditions and can survive in even the more saline soils. Honest? Definitely. This almost-translucent, pink-skinned variety doesn’t pretend to offer wines of concentration or colour; the darkest shade you’ll get from it is a deep rosé and you can easily make white wine from Cereza. The grapes ripen unevenly on the bunch and so you can’t macerate Cereza for too long to bring out more colour, as you’ll get bitter notes. Cereza wines are made in a lighter style and pretty much taste like the grape itself, with light, juicy fruit and sometimes floral aromas. 

Popular? Well, it has been. There were over 40,000 hectares of Cereza planted in Argentina during the 1980s, when it was adored by growers because of its generous yields. Its popularity is waning considerably though, and nowadays it is the grape variety losing most ground in Argentina, with vineyards being abandoned or replaced at a rapid rate. And you’ll almost never see Cereza written on a wine label.

So, not a hero then? That’s debatable. Cereza is still widely planted in Mendoza and San Juan (together they account for 95% of Argentina’s Cereza vines). It offers high yields and decent potential income for growers, in return for relatively low maintenance. Cereza is the main variety used in cheaper bulk wines and it is also used to make concentrated grape must and the base for Gancia vermouth (which locals drink with lemonade). It can also be eaten fresh as a table grape. Although it is by no means glamorous, Cereza is still big business. But, with local consumption dropping, the question is for how long?

In response to this hero’s waning popularity, a handful of winemakers are beginning to make fine wines from Cereza to try to restore its position on the dinner table and make people aware of the wealth of Criolla vines that still exist in Argentina before it is too late. My favourite Cereza wine is Cara Sucia, made by the Durigutti brothers: “We used to drink these wines growing up — there was always a litre-sized bottle on the table!” remembers Héctor Durigutti. “We want to return to our origins by drinking these easy-going wines, and get back to drinking 90 litres per capita a year!”

While it’s incredibly unlikely that any country will return to a consumption heyday of 90 litres a year, I do believe that Cereza offers an opportunity for Argentina to increase local consumption and get through its never-ending economic crises by making affordable and accessible easy-to-drink wines again. I’m certain Cereza will continue to lose its footing in plantations in the years to come, and probably in as dramatic a fashion as they appeared, but I hope it does remain part of Argentina’s wine story in the future. It can be a true hero as a vino del pueblo (village wine), and a rather inviting one at that. Let’s hope more winemakers take up the challenge. 

This is an extract from our new book on South American wine… order your copy now!

Favourite Cereza wine producers

Quick facts about Cereza wines in Argentina

  • Hectares planted: 26,388 
  • Key descriptors: Medium pink colour. Aromas of strawberries, grapes & blossom. Dry with soft tannins (low), soft acidity (low) and light body. 
  • Winemaking styles: Typically used for jug wines (white, rosé and red blends) but modern Cereza wines are youthful in style with no oak and modest levels of alcohol (12% – 13%). Usually blended.

Read more about the Criolla grape varieties and wines in South America with our Guide to Criolla wines

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