Amauta Absoluto Torrontes
The Producer
El Porvenir de Cafayate is a small, family-owned winery in Cafayate, the dry mountain desert region in far North-Western Argentina near the city of Salta towards the Uruguayan/Brazilian border. El Porvenir specialise in Torrontes, Malbec, Tannat and red blends from 45-50 year old vineyards which are amongst the highest in the world at 1900m asl and peopled with 20-foot, 200 year old monster cacti. Colour in the reds here is profound due to the exposure to prolonged mountain sunlight, with soft tannins due in part to the extreme diurnal temperature differences – when Boutinot winemaker Eric Monnin and New World Product Manager Robin Naylor bumped onto the runway at Cafayate’s sleepy airstrip there was thick frost on the cacti but within a few hours it was 24 degrees. The winery and vineyards date from 1890 with the winery and estates being bought and restored by the Romero-Marcuzzi family in the 1990s. Winemaker Mariano Quiroga Adamo is one of Argentina’s brightest young winemakers and El Porvenir benefits from the sage involvement of renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs, who has been involved here for many years. The company is run by the energetic Lucia Romero-Marcuzzi and the packaging and labels reflect the Inca Cross which is a common symbol in this part of the Andes. El Porvenir – “the future” has been the name of this estate has since it was founded in 1890. There are three vineyard sites in the high and incredibly dry Cafayate Valley – the latest plantings are up at 2000m on bare rock. The changes in winemaking philosophy here – moving away from American oak, more vineyard expression, terroir and plantings in unplantable areas are the future for El Porvenir..
The Vineyard
Finca El Retiro: vineyards located at 1.750 mts above sea level in Cafayate, Salta. 10 tones/hectares. Vineyard age is between 35 and 40 years. Harvest takes place by hand between in three batches – end of January when just ripe; 2 weeks later when just right; and one week after that which adds complexity.
The Winery
Grapes are grown in the Finca El Retiro vineyards located 1,750 mts above sea level in Cafayate, Salta. Surrounded by ancient and magnificent cacti, the vineyard age is between 35 and 40 years vines produce approx. 10 tones/hectares. Harvest takes place by hand in three batches between end of January when just ripe; 2 weeks later when just right; and one week after that which adds complexity. Use of selected yeast. Maceration in press with carbonic for 4 hours. Alcoholic fermentation for 25 days at a temperature between 13 ºC & 15 ºC. None spontaneous malolactic fermentation.
What does it go with?
Hot and sour Asian dishes, or ceviche.
