This was a rather unusual year, marked by three key factors: cool nights, higher than average rainfall, and strong, constant winds. This allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and reach higher concentrations of polyphenols without elevated alcohol levels. The end of summer was long, and despite that delays in harvesting (20–25 days in Neuquén and 5–10 days in Río Negro), all of the varieties reached their full degree of ripeness.
Harvest started with sauvignon blanc: fresh and with good typicity, the wines have very good alcohol content and excellent acidity. Their aromas are of tropical fruits with an accent on pink grapefruit.
Chardonnay was next. Like the sauvignon blanc, it also reached outstanding freshness and acidity. The different sides of the rows were harvested separated to obtain better balance. The resulting wines show a great balance on the palate and aromas of banana with hints of pineapple.
The Pinot Noirs reached an excellent degree of ripeness with an alcohol level that will allow us to have fresher and softer wines. As usual, Neuquén delivers spicy notes, ripe fruit and a broad mouthfeel with soft, sweet tannins. Río Negro, on the other hand, shows more fresh red fruits and elegance due to the natural balance reached by older vines.
Finally, summer lasted long enough to harvest Malbec at its best ripening point. Neuquén expresses jammy notes as well as good structure and volume on the palate. Río Negro on the other hand, shows more complex aromas along with velvety, ripe tannins.
Overall, we can say that this has been a very interesting harvest. We were able to pick the finest grapes from our best vineyards to ensure the full character of each variety.
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