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.