A decanter.com promotion
Bodegas Salentein is the heart and soul of the Uco Valley – a magnificent project that has captured the imagination of the Argentine people and wine lovers from around the world. Home to Portillo, Killka, and Salentein wines, Bodegas Salentein has created a new vision of quality and character for this remarkable region.
A decanter.com promotion
Bodegas Salentein honours and promotes the culture and people of the Uco Valley while making wines that find success throughout the world. In the Uco Valley Salentein farms more than 800 hectares of premium vineyards on an undulating estate of nearly 2,100 ha in total, and turns those grapes into great wine with Argentina’s leading winemaker, the legendary José Galante. The Uco Valley is clearly the future for Argentine wine. Its high elevation and stony alluvial soils create the perfect conditions for world-class wines. For twenty years Salentein has led the way in the Uco Valley, with a unique combination of estates that range over twenty two kilometers and five different micro climates. Here Salentein is making a lasting commitment to the people, environment, and future of Argentina and the Uco Valley, creating great wines while generating hope and opportunities for the people who live here.
San Pablo ‘A unique micro-terroir in the higher Uco Valley’
In 1996 Salentein bought a unique estate called ‘San Pablo.’ The estate is located at the highest elevation in Mendoza, ranging from 1,400 to 1,700 meters and has the coldest climate in the province. This ‘oasis’ microclimate is a combination of altitude, the Villegas snowmelt creek, annual rainfall of 450 mm, and superb soil structure. The ‘Villegas’ snowmelt creek crosses the 400 hectare San Pablo Estate, delivering pure mountain water while the alluvial soils of San Pablo, rich in calcareous stones, sand, lime, and a small proportion of clay, rest on rocky subsoil providing optimal water retention and excellent drainage. These special conditions in San Pablo allow our grapes to develop concentrated flavors in the grapes with balanced sugars, polyphenols and acids, resulting in well-structured wines with great natural acidity. The combination of San Pablo’s unique conditions and micro-climate produces world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as fresh and lively expressions of Malbec.
The 2015 Argentina Wine Awards confirmed the timeless character of this special micro-climate and named our 2012 Salentein Single Vineyard Chardonnay the champion of the ‘High End Chardonnay’ category and Decanter Magazine awarded 96 Points to this wine (Sarah Jane Evans MW). Other Salentein Wines crafted from the San Pablo grapes include: Salentein Single Vineyard Pinot Noir (awarded 94 points by Tim Atkin for the current 2013 vintage). Next October the new Salentein Single Vineyard San Pablo Malbec will be launched.
José Galante – Salentein’s Chief Winemaker
José Galante was born and raised in Mendoza. Today, he is considered one of the most influential and important winemakers in the country. Before joining Bodegas Salentein in 2010, Galante led the Catena Zapata Group for more than thirty years and worked with numerous international wine consultants. Further, he was a respected professor for more than 10 years at Universidad J. A. Maza, the most prestigious winemaking university in Argentina. Galante is passionate about his profession and has helped transform the Argentine wine industry, something he believes he has achieved in part by simply, ‘living each day to the fullest.’
Other renowned wines from Salentein: Salentein Barrel Selection Malbec, Numina Cabernet Franc, Numina Gran Corta and the iconic Primus Malbec.
Why not visit
Killka Espacio Salentein KILLKA is a truly innovative artistic and cultural complex adjacent to Bodegas Salentein, KILLKA features two art exhibition rooms – one for a permanent collection and one for temporary exhibits; a state-of-the art conference and event room; a wine shop; a wine bar; a restaurant; a posada or guesthouse and a chapel crafted with ancestral technique. Posada Salentein is the clear leader in wine tourism and a true pioneer as the first winery hotel in the Uco Valley.
