The ultimate guide to the wineries in Maipu, Mendoza, including the best wineries to visit in Maipu and information on where to stay and where to eat in the wine region of Maipu.
Mascota Vineyards winery and wines were born in 2010, but were many more years in the making as a winery which was developed by Grupo Peñaflor hand in hand with their long-standing winemaker Rodolfo Sadler who has been with the group for over 30 years. Although the winery and their entry-level lines are based in Maipú, the top lines of the winery come from their vineyards in the Uco Valley.
About Mascota Vineyards winery
The Peñaflor Group has a history of making wine that spans well over a hundred years however Mascota Vineyards is a relatively new project, started in 2010 with their long-standing winemaker Rodolfo Sadler as a project focused on two important terroirs for Mendoza: the historic heart of Maipú and the up-and-coming wine regions of the Uco Valley.
It has grown quickly from its genesis to a wine production of two and a half million bottles a year and took home Argentine Wine Producer of the Year at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2014, just four years after its foundation.
About the Mascota Vineyards
Working with two key terroirs in Mendoza, Mascota Vineyards has its main vineyard in Cruz de Piedra in Maipú where 97 hectares of vineyards are planted on sandy-clay loam soil at an average altitude of 850 metres above sea level.
In this historic wine region of Maipú, Mascota Vineyards produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Chardonnay principally which go towards the flagship Mascota Vineyards line and Opi. The vine age ranges from over 40 years old to 5-year-old vines.
The top-of-range Unánime blend along with Big Bat and Gran Mascota lines come from selected vineyards in the Uco Valley. Unánime comes from the deep, stony soils of San Carlos; Big Bat comes from sandy soils with calcium carbonate in Altamira; and the Gran Mascota line also comes from vineyards over 1,000 metres altitude in the Uco Valley.
About Mascota Vineyards wines
Opi wines
Mascota Vineyards first line of wines is Opi, which is winemaker Rodolfo Sadler’s nickname. This entry-level line is aimed at making fruit and playful, easy-to-drink wines of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which all come from the Mascota vineyards in Maipú.
La Mascota wines
The flagship range of La Mascota wines is the most important range for the winery making up the majority of their production, and coming from their main vineyard in Cruz de Piedra in Maipú. The La Mascota line includes monovarietal Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc red wines which are all aged in French and American oak barrels for up to a year, and a Chardonnay which is aged in barrel for 9 months. Within the range is also a La Mascota sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir which spends 12 months on the lees in a traditional bottle fermentation.
Gran Mascota
The Gran Mascota range is the Gran Reserva-style range of the winery which focuses on rich, concentrated red wines made from Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines come from select vineyards in the Uco Valley and spend 15 months in French and American barrels for added complexity.
Unánime
Unánime is the top, icon blend of the winery with predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This rich, concentrated wine comes from San Carlos in the Uco Valley and spends a year and a half in French oak barrels before being bottled. It’s certainly a wine for winter nights and asado or Argentine stews!
Big Bat
Mascota Vineyards has really taken Cabernet Sauvignon as one of its most emblematic varieties and this icon-level wine, Big Bat, is their top expression of Cab. Coming from vineyards in the prized region of Altamira, the wine is dense and full-bodied and has added complexity from 18 months in French oak barrel and further bottle age before release. Worth decanting.
About the winemaker Rodolfo Sadler
“My decision to become a winemaker was partly influenced by my family’s winemaking tradition and their passion for wine,” says Rodolfo. “As a little boy, I used to see my grandfather and father engaged in their winemaking tasks and I always wished I could one day make my own wines of which to feel proud.
“The wines of Mascota Vineyards are the outcome of that dream. They have my personal imprint and are a testimony of my life story. When you put passion and enthusiasm into what you do, your dream will know no boundaries and earn you international recognition.”
