Mascota Vineyards Unanime Chardonnay 2017
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The 2017 Unánime Chardonnay is a blend selected by the team of winemakers that work in the winery and is produced with grapes from Gualtallary. It fermented in concrete eggs and oak vats, where it's kept with the lees for six months. It has 13.5% alcohol and notable acidity, reflecting the cooler climate of the high altitude. It's toasty, slightly tropical and has popcorn and smoke aromas. The palate is both long and wide, with tasty flavors and a sweet sensation on the finish. 6,000 bottles were filled in November 2017.
Located at the foot of the Andes, 1 km from the Mendoza River, the vineyard covers 100 hectares. It is influenced by the cool breezes coming from the mountains and the river, factors that generate a wide temperature range between day and night. Oenological studies show that this combination of climate, soil, and water confer characteristics that favor the cultivation of grapes of superior quality.
In turn, continuing with the search for excellence, the team added another vineyard located in Valle de Uco, Mendoza. The experts concentrated on the fertile terroirs of both areas – known as two of the oldest and most prestigious wine regions in the country – to develop the nest plots and obtain grapes that allow the production of wines with exceptional characteristics.
In other words, they are wines whose production is guided and supervised by the same author-winemaker, personally committed to all processes from the cultivation of the vine to the final proposal in the glass. Rodolfo “Opi” Sadler, the winemaker chose by Mascota Vineyards, has been producing wines for more than 30 years. He began his career working closely with some of the best producers in Argentina, achieving prestige in the wine world.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
With vineyards tretching along the eastern side of the Andes Mountains from Patagonia in the south to Salta in the north, Argentina is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic wine producing countries—and most important in South America.
Since the late 20th century vineyard investments, improved winery technology and a commitment to innovation have all contributed to the country’s burgeoning image as a producer of great wines at all price points. The climate here is diverse but generally continental and agreeable, with hot, dry summers and cold snowy winters—a positive, as snow melt from the Andes Mountains is used heavily to irrigate vineyards. Grapes very rarely have any difficulty achieving full ripeness.
Argentina’s famous Mendoza region, responsible for more than 70% of Argentina’s wine production, is further divided into several sub-regions, with Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley most noteworthy. Red wines dominate here, especially Malbec, the country’s star variety, while Chardonnay is the most successful white.
The province of San Juan is best known for blends of Bonarda and Syrah. Torrontés is a specialty of the La Rioja and Salta regions, the latter of which is also responsible for excellent Malbecs grown at very high elevation.