Vista Flores, Uco Valley.
The wine is born in the vineyard
Carefully conducted, each of our vineyard plots is worked taking into account quality and respect for the environment. We work organically and biodynamically, with “French-style” viticulture, producing 100% own high-quality grapes.
Valle de Uco, Mendoza, the terroir that houses our grapes at the foot of the Andes Mountains, is a valley formed by high peaks. Its great thermal amplitude provides a unique quality to the raw material.
Our vineyards were planted from 1999 to 2006 and covered 55 hectares with a density of 5,500 vines per hectare. Malbec is the majority, completed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.
55 hectares
Altitude: 3,000 feet
Temperatures range from temperate to cool with an average annual temperature of 14° C and a thermal range of around 15° C.
The vineyard is located within Region III of the Winkler Index and has 1,800 growing degree-days between October and April.
It experiences more than 190 frost-free days per year.
Sunshine duration is 8 hours per day.
Relative humidity is low, ranging from 40 to 60%.
The varied geological origin of the mountainous structures of the Frontal Cordillera in general and the Cordon del Plata in particular accounts for the heterogeneous mineralogical composition of the majority of the soil and the structural components of the foothill soil.
The last alluvial sediments formed several superimposed layers with varying degrees of consolidation. This resulted in strata of fanglomerates, conglomerates, basic sandstone, rounded pebbles and subangular clast which, in turn, were covered with a final layer of fine sand and lime. Over time, the land was covered in consecutive layers of this sediment, spread out in the shape of a fan at the foothills which separate the massive Andes Mountains from the Mendoza plain.
The soil of these foothills is shallow and varies in depth from 0.30 to 0.90 meters and consists mostly of fine sand with a small amount of lime. The textural classification varies from sandy, sandy-silty to silty-sandy with gravel and rounded pebbles being the core elements and making up more than 25% of the first meter of soil.
The soil at CLA is permeable and drains well. The slope of the terrain is 5% east to west and 2-3% north to south. PH fluctuates between 7.3 and 7.8.
Organic material was originally very scarce and made up less than 1% of the soil because of rapid decomposition and mineralization of elements due to the semi-arid conditions of the terrain. But this situation is improving thanks to CLA’s implementation of organic and biodynamic practices in addition to the maintenance of both indigenous and planted groundcover.
Varietals: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot
Density: 5,500 plants per hectare
Planting: 1999 to 2006
Our vineyard is very carefully managed. We consider quality and respect for both the environment and the health of our team and of our customers top priorities. That is why we employ only organic and biodynamic methods. Our Argentinian team, following a “Bordeaux Grand Cru” vine-growing method, produces high quality grapes with very low yields of 40 to 70 quintals per hectare.
The driving system is made in Trellis, VSP (Vertical Shoot Positioning).
The orientation of the rows is North-South. The spacing between rows is 1.80 meters. The plants are spaced 1.00 meters apart in a row.
The plantation density is 5,500 vines per hectare.
Pruning is done in the double Guyot system and also in cordons with pitons. With a number of buds (load) that ranges from 40,000 to 60,000 per hectare, aiming at low yields to ensure optimal quality and concentration of all our varietals.
The management of the canopy is completed with the adequate positioning of the shoots, avoiding piling up, shading of clusters, and overexposure to sunlight. It is canopy management or protective viticulture, given the conditions of great heliophany and Ultra Violet radiation.
After pruning, the yield is still controlled by thinning successive shoots in the vegetative period of the vine. Lastly, in some vintages, we can also finish this yield control and ensure the balance of each plant by thinning the bunches. (crop in green)
The health of the vineyards is very good due to the low rainfall and moderate and persistent winds. Few phytosanitary treatments are carried out, around three preventive applications, mainly using sulfur and copper (allowed for organic production) to control pests: Powdery mildew and Peronóspera.
The harvest is done manually during the months of March and April in small plastic boxes of 12 Kg.
Irrigation water for the vineyard comes from underground aquifers and is of very good quality. Its electrical conductivity from extraction to saturation ranges from a relatively low 200 to 250 micro-Mohs. In order to extract the water, it was necessary to drill wells that measure from 160 to 240 meters deep.
A drip irrigation system is used to water the vineyard.
CLA’s irrigation strategy is based on the Sustainable Water Deficit concept. This deficit is applied early in the vegetative period for the red varietals, from the fruit set until the veraison. The goal here is to control the vegetative growth and reduce the size of the grapes, resulting in a stronger aromatic and polyphenolic concentration. Vines are thinned during ripening for the same reason: to obtain a consistent illumination and distribution of the plants, thus creating grapes with a concentration of desirable qualities.
Harvest: By hand in the months of March and April
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