Some call it a rebirth, others a revolution, whatever the term, Gerado Cartellone and Anne-Caroline Biancheri epitomize the new face and taste of Argentine winemaking. A South American industrialist, with diverse holdings in agro-business, energy supply and construction, Gerado’s heart and love of wine has stayed with the vineyards established by his grandfather in the early nineteen hundreds. Anne-Caroline, a highly successful publisher in her native France, shares the passion. Together they developed Antucurá, three hundred acre vineyard and winery in the Vista Flores area of Mendoza’s Uco valley. In collaboration with Michelle Rolland, the famous “flying winemaker”, they have pursued a common goal, to create the first, truly ultra premium wine with an Argentine profile and identity. It is the first Merlot from Michel Rolland in Argentina. The plantings of Merlot were brought from Pomerol, and bought from the same nursery where Petrus (yes, Petrus) buys its plantings—Duvigneau & Fils, in Bordeaux. Antucurá means “Sun Stone” in old Mapudungun language. Mapudungun ( mapu means “earth” and dungun means, “to speak”) was the language used by the Pehunenches, the first inhabitants of the area where the Antucurá winery stands today in the Uco Valley in Argentina. The owners chose that name for their winery and vineyards because the grapes grow and develop naturally between the stones and rocks. The winery sits below the Andes Mountains using ancient viniculture traditions and new vinification technologies, to produce premium wines.
The consulting winemaker is the famous “flying winemaker” Michel Rolland. It is the first Merlot from Michel Rolland in Argentina. The plantings of Merlot were brought from Pomerol, and bought from the same nursery where Petrus (yes, Petrus) buys its plantings—Duvigneau & Fils, in Bordeaux.
Barrandica 2007
This a well-priced Bordeaux-style blend in our portfolio of small production wines from Argentina. This wine is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 30% Malbec. The wine spends 3 months in French oak barrels and 12 months in bottle before being released. The wine has a deep and intense red color with a complex nose which needs a few minutes to develop, revealing ripe berries, raspberry marmalade and notes of chocolate and vanilla. In the mouth it is soft and persistent at the same time. This blend has a sweet beginning and a smooth and long finish. Only 1,000 cases were made.
Tabanera Pinot Noir 2007
A mere 4,500 bottles were made of the inaugural release of this single vineyard Pinot Noir from Antucurá. Named after the road leading to Antucurá, this is the latest example of the quality of the wines emerging from the high altitude vineyards in Vista Flores. These vineyards are 3,281 feet above sea level and grown in very rocky soil. The wine is aged for four months in French oak barrels and six months in the bottle before being released. This wine has a clean, red color with bright hints and reveals ripe red fruits, chocolate and smoke aromas. On the palate, it is exceptional complex and a full-flavored Pinot Noir. It has an unctuous body with ripe tannins and a persistent well-balanced finish.
Calvulcura 2005
Calvulcura means “blue stone” and is a highly limited wine from Antucurá whose vineyards are located 3,300 feet above sea level in Vistaflores, Tunuyan, Mendoza. This wine is 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec. This seductive blend was produced with both care and passion. The grapes are grown in very rocky soil, and are hand harvested into small boxes, after which they undergo an extended maceration in stainless steel tanks, and malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 12 months in new French oak barrels, and 6 months in bottle before being released. The wine is ruby red in color and reveals ripe fruit aromas, with hints of vanilla, licorice and spice. On the palate, it is extremely well-balanced, with lush tannins which give it a silky sensation, and a long finish. This leads to a layered, elegant wine which could easily pass for a top level Saint-Emilion (at a fraction of the price). Total production of this wine is 6,000 bottles.
Robert Parker rated this wine 91 points and Stephen Tanzer rated this wine 89 points
Antucurá 2003
This is the winery’s signature blend, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot. The wine then spends 16 months in new French oak barrels, and 12 months in bottle before being released. The wine displays a range of lively colors that go from intense violet to the brightness of ruby red. It has an elegant nose, with currant, truffle and nutty, smoky oak on the nose. Sweet, lush and packed with ripe plum, milk chocolate, mocha and black walnut flavors. A minerally graphite element contributes elegance. This broad, mouth-filling, rather classically styled blend finishes thick, sweet and long, with substantial ripe tannins and saline, and nutty nuances. Total production of this wine is 6,000 bottles.
Stephen Tanzer rated this wine 90 points, saying it has a good ruby-red color, super-ripe aromas of black raspberry, minerals, coffee and mocha, with a suggestion of medicinal austerity. Rich, broad, sweet and mouth-filling but with lovely ripe acids and notes of licorice and mint giving it lift. This big, seamless wine finishes with sweet, building tannins and young cabernet notes of mint and herbs. Broad and serious in an Old World way.
Antucurá 2005
This is the winery’s signature blend, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 14% Malbec. Like the Calvulcura, the grapes are grown in very rocky soil, and are hand harvested into small boxes, after which they undergo an extended maceration in stainless steel tanks, and malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 18 months in new French oak barrels, and 12 months in bottle before being released. The wine displays a range of lively colors that go from intense violet to the brightness of ruby red. It has an elegant nose, with jammy aromas of red mature fruits, nuts, leather and chocolate. Sweet, lush and packed with ripe plum, milk chocolate, mocha and black walnut flavors. A minerally graphite element contributes elegance. This broad, mouth-filling, rather classically styled blend finishes thick, sweet and long, with substantial ripe tannins and saline, and nutty nuances. Michel Rolland consults here. Total production of this wine is 1,200 bottles.
Robert Parker rated this wine 92 points and Stephen Tanzer rated this wine 90 points.