Winemaker Notes
A complex, balanced Torrontés that stands out for the unique character imparted by the soils of Gualtallary. The plant’s struggle to grow in the calcareous and poor soils of this terroir results in grapes of excellent quality, reflected in a wine with fruity aromas such as white peach, citrus, some spices, and white flowers. On the palate, it features vibrant acidity and notes of aging in French oak.
This would pair beautifully with fish, seafood, and spicy, aromatic dishes such as those of the Asian cuisine.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
A juicy cabernet sauvignon that really highlights the tension. Redcurrants, cherries and some racy strawberries and bay leaves. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, showing elegance and subtle complexity to the fruit. Tannins are tight and seamlessly knit. Drinkable now, but better from 2025.
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James Suckling
A juicy cabernet sauvignon that really highlights the tension. Redcurrants, cherries and some racy strawberries and bay leaves. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate, showing elegance and subtle complexity to the fruit. Tannins are tight and seamlessly knit. Drinkable now, but better from 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Signature Limited Edition Los Chacayes Cabernet Sauvignon delivers an uncommon combination of savory complexity, articulate freshness and refined structure compared with many examples of the variety from the Uco Valley. Drawn from sandy loam soils mixed with gravel, it was fermented in concrete eggs with an extended 30-day maceration, then matured for 16 months in foudre. The wine perfectly unifies supple richness with focused tension and ethereal weightlessness throughout, a compelling combination that culminates in an expansive, persistent and textural finish anchored in a mineral, graphite-laden core framed by assertive yet refined tannins.
Susana Balbo graduated from Don Bosco University in Mendoza in 1981 and established herself as Argentina’s first female enologist and, since then, has been considered one of Argentina’s top winemakers. Three times her industry peers elected her to the Presidency of Wines of Argentina because of her work ethic, innovative winemaking techniques and dedication to the worldwide success of Argentine wine.
After working for twenty years as a consulting winemaker, Susana founded her own brand in 2000. In 2001, she broke ground for her winery in Agrelo in the Luján de Cuyo district of Mendoza. There, she makes her Susana Balbo "Signature" line of wines, as well as wines under the Crios, Nosotros and BenMarco labels. Her winemaking approach for the wines that bear her name is to seamlessly apply her human touch and enhance the grape’s innate character.
Over several decades of winemaking in Argentina, Susana has earned a reputation for a pioneering spirit and innovation. She is known for experimenting with various barrel sizes and aging regimens, fermentation of wine in egg-shaped concrete fermenters, and wild yeast fermentations. The Wine Advocate's Luis Gutierrez dubbed her groundbreaking barrel-fermented Torrontés one of the "10 Argentine Wines to Drink before You Die."
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.