Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Terroir Unico Sauvignon Blanc, from a vintage they consider truly exceptional in Gualtallary, is part of a line of varietal wines that are easy to understand but still show the Gualtallary sharp character. This is composed of four different harvests of three different vineyards in different parts of Gualtallary. After a 12-hour cold soak it was pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts for some 12 days at a low temperature (12 degrees Celsius) and was kept in stainless steel vats for two months. The wine is kept with the lees for the first six months or so, and there is a leesy/reductive character that makes the nose a little blurry. But the palate is sharp and austere, mineral and straight, highly mineral, very impressive for the price. The wine I tasted was about to be bottled; maybe that's why it was a little blurry...
Range: 90-91
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
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.