This is how an Argentine wine with 150 years of history was conceived

Few wineries in Argentina can boast of being centuries old and being in the hands of the founding families.

There are many family wineries and many centennial wineries, of course. But there are no surpluses that meet both attributes.

One of those that complies with both precepts is Goyenechea, the emblematic establishment located in San Rafael, Mendoza, and commanded by Sebastián Goyenchea, a winemaker with the soul of an entrepreneur.

The key fact is that the winery, which is in its sixth generation, turned no less than 150 years old and decided to celebrate with a wine. Your name? Century and ½. It is a cut of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, 2013 vintage; and a homeopathic dose of Bonarda from the previous vintage.

WINES | Bodega Goyenechea launched a wine to celebrate its 150th anniversary

“This wine began to take shape a long time ago, when we launched the 135th Anniversary wine, already projecting the moment to celebrate 150 years of life. In 2010 the idea gained momentum and 2012 and 2013 vintages were used to make it,” says Sebastián Goyenechea, in dialogue. with Wines & Wineries.

When explaining the characteristics of the San Rafael terroir from which the grapes that gave life to this cut came, Sebastián explains that “there are three very different vineyards: the Bonarda it is from a very old vineyard, from around 1960; he Cabernet It is from a vineyard on the trellis of the Central Alley of the Finca La Vasconia, which must be about 18 years old, while the Malbec It is also from a trellis that is in front of the winery building and is between 7 and 8 years old “.

And what does it mean to be able to launch this wine in such a complex context for Argentine viticulture? “It is a pride”, says Sebastián. “It is very exciting to think that so many ancestor branches started this business just 150 years and that it continues today, I do not know if someone in its origins could imagine it, but it is so and the sixth generation of the family is already working on this and the idea is to continue, “he adds.

What does this wine propose?

This wine, of which only 2,150 bottles were made and which is obtained at $ 2,500 (from the winery they warn that there is very little left in the market) offers a comfort zone for those looking for a profile of maturity and wood. In that sense, it is very classic, with notes of red and black fruit preserves; with a spice mattress, pepper type and some confectionery spice mix. It has a distantly menthol background, but it is a blast. The palate enters with good impact and then shows good fat and good muscle, with much more black fruit. Its tannins are firm, slightly rough. The good thing is that it is not a wine that demands more than the senses. It can be drunk and does not tire. In that sense it is a wine to enjoy now but it could also be left for a few more years (four, five) until it approaches its theoretical splendor.

WINES | Sebastián Goyenechea, at the head of the centennial winery

As the winery continues to celebrate its history, it also plans its future. In this sense, Sebastián explains that “the plans for when the pandemic ends are many, mainly to grow in the external market, continue to also target the internal market and continue developing products.”

In this sense, he anticipates that the next idea is to launch a new high-end wine that “is going to be a Malbec bottled in a heavy Burgundy bottle, precisely hinting at our history and our old vines.”

“And surely some more surprises around the varietals,” he completes.

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