The particularly harsh winter in the foothills of the Andes Cordillera was followed by a sunny spring, enabling budding and flowering to take place normally. Fine weather predominated for the rest of the season, with little rain and a completely dry March. These conditions, typical of the Mendoza region, with dry, sunny days and a big difference in temperatures between day and night-time, enabled the grapes to ripen slowly and steadily, softening the tannins while preserving a superb freshness. On 25 March 2018, temperatures dropped once again in our high-altitude vineyard but the vines coped well with the colder weather and ripening continued without any problems, resulting in one of the best harvests of this decade.

The 2017 vintage was characterized by slightly above average rainfall (188 mm instead of 102 mm), especially during bud break, and temperatures close to seasonal averages, with the exception of the frost that caused some damage to the vines on October 21st. Towards the end of the summer, the nights during February were up to 4 degrees warmer than usual. This phenomenon and a generally dry quarter had an accelerating effect and the harvests were two to three weeks early. The grapes are characterized by a good balance between sugar and acidity and by the softness of the tannins characteristic of Malbec. The Cabernet Sauvignon from deeper soils had a slower maturity, while those from stony soils reached an excellent balance and their typical spicy character with greater agility.

Flowering took place just as Mendoza was experiencing the lowest temperatures in half a century for that period of the year. By the time of harvest, the grapes presented an unusual combination of low alcohol, high acidity and vibrant flavors. A unique and elegant combination that definitively set the 2016 vintage apart.
Uco Valley: From October to January, rainfall was significantly higher, and the sum of average daily temperatures was considerably lower than historical averages for this period. Due to this, the onset of ripening was delayed by almost a month. However, February registered record high temperatures and March was dry, as is usual for this area, providing excellent harvesting conditions.
First Zone: The season showed similar patterns to the Uco Valley regarding temperatures. However, the soil is heavier and deeper in Agrelo and Las Compuertas than in Altamira (Uco Valley). As a result, the harvest date in the First Zone was almost the same as in the Uco Valley.

The beginning of the season was rainier than usual with a lower average in the temperatures and less sunny days.

Uco Valley: In October, the temperatures were close to 0 °C, while in November the temperatures were the expected ones.

On the first day of December there was an unusual frost in the south of the Uco Valley which affected part of the production in our plot. It also rained more than usual. During February and March, the rainfall was significantly higher than the historical average (142 mm more).

First Zone: This season showed a similar pattern to the one observed in the Uco Valley regarding the higher amount of rain and relative humidity.  Early summer was quite pleasant with moderate temperatures.  During this season, the heavy rains of February and March (189 mm more than the historical average) required a block-by-block assessment to determine the right vineyard management for each one, as part of our selecting for elegance philosophy. 

In general, the yields were 5% lower than 2014 harvest. 

Dans la Première zone, la période de croissance a démarré avec un débourrage tardif en raison des températures basses du mois de septembre. Janvier a été marqué par des températures moyennes élevées et l’absence de pluie, avec pour effet une diminution de la taille des baies. Février a connu le niveau de précipitations le plus élevé des 12 dernières années. Les conditions climatiques de la Vallée d’Uco ont été comparables à celles de la Première zone. Heureusement, les conditions météorologiques de mars et de la première quinzaine d’avril ont été bonnes, avec néanmoins une humidité supérieure à la normale. Malgré les aléas climatiques dans les deux zones, nous avons pu obtenir une très bonne vendange en termes de qualité.

Uco Valley region: This region experienced a normal to dry season, with 38 mm less rain than the average (255 mm vs. 293 mm). Winter and spring were wetter than usual, and the end of the season was very dry, with no rain during February and March. Temperatures were within the normal range. The vintage was outstanding for Malbec, with excellent budbreaks and setting of the fruit.

First Zone: In the Agrelo and Las Compuertas regions the vintage was excellent for Malbec. The season was characterized by average rain: December and February were dry with almost no rain, while January was very wet with 87 mm of rain. Temperatures were warm in the spring, followed by a cool January and a warm February. The thermal amplitude was similar to 2012, which helped to produce very concentrated grapes with intense colours. This vintage was very labour-intensive for the Cabernet Sauvignon, as a special plot-by-plot selection was established this year to help understand the natural potential of the small vineyard plots.

Average temperatures at the beginning of the growth cycle in September and October 2011 were 20°C, and with a little rain provided optimal conditions for the bud break and setting of the fruit. The unusual rainfall in December slightly delayed the start of the ripening period.
By January 2012, temperatures had increased and there was a sharp contrast between the heat during the day and the historically cool nights. We recorded temperature differences between night and day of up to 15°C. These conditions enabled us to obtain fruit with an excellent aromatic range, and a high sugar content combined with the right degree of acidity.
The end of the growth cycle saw the high temperatures persisting during the day and no rain. We were therefore able to obtain beautiful, fully ripened grapes, with superb concentration and intense colours.

The mild, dry spring was particularly favourable for the bud break; there was, however, some damage in the vineyard from a late frost at the beginning of November. December and January were hot, with normal temperatures for the season and not much rain. February began with very dry weather but then some rain in early March provided relief from the high temperatures and parched conditions. From then onwards, until the harvest in April, temperatures were fairly cool with very occasional rain. This favoured the ripening of the grapes which developed great aromatic intensity and a fine balance between acidity, tannic maturity and sugar content.

2010 was on the cool side. The vineyards were not disturbed by any major meteorological incidents. The season began with a cool frost-free spring that allowed good flowering. The summer was hot and stable, with the result that the grapes changed colour and began to ripen around the usual dates.
From the start of ripening to the harvest, temperatures were cool and stable and the climate was generally dry. These conditions were ideal for the ripening of the Cabernet Sauvignon and preserved the characteristics of the Malbec (aromas of dried fruit, floral notes and an intense purple colour).

The weather in 2009 was excellent without any problems in the vineyard weather. The spring was long and cool.
After veraison to the end of April, the weather was stable, with warm temperature.

This provided optimal conditions for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec to ripen.

2008 began with cold and rain from February to the end of March. Fortunately, good management of the Malbec vines resulted in a harvest that was  healthy and perfectly ripe. The Cabernet Sauvignon in cooler areas experienced some difficulties due to early frost. Consequently, part of the Cabernet Sauvignon was declassified.

The weather in 2007 was excellent during spring and summer. The windy spring was beneficial to the quality of the grapes. We had some rain before the harvest but efficient management of the vineyard enabled well-ripened grapes to be picked in healthy conditions.

The weather in 2006 was excellent during the spring and summer. The windy spring was beneficial to the quality of the grapes. The hail in December slightly decreased the yields of the Malbec.

The weather was quite unusual during spring. Frost damaged a substantial number of the best vines. The high plateau of Mendoza was affected by the storms in August. This was followed by a cool, dry late season.

Conditions in spring and beginning of summer were excellent. The weather in late summer was very hot and dry, with a strong ‘Sonda’ wind blowing from the Andes, which stopped the ripening process on certain plots of Cabernet Sauvignon at medium altitudes. The Malbec and the Cabernet Sauvignon at high altitudes were unaffected.

Flowering was affected by a cold spring which gave low yields. Between flowering and the harvest there was dry weather with some storms at the end of the summer. The 2003 harvest produced wonderful Malbec and classic Cabernet Sauvignon even if the concentration was not very high.