Malbec “Vineyard Selection” 2021 – Matias Riccitelli

The Malbec Vineyard Selection Matias Riccitelli is a blend of Malbec from three traditional Mendoza terroirs. The grapes are grown on ungrafted old vines from Vistalba, Perdriel and La Consulta where the vines have an average age of 80 years old. The clay loamy soils over rocky subsoil in the Vistalbas vineyard provide good permeability. The vineyard in Perdriel is located along the Mendoza River and has stony soils. The La Consulta vineyard has clay loamy soils, which are low in organic matter and offer good permeability. The diversity of the three terroirs impart complexity and elegance to the blend. The grapes were hand harvested in small 20 kilogram cases, in order to keep the integrity of each cluster.

The grapes were meticulously sorted in order to select the best quality berries, which were then vinified in small concrete vats, with indigenous yeasts. Cold maceration took place for five days, to extract aromas, flavour and colour. The temperature was maintained at 26 to 28°C during fermentation, which was followed by post-fermentation maceration of 15 days, to impart structure and extract the pure fruit
flavours. The wine was then transferred into French oak barrels of first, second and third use for 16 months.

Matias Riccitelli is the son of renowned winemaker Jorge Riccitelli. Having worked at some of the most prestigious wineries in Argentina and several vintages around the world, Matias used his experience, knowledge and passion and set up his own winery in 2009. His vineyards cover 50 hectares located in three selected sites within the premium growing region of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. This is a young and dynamic project in which Matias is seeking to express the full potential of Argentine terroir.