Argentina 2016 Special Report

148 Pages·2016·3.2 MB·English

a TIM ATKIN MW SPECIAL REPORT
Argentina 2016
Special Report
by Tim Atkin MW
£15 €19 $22 © 2015 Tim Atkin
TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
Contents
Pg
05 Introduction
07 Winemakers of Argentina
17 The 10 things you need to know about Argentina
25 Map of Argentina’s growing regions
26 A short guide to Argentina’s growing regions
28 The podium
29 The 2016 Argentinean top 100
32 A classification of Argentina’s best producers
34 A note about scoring and my classification
35 Tasting notes
124 Complete scores A-Z
147 Recommended restaurants in Argentina
147 Further Reading
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TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
Introduction
Crisis, what crisis? It makes a pleasant change to be writing my 2016
report at a time of comparative optimism in Argentina. A year, never
mind a week, is a long time in politics and the country has altered
radically in the last 12 months. In fact, the upturn in its fortunes is
even more recent than that. Mauricio Macri was elected president on
November 23 and has set about righting Argentina’s economic woes with
impressive energy since he took office in December.
The peso has been devalued, effectively doing Catena, owner of Catena Zapata and a trained
away with the “dollar blue”, which traded at 25- economist. “In the last month,” he says, “I have
30% above the official rate, exchange controls been contacted by an American and a Spanish
have been relaxed and Argentina appears to investor, both of whom are looking to buy a
be on the verge of settling its debts, allowing winery here.” Catena is a Macri fan. “This is the
it to return to capital markets after a 15 year first time we’ve had a president who isn’t either
ban. The government still needs to secure the a lawyer or a general. He’s an engineer and a
necessary votes in Congress to repeal two laws practical, honest person who is used to solving
that will allow it to pay its creditors through a problems.”
$15 billion bond issue, but this appears to be a With the issues he has piled up on his desk,
done deal. It will then be in a position to finance the travails of the wine industry are not at the top
its budget deficit, which was an alarming 5.8% of the president’s agenda. But it was significant
of GDP last year, and (it hopes) be in a position that at the end of January 2016, the government
to reduce inflation, the long-term scourge of announced it would be providing a subsidy of 75
the Argentinean economy. Things are still million pesos to producers in the provinces of San
problematic (the rate is around 25% and reducing Juan and Mendoza, mostly to finance the sale or
it will depend on the wage demands of the major disposal of excess stock, said to be running at 200
trade unions), but they have been much worse. In million litres, to be followed by a second tranche
1975, lest we forget, inflation was running at of 75 million later in the year. The wine industry
1% per day. represents around 1.3% of GDP and the PRO
This is not a report about politics or government clearly doesn’t want to see a repeat
economics. But these two things have a direct of the events of January 2015, when vineyard
impact on the wine industry. Outside investment workers took to the streets of Mendoza to protest
has more or less dried up over the last decade – at the low price of grapes, falling exports, rock
the sale of a majority share in Achával Ferrer to bottom bulk wine rates and rampant inflation.
the Russian SPI Group in April 2011 was almost The economic situation – better but still far
the only exception – and an over-valued peso (at from ideal – is only one thing wineries have to
9.5 to the dollar, compared with 14 today) was worry about at the moment. The 2016 growing
impeding exports. With the new exchange rate, season has been one of the wettest on record
imported barrels will be more expensive, but if (except in the north, where it has been incredibly
that encourages producers to use less new oak dry), although a number of producers told me that
this may be a blessing in disguise. the weather had improved in late February and
Now, foreign investors are looking at early March, promising a warmer, drier end to the
Argentina once more, according to Nicolás harvest. Volumes are likely to be down by as much
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TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
as 25% on 2015, but this is not another 1998, been for a while. But I believe that the country’s
widely regarded as one of the worst ever vintages wines have entered a new and exciting phase.
in Argentina. “We were less good at managing During my three week trip to write this, my
our vineyards in 1998,” says Roberto de la Mota fourth annual report on Argentina, I tasted more
of Mendel. “This has been a cooler year, with less good reds than ever, particularly from the 2012
disease pressure, particularly from botrytis, than and 2013 vintages. Equally significantly, many
we saw in 1998.” of these wines are fresher, brighter and lower in
2016 could yet produce some very good wines, alcohol than their predecessors, with less new
but the harvest may not be finished until the oak and sweet, so-called “caramelo” flavours. The
middle of May. The higher parts of Gualtallary, whites, too, have improved beyond all recognition
for instance, have experienced degree-days that in the space of five years.
are closer to Burgundy than La Mancha. “It’s the Right now, there’s a dynamism and vitality
sort of thing that happens once in 50 years,” says to the Argentinean wine scene that I haven’t
Edy Del Popolo of Per Se and Dominio del Plata. seen since the 1990s. In fact, it’s even more
In one sense, however, 2016 is part of a trend. exhilarating than it was then, thanks to the
Argentina hasn’t had a hot, dry vintage since emergence of new regions, styles and winemakers
2012. 2013, 2014, 2015 and now 2016 have all and a renewed sense of self-confidence. No one
been cool years, with significant amounts of rain knows what will happen to the economy over
in the last three vintages. the next 12 months, but the future of the wine
Argentina, in other words, is not without its industry looks extremely bright.
problems, even if the outlook is more positive
(assuming the 2016 harvest ends well) than it has Tim Atkin MW
“
There’s a dynamism and
vitality to the Argentinean
wine scene that I haven’t
seen since the 1990s.”
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TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
Winemakers

Argentina
of
Clockwise from top left: Andrea Marchiori, Walter Bressia, Pancho Morelli, Alvaro Dávalos and Raul Dávalos,
Bernardo Bossi, Gabriel Bloise, Eduardo Pulenta, Jeff Musbach
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TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
Clockwise from top left: Marcos Fernández, Gustavo Bertagna, Hervé Joyaux Fabre, Osvaldo Domingo, Santiago Bugallo,
Mariano di Paola, Gerardo and Andrea Michelini, Lorenzo Pasquini
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TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
Clockwise from top left: André Weinert, David Bonomi and Edy Del Popolo, Paul Hobbs, Sofía Pescarmona,
The Pulenta family, Manu Michelini, Noemi Cinzano Marone and Hans Vinding-Diers
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TIM ATKIN ARGENTINA 2016 Special Report
Clockwise from top left: Cristián Morelli, Federico Bizzotto, Francisco Tellechea, Gustavo Rearte, Daniel Pi, Mariana Paez,
Fernando Maurette
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