LATE IN '08 & After some extreme weather conditions
Mendel winemaker Roberto de la Mota notes, “The coolness lasted into Spring, but with reduced yields due to unexpected frosts, the surviving grapes flourished in the Summer's mild temperature and low humidity, preserving their aromas and flavors.” Winemaker Luis Reginato agrees, "We also experienced lower-than-average yields in our Uco Valley Malbec vineyards because of the extremely low temperatures during stages of bud burst and blossom. This help from Mother Nature gave us highly concentrated Malbec grapes with lots of floral and black fruit notes which will transform into beautifully structured wines for Tikal, Luca and La Posta over the next couple years." Fall brought some light showers, causing some trepidation amongst our very patient winemakers. Harvest was delayed while the vines dried out. This patience was rewarded with perfectly ripe fruit clusters which will develop into extraordinary wines with wonderful aromas, color and concentration. We'll look forward to enjoying these beauties next year and into 2010. |
VINE CONNECTIONS RELEASES
FIRST-EVER “BUBBLIES” This year marks the debut of our very first Argentine sparkling wine offerings from the Reginato family of Mendoza . We can't think of a better time to enjoy these dry, refreshing bubblies, especially as we all venture out to the grill, the boat, or a city roof deck for some sipping, grilling, and toasting. José Reginato, who has been making wine for over 50 years, is joined by his son Pepe in making unique, boutique sparkling wines that are hand-crafted from start to finish. The “Celestina ” Rosé of Malbec and the Chardonnay/Chenin-blended Blanc de Blancs are two of the few sparkling Argentine wines to reach U.S. shores “Nick and I have been drinking delicious sparkling wines in Mendoza for years. It was only recently that we found out that most of the ones we liked were contract-produced at the Reginato family's winery. When we discovered they were produced by Luis Reginato's (Luca, Tikal ) father and brother, we nearly passed out! Sparkling wine is having a serious revival in the U.S., especially by the glass at restaurants. So we jumped at the opportunity to import Mendoza's top quality stuff, and at incredibly fair prices.” “Celestina ” - named after José Reginato's wife - means “matchmaker” in Spanish, and the wine is a tribute to her both as matriarch and as beloved wife. This beautifully-colored Rose of Malbec is made Metodo Tradicional (bottle-fermented), a French twist that kicks this unusual sparkling wine into an astonishing new light. Throw some ribs or a hearty fish on the grill, pop the cork and you have a match made in heaven! |
The 2006 Blanc de Blancs packs a lot of fruit into a crisp, dry and very clean profile. It's perfect for a festive day at the beach or the quintessential summer picnic – or even an all-night dance party (which happens a lot in Argentina). The Blanc de Blanc has a production of 1000 cases, the Rosé 500 cases. Both are available only through Vine Connections.
CARTOGRAPHY HAS NEVER BEEN SO DELICIOUS
Instead of continuing the fruitless and disappointing search for a useful wine map of Mendoza that actually shows what we wanted to see – regions, elevations, our wineries, our vineyards – we did what any self-respecting importer would do: we designed our own. Please ask your Vine Connections sales representative about this wonderful tool today! |
