Penedo Borges - Finca Don Otaviano

Trivia Oenological

Euclides Penedo Borges

Mature wines make the difference

Following the requirements of modernity and the speed of the current life, we drink sometimes very young wines turned into immediate consumption products through the stabilization and filtration techniques in the wineries.

This fashion makes less desirable some ripe wine aromas like dry fruits, oil, thyme, leather, almonds, which is a deplorable consequence since some ripe wines are better suited for many foods than the young ones.

With the modifications of the wine along the time, due to reactions of the oxygen with its components and among the components themselves, the aromatic spectrum loses the fruit freshness and blend with fermentation aromas, the flavor intensity is reduced and the wine gains smoothness. In red wines, the tannins astringency and bitterness disperse, they turn into attractive flavor factors and the wine becomes harmonious and soft.

The reason is that in mature wines, sugar, acids and alcohol are better integrated, giving so a favorable impression to the palate and a delicious back taste which makes it adequate for good combinations at the table.

Of course the combination can be ruinous in some cases. With Asparagus for instance any minimal mineral taste in the white wine − like the hydrocarbon smell so frequent at the Rieslings − is stressed, building an unpleasant metallic taste. Now if these Asparagus are the contour for a roast veal in a mushroom sauce, a ripe Chardonnay or Riesling will be a winner. The association derives from vegetable, dry leaves and mushroom nuances that appear both in the beverage and in the delicacy.

Based in these observations we can confirm that old and ripe Bordeaux, Barolo, Barbarescos, Riojas... are good company for roast meat in a mushroom or truffle sauce.

In the case of an Argentinean Malbec, a Chilean Carmenere, a Uruguayan Tannat or a Brazilian Merlot − to stay geographically next to ourselves − it would be better if they have at least five years after the harvest.

(this text is based in a article in German by Christina Fischer in “Vinun Weinmagazin”).

The Five Terroirs of Mendoza

Euclides Penedo Borges

The consumption of Argentinean wines has consolidated in Brazil in such way that today, names such as Catena, Zuccardi, Caro and Terrazas, for instance, are very familiar to us. New names have also surfaced, as in the case of the wines Penedo Borges from the Finca Don Otaviano.  Something that is not widely known is that these wines are cultivated in different "terroirs" of Mendoza which distinguish themselves from each other by altitude, their distance from the Andes, the origin of their  water, average temperature, hail incidence, the type of terrain and the nature of the soil.

Also, the thermal amplitude –the difference of temperature between midday and midnight in the summer − is important for the Andean viniculture and it varies from one place to another.

This is why the various local wines − Malbec, Tempranillo, Chardonnay, etc., produced by wineries in different locations present different characteristics to the attentive consumer.

LOCATION − the distance between the remote vineyards of the Mendocina province is significant. To the north and south, from the capital to San Rafael, the distance is two hundred kilometers. From east to west, the distance is one hundred and fifty kilometers. In European terms this is a world away!

The five terroirs of Mendoza are located within thirty thousand square kilometers between the Southern parallels 33 and 35. Three are in the surrounding areas of the city of Mendoza (Luján, Maipú and Leste), the fourth − Valle de Uco – is more to the south, far from the city, and the fifth − San Rafael – is located much further to the south in the center of the province.
Let’s take a tour:

LUJÁN DE CUYO is located at the foot of the Andes with altitudes between 860 and 1,100 meters. The average annual temperature is 15° C, which is good for cultivating grapes, and the thermal amplitude of 14° C, is also favorable. Rain is scarce and the origin of water is the Mendoza River.  Even terrain, sandy soils of gravel detached from the mountain ridge, good drainage, mineral wealth and organic poverty all make this region’s productive areas − Agrelo, Perdriel, and Vistalba − ideal habitats for the Malbec, with good accommodations for Cabernet, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay as well.

In Luján, you will find the Catena Zapata, Lagarde, Luigi Bosca, Norton, Ruca Malén, Séptima and Terrazas wineries.  The Finca Don Otaviano with the Penedo Borges wines is also located in this region.

MAIPÚ is situated south of Mendoza and east of Luján, a little farther from the Andes and is located at lower altitudes− between 650 and 800 meters. The climate is similar to the neighboring area but with a slightly higher average temperature and slightly lower thermal amplitude. The origin of water and the frequency of rain are the same as in Luján.

In Maipù’s  areas  − Coquimbito, Cruz de Piedra, and Barrancas – there are alluvial soils of argil with rounded pebbles that are mineral−rich, in addition to some red soils which propitiate some of the best Argentinean Cabernets. The Benegas, Finca Flichman, La Rural, Lopez, Navarro Correas, Peñaflor, Trapiche, Trivento and Weinert Wineries, amongst many others, are all located in Maipú.

The Terroir LESTE (East Terroir), is located on the eastern side of the metropolitan area and contains the localities of San Martin, Junin and Rivadávia, at altitudes ranging from 600 to 800 meters. The thermal amplitude, the frost−free period, and the frequency of rain are the same as in Maipú. Temperatures are a little higher here (average of 17° C), and the origin of water is the Tunuyán River, not the Mendoza River. The higher areas have sandy alluvial soil mixed with clay. In the lower areas, the soils are deep and stony. Tempranillo has adapted very well to the highest parts in the north in Fray Luis Beltrán on the border of Maipú.

The Bodega Esmeralda, Família Zuccardi (in Fray Luis Beltrán), Llaver (in Rivadávia), Segundo Correas and Mapema Wineries are located in the area Leste.

VALLE DE UCO (Uco Valley), or Tupungato, is located eighty kilometers to the south of Mendoza, bordering the Cordillera mountain chain, with altitudes between 900 and 1500 meters. The average annual temperature is lower (14° C) and the climate drier (pluvial index of 200 mm) with a large thermal amplitude. The water comes from the Tunuyán and Tupungato Rivers. This region is characterized by permeable stony soil with round pebbles, coarse−grained sand and clay, and is of low fertility. In such conditions, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are amongst the local varieties. The viniculture in Valle de Uco, while relatively recent, is developing fast.

Today, there are already the Achaval Ferrer, Clos de los Siete (Michel Rolland is one of the seven), La Célia (in La Consulta), Ortega Fournier, Lurton, Luca, Salentein and Tykal Wineries in Valle de Uco.

Finally, SAN RAFAEL, is located much further to the south in the geographical center of the province of Mendoza. The altitudes are lower here, from 450 to 800 m, and the whole area is exposed to bad weather, requiring protection against hail, with a short frost−free period (190 days per year). The average temperature and thermal amplitude is the same at 14° C. The water comes from the barrages of the Diamente and Atuel Rivers. This region has alluvial terrains on calcareous stone and is sandier on the western side (Rama Caída) while the eastern side (General Alvear) features soil with more clay.

Amongst San Rafael's main "cellars" are Alfredo Roca, Félix Lavaque, Jean Rivier, Valentin Bianchi ( oneof the oldest, installed in 1927) and Viñas del Golf.

COMPARISONS − When buying your next wine from Mendoza, pay attention to the wine’s terroir. It will certainly be one of the aforementioned five. The information above will complement the data on the back label and make for interesting comparisons. For instance: compare a Penedo Borges Malbec from Luján de Cuyo with another from San Rafael of the same harvest. Or a Tempranillo from Leste (Zuccardi Q) with another from Valle de Uco (Ortega Fournier B Crux, for instance). The difference in terroir will be clearly perceptible.