Aged for a year in French oak, the secret to the famous four that have reached cult status – malbec and cabernet sauvignon varietals, a Bordeaux-style blend and a blanc de noir, traditional method espumoso – is to then bottle-age them for at least four years, or as long as he sees fit. Selling his car 26 years ago to finance his solo project, one-man-winemaking-band Carmelo purchases grapes before working his magic in his garage: this is wine warehouse chic at its finest. Mendoza’s pioneering garagista started out picking grapes as a 10-year-old for his Sicilian winemaker dad, then studied oenology before working at what is today the Nieto Senetiner winery. If ever there was a man to buck winemaking etiquette, it’s Carmelo Patti. Making wine is a family affair for Carmelo Patti. Santa Julia tasting 40 pesos (about £3), +54 2 Bodega Carmelo Patti, Luján de Cuyo In November, the family is set to open its second winery, Piedra Infinita, in Uco Valley. After a three-wine Santa Julia tasting surrounded by the latest art exhibit, stop by Casa del Visitante for chef Matías Aldasoro’s seasonal tasting menu or at Pan & Oliva, where Miguel’s olive oils take the spotlight. As one of Argentina’s most successful wineries domestically and abroad, visiting is a slick yet welcoming affair that takes in the Zuccardi empire. Sebastián’s sister Julia – after whom the Santa Julia line is named – oversees tourism at the winery brother Miguel has cornered the extra virgin olive oil market, while grandmother Emma manages art exhibitions and a label design competition. And the winery – a functional affair located in Maipú’s (relative) lowlands sheathed in the prolific pergola vines – very much remains a family concern. His grandfather Alberto designed a vine-training system known as the Zuccardi parral, but it was father José Alberto who took the family business to new heights in the 1980s and 1990s, creating accessible as well as high-end wine for export. Wine-making goes back to the early 1960s for this family concern, now in the hands of third-generation oenologist Sebastián. WINEMAKERS TO VISIT Familia Zuccardi, Maipú Mendoza’s vast landscape means there’s room for everyone: from rural, lunchtime-only, family-run eateries to celebrity chef-owned restaurants to winery-based B&Bs and five-star luxury hotels, and from garagistas (garage winemakers) to the industry’s most renowned winemakers. Thanks to the boom over the past two decades since top-quality malbec hit the world stage, substantial investment has seen elaborate architectural gems spring up, complete with tasting menus, state-of-the-art technology and luxury accommodation. Bordeaux reds such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc also fare well, while native grape torrontés riojano, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and viognier are waving the flag for the whites. Malbec clearly rules the roost in Mendoza (it is World Malbec Day on 17 April) and has made its home in Luján de Cuyo – Argentina’s first denomination of origin (DOC) – and sub-districts such as Chacras de Coria, Vistalba and Agrelo.
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