Desierto Pampa
Blend
—Refined, but with its feet on the ground.
Subtle, nuanced, and full of character. The kind of wine you’ll find hard to keep on the top shelf.
Description
Variety: 40% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot
Vintage: 2012
Appellation: Patagonia Argentina
Enologist: Sebastián Cavagnaro
Enological Advisor: Paul Hobbs
Tasting Notes
To the eye: a vivid, weighty burgundy red.
Nose: complex and far-reaching aroma evokes ripe red and candied fruit, almonds, chocolate and tobacco.
Palate: a lively burst of broad, fleshy flavor carried by mature but vivacious tannins, making for an impressive profile that is suitable for aging amicably.
Vineyard Notes
Vineyard orientation: North to South
Soil description: sandy, deep, with variable content of stones
Training system: double-sided cordon trellis training
Irrigation system: drip
Yield: 45 qq per hectare
Climate: continental, arid, ranging from moderate to cool
Thermal amplitude: 18°C
Average annual rainfall: 180 mm
Vineyard Report
Pruning was conducted in August, leaving shoots with one bud 10 cm apart per plant. Shoot thinning was performed early, when shoots were 20 cm long. One grape cluster was left per shoot, removing any entangled clusters. Fruit thinning and de-leafing were performed immediately after fruit formation (bunches begin to hang) and then again 30 days before harvest. De-leafing was performed on the east side of the canopy only, at cluster height.
Winemaking Report
Grapes arrive at the winery no later than an hour after harvested. Cluster selection is followed by de-stemming, and berry selection afterwards. Selected grapes are carried in vats to avoid breaking the berries and seeds, and are introduced in the stainless steel tanks from above, simulating the effect of gravity. Cold maceration for three days, completing 12 days together with fermentation with daily pumping over and delestage. Fermentation between 25° and 28°C with selected yeasts. Malolactic fermentation at 20°C. Aged for 18 months in French and American oak barrels.
Winemaking Analysis
Alcohol: 14.4% | total acidity: 5.4 g/l | residual sugar: 2.1 g/l | pH: 3.8
Bottling
November 2014