Want to deep dive into the wine region of San Pablo? Winemaker at Salentein, Jorge Cabeza, deep dives into San Pablo wine region in the Uco Valley and how the conditions in the area are best for cool-climate grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, but can also ripen Malbec.
San Pablo is characterized by getting an average annual rainfall is around 500 and 600 millimeters, with cooler temperatures because of the high altitude, more humidity, and less sunshine. All of this leads to delicate wines with lower alcohol and a certain freshness, and wild forest, character. Find out more in this terroir interview!
Exploring San Pablo wine region in the Uco Valley with Salentein’s winemaker, Jorge Cabeza
Video highlights: Amanda Barnes interviews winemaker Jorge Cabeza
Jorge, we are at San Pablo’s highest vineyard. Tell me about San Pablo as a Geographic Indication (IG in Argentina) and how it is different from other wine regions in Uco Valley.
This vineyard is the highest for Salentein, we are at 1,600 m.a.s.l. This is the highest part of San Pablo which is very different to the lowest part, especially when it comes to rain. The average annual rainfall is around 500 and 600 millimeters, much more than the rest of the valley where the average is around 200 and 300 millimeters. So in this part of San Pablo we get cooler temperatures because of the altitude, more humidity, and rain. We also get less sunshine which is very important when it comes to grape development and maturity, particularly the cooler climate varieties such as Pinot Noir. Additionally, the maximum temperatures here are lower than in other parts of San Pablo which allowed grapes to have higher acidity and good balance.
In this area we grow Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which give us very good balance, lower levels of alcohol and higher acidity, compared to other parts of the valley.
Behind us, there are Jesuit ruins. Tell me about why this region is called San Pablo.
This area used to be where Jesuit monks who worshiped San Pablo lived that is why this whole region and Salentein’s vineyard are called San Pablo.
And the trees that surround us are very old…
This vineyard is called Las Sequoias due to these sequoias that we can see further away and they have more than 100 years old. Besides all the beneficial conditions for the grape varieties, this place is very gorgeous.
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The extreme terroir of Calchaquí with Colomé winemaker Thibaut Delmotte
Cellaring wine under water… A tasting of Bodega Oceanica’s Ultramar Albariño in Uruguay
Read more about Salenten in our winery guide online!
