Distinguished Terroir, Distinctive Wines
LEARNING FROM NATURE
Marcelo Belmonte saw the vineyard design clearly in his head as soon as he stepped on the property. His vision was born taking into consideration the natural vegetation of the site. By examining how different plants had evolved across the arid landscape over thousands of years, his team, in conjunction with local scientists, was able to better understand the soil and micro-climate variations.
“The estate’s original name was ‘La Tupungatina’…we renamed it ‘El Tomillo’ because of the abundance of wild ‘tomillo’ (thyme) that gives a unique aromatic expression to the wine.”
- Marcelo Belmonte, Vineyard Director
PRECISE SOIL MAPPING
The depth of the gravel layer was then measured with a soil penetrometer in thousands of spots across the property, to create a highly precise soil map. This precious tool was instrumental in determining what grape varieties, clones, and rootstocks to plant, as well as the planting densities and many other considerations.
TERROIR-DRIVEN WINES
The warm summer days and cool nights that characterize the Uco Valley’s growing season give intense ripe fruit and vibrant acidity to the region’s wines. A signature floral perfume is also commonly found here. The ‘El Tomillo’ vineyards are particularly distinct with their wild thyme and diverse soils adding complex earthy, herbal aromas.
Finca El Milagro is located in the La Consulta area and sits at 1130 above sea level. This lofty height brings a cooling affect that allows the region’s wines to maintain vibrant acidity.The combination of high altitude, intense sunshine, and sandy soils yields expressive wines that ably balance finesse and power. On the palate, these full-bodied, structured wines are wonderfully fresh with velvety tannins. Aromas and flavours of ripe black fruits are lifted by signature notes of wild violets.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
With just under 30 hectares still to plant, Finca El Tomillo has big plans for the future. The team intends to inverse the current emphasis on white wine, to focus on majority red wine production. The new vineyard currently being planted will consist of the red grape varieties: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
“I remember tasting La Linterna Malbec La Consulta 2013 the first time. Even if we knew La Consulta’s potential, I was surprised by its delicacy, elegance and power.”
- Marcelo Belmonte, Vineyard Director
