Belasco de Baquedano Rosa de Argentina 2013
Winemaker Notes
Belasco de Baquedano is the Agrelo district of Lujan de Cuyo. The vineyards soar up to 3,346 feet, where the conditions are excellent to produce elegant yet powerful premium wines. Warm days are offset by cool nights with as much as a 45°F diurnal swing, which produces aroma and flavor, while holding acidity.
We have 222 acres of 100 year old Malbec from the original French clones and our viticultural methods are green, with irrigation fed by snow melt.
The wines are gravity driven table to tank, using délestage (submerged cap) tanks in fermenting red wine with skins and seeds for excellent fruit, soft tannins and deep color. Our wines are bottled unfiltered and unstabilized in the traditional artisan style to preserve subtle aromas and flavors, while promoting richness, body and color.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.