Bodega Piedra Negra (François Lurton Argentina)
About Piedra Negra
Bodega Piedra Negra is François Lurton’s winery in Argentina, in the Los Chacayes region of the Uco Valley. With both Malbec and Cot planted, the majority of the production at Piedra Negra winery is red wine however it is also worth hunting down their Sauvignon Vert-based white blend. The estate has 200 hectares (99 of which are planted and managed by organic and biodynamic farming). François Lurton also owns Hacienda Araucano in Chile.
About the Piedra Negra vineyards
After searching extensively across several regions of Argentina, François Lurton planted his vineyard at high altitude in the Uco Valley, in the foothills of the Andes Cordillera, in semi-desert conditions.
Finca Los Chacayes, is located in the foothills of the Cordillera at an altitude of 1,100 m.a.s.l in poor soil that consists mainly of alluvial gravel. Piedra Negra is certified organic, applies some biodynamic practices and is currently in the process of obtaining the biodynamic certification.
Piedra Negra has 130 hectares of grape varieties planted, including Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and 45 hectares of Pinot Gris which is used to make white, rose and sparkling wines. Among the 130 hectares, Piedra Negra also has 3 hectares of Tokaij Friulano which is used to make their iconic white wine since 2006, Gran Lurton Corte Friulano. This is a white blend dominated by Tokaij Friulano and fermented and aged in French oak and porcelain amphoras.
In terms of red grapes, the winery also has 25 hectares of Cot, the French version of the Malbec grape, which is used to give tension, depth and elegance to their Malbec blends. The Chacayes blend, Piedra Negra’s iconic red wine, is made with 50% Cot.
The vines are among the oldest in the Los Chacayes region.
About Piedra Negra wines
CHACAYES
Chacayes is Piedra Negra’s most iconic wine. This rich, concentrated blend of Malbec and Cot comes from the best plots of the Finca Chacayes and is aged for 15 months in oak. It is an ageworthy red which cellars well for decades.
PIEDRA NEGRA
Piedra Negra Gran Malbec is a blend of Côt and Malbec made with grapes from various terroirs and altitudes around Mendoza. This wine is aged for 15 months in oak and winemaker Thibault Lepoutre is striving for finesse and elegance in this wine.
GRAN LURTON
This line includes the Gran Lurton Blanco and Tinto. Gran Lurton Blanc is one of the best known white blends in Argentina – a blend of Tokaij Friulano and Sauvignon Blanc. It is a complex and refreshing white wine which ages well.
Gran Lurton Tinto is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This was the first wine launched by François Lurton and represents Piedra Negra’s earliest production in the Uco Valley. The winery can offer a vertical tasting of nearly 20 vintages of this blend!
ARROYO GRANDE – ESPRIT DE CHACAYES
The Esprit de Chacayes is an organic blend of Malbec and Cot. This wine is a pure expression of the Chacayes terroir, it is aged for a few months in amphoras and has no sulfites.
RESERVE
The Reserve line is made up of two varieties, Pinot Gris and Malbec, which are aged in barrels to add some complexity.
ALTA COLLECION – VUELÁ
The Alta Colección range includes a fresh white Pinot Gris wine, a delicate Pinot Gris rosé and a juicy red Malbec.
PASITEA
Pasitea is Piedra Negra’s late harvest wine made from Pinot Gris grapes. It is a delicate and sweet wine made in certain vintages.
About the winemaker,
Thibault is one of the leading winemakers in Los Chacayes and has been one of the main instigators of the Los Chacayes GI and association.
Having studied agronomy and enology in France, he worked as a winemaker in Ukraine, Brazil and Portugal before coming to Argentina in 2011 to become Chief Winemaker at Bodega Piedra Negra.
His philosophy at work consists in working the vines, using the grapes’ and yeasts’ natural resources, such as skins and lees, and limiting the use of winemaking products in the winery.
Visiting Piedra Negra
Piedra Negra is open for tourism and offers a wide range of activities: dynamic visit (you’ll taste different wines as you take a tour through the winery), premium tasting (a tasting of Piedra Negra’s premium wines), blind tasting (particularly fun for a group of friends and family), and VIP tastings, among others.
You can book any of these activities on Piedra Negra’s website
Wine Shop
Piedra Negra’s wine shop is open every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
What’s the difference between Cot and Malbec? An interview with
Prizes and Awards
96 pts. James Suckling - Blanco Gran Lurton 2020
95 pts. James Suckling - Rojo Malbec Reserva 2020
92 pts. James Suckling - Blanco Arroyo Grande Jackot 2021
93 pts. James Suckling - Rojo Arroyo Grande Malbec Sin Sulfito 2020
94 pts. Vinous - Rojo L’esprit Chacayes 2020