HUARPE GUALTALLARY 2013
An equal blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from a single high-altitude vineyard in Gualtallary, Valle de Uco.
Gualtallary, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza
Tasting notes
Deep purple-red in the glass. The nose brings mint, plum, blackberry, smoke and a stony, gravel-like edge. Dry and structured on the palate, with firm tannins held in check by balanced acidity, leading to a long, energetic finish.
Pairs with
- Grilled ribeye (bife de chorizo)
- Slow-grilled beef short ribs (asado de tira)
- Lamb chops with rosemary and garlic
- Venison or wild boar braised in red wine
- Aged hard cheeses
Where it comes from
Gualtallary is a district of Tupungato in the northern Valle de Uco, the high valley south of Mendoza city where vineyards climb towards the Andes. Finca Las Divas sits at 1,350 metres on alluvial ground left by the Las Tunas river: sandy loam mixed with rounded stones, low in organic matter and fast-draining, so the vines are forced to root deep. At this height grapes ripen under strong sunlight while cool nights preserve their acidity. Mendoza built its name on Malbec, but here Huarpe blends the two Cabernets in equal parts, each from a single plot and a single clone. The winery is named after the Huarpes, the people who lived in Mendoza before the Spanish arrived and dug the irrigation channels that turned a dry landscape into farmland.
Aged for 14 months in 300-litre French oak barrels.
Technical sheet
| Vintage | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Grapes | 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Region | Gualtallary, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Mendoza |
| Altitude | 1.350 m |
| Vineyard | Finca Las Divas (cuartel N°10: Cabernet Franc clon 212; cuartel N°7: Cabernet Sauvignon clon 169) |
| Oak ageing | 14 months |
| Ageing potential | 15 years |
| Winemaker | José Hernández Toso |
From the winery Huarpe
Two Mendoza vineyards, Agrelo and high-altitude Gualtallary, in the hands of a winemaker trained in Germany and Alto Adige.