Founded by Roberto Luka, Finca Sophenia is a family-run estate winery that was among the first to explore what is now one of the most important terroirs in Argentina: Gualtallary. Since 2003, Finca Sophenia has been making world-class wines that are praised by some of the most demanding experts on the scene.
Pioneers of Gualtallary
In 1997, when Roberto Luka decided to plant his first 130ha of vineyard in Gualtallary, the Uco Valley was just an emerging region in Argentine viticulture but his instincts told him that the high-altitude region could be the future of Argentine wine.
‘We’re privileged to be wine-growing pioneers in the region and to have brought to life a terroir that everyone’s talking about today,’ says Luka, who runs the winery with his daughter Eugenia.
The family’s appreciation of – and commitment to – the terroir of Gualtallary is reflected in the implementation of sustainable practices that seek ‘to leave a legacy that conserves the environment and fosters the development of the community where we have sunk our roots,’ says Eugenia Luka.
Finca Sophenia currently possesses a 130ha vineyard at a height of 1,000–1,300m above sea level in Gualtallary – Tupungato, Mendoza – where Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Cabernet Franc are all grown. In conjunction with the terroir, all these varieties achieve a superlative expression.
World-class wines
‘In Gualtallary, the combination of high altitude, a cool mountain climate and alluvial soils with sandy, stony textures produces fresh wines with excellent concentration of aromas and flavours as well as an intriguing mineral character,’ says Julia Halupczok, winemaker at Finca Sophenia.
Available in 25 markets across the world, the wines of Finca Sophenia stand out for their quality. Finca Sophenia Estate Reserva is a line of reds and whites that undergo a balanced ageing process in which each variety expresses the character of the mountain in its own way. Recently, Finca Sophenia Estate Reserva Malbec 2019 won a Gold Medal (95 points) at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021.
Sophenia Synthesis is the winery’s flagship label and begins with a painstaking selection of parcels. The line features a Malbec, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon Blanc as well as the Sophenia Synthesis Blend (Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) – the 2018 vintage of which won the Platinum medal (97 points) at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021.
‘We are extremely proud to know that our quest for consistency and excellence is being appreciated by some of the best palates around,’ beams Roberto Luka.
