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Don Silvestre planted 122 hectares in the "Alto Valle de Uco" (High Valley of Uco) in 1962. The winemaking tradition and spirit of Don Silvestre are still alive with the third generation of "Bodegas y Vi?edos Hinojosa." The family shares the same goal of producing excellent wines inspired by the most pure and noble elements of nature. The stony and sandy ground of Tunuy?n, Mendoza, allows for excellent drainage of underground water coming from ice melting off the Andes Mountains. This condition is perfect for growing perfect grapes. The vineyard is 4,000 feet above sea level, at the foothills of the Andes, in one of the best wine regions in Argentina-Mendoza. The grapes are born with a perfect environment for slow, even ripeness because of the warm days and cool nights of the region. Grapes of this quality could not survive this close to the Equator if it weren't for the elevation. It is also very dry, with little if any rainfall. This works well as the constant melting of ice off the Andes provides a continuous source of water for the vinew. One of the unique things about grapes grown here is that each of the vines is on its own rootstock, making the vineyard one of the last areas in the world where this is so. Over 150 years ago a plant louse called phyloxera devastated the vineyards of Europe. The only cure was to replant grapes using American hybrid rootstocks which are resistant to phyloxera. Because none of this happened in Argentina, they continue to grow their grapes on their own rootstock. There has been some thought that the grapes are better when grown on their own stock, but that is an area open to question and dependant, of course, on personal taste. The few people who have actually tasted European wines from the 1800s that were grown on their own rootstock have yet to reach a consensus. One thing is for certain: Malbec is king in Mendoza. This grape has had a less than successful run in France and California. But apparently Mendoza is just the place to grow it as the Malbecs that have come from here have been consistently outstanding for nearly 20 years. This one is a rare beauty offering bold spice and chocolate flavors enhanced by the bright, blackberry fruit. June 2010 Classic Series Newsletter (.pdf)
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