- Washington Post June 29, 2005 says
“ Petit verdot plays a second string to Malbec in Bordeaux, but this Argentine renditionis a beauty, with great fruit recalling blackberries and blueberries,along with accents of dried herbs, wood smoke and spices. This issimply the best single-variety Petit verdotI’ve tasted from anywhere."

Cuarzo
This wine owes its name to the fact that quartz is the most important mineral in the soil composition where Petit Verdot is grown, and this has agreat deal to do with the class and structure of the wine that will enjoy a long life, both in casks and bottle. This variety was closely monitored for years, which determined that the soil at Lunlunta was the best to meet its requirements.

Vineyard Location
“San Alberto” Vineyard, Lunlunta, Luján de Cuyo, at 900 m above sea level. Planted in closely spaced rows, with very short distances between vines, this systemallows roots search for nutrients in depth, fully extracting the best of the soil.

Vines
It is in the above mentioned site where Petit Verdot is grown, in only one hectare, all vines derived from the same mother plant.This has taken 15 years to achieve. The varieties Carignan and Grenache Noir, that together with Petit Verdot make up this elegant, proud, complex and distinctive wine, are also grownin this vineyard. Production is limited, not surpassing 30-35 hectoliters per hectare. Climate is quite temperate in the day and quite fresh at night.The air that moves down from the mountains prompts the grapes to color and develop aroma for long periods of time. Harvest occurs in autumn (April), when the fully ripened grapes have acquired optimal color and maturity expression.

Soil
The soils are of alluvial origin, with layers of chalk, limestone and clay, which confer stability and porosity, allowing roots to adequate oxygen provision and very favorable sanitary conditions. Every 4 to 5 years lab tests are run to verify the precise soil fertility, watching out for overabundance, and thus ensuring a good balance.

Vineyard Density
The vineyard has 11,000 plants per hectare, a highly intensiveplot. Each vine proffers very few bunches at this density, yet with the full nutrient allowance the soil brings.

Pruning
Conducted as a unilateral cordon with 2 to 3 shoots. This seeks to limit production to 30-35 hectoliters per hectare.

Vineyard Management
Conducted naturally andorganically, without use of fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides.Only natural products are used, together with biological pest control and surface irrigation with mountain water that is rich in minerals and sediments.

Harvest
These grapes observe a long period of maturity, which is reached in the month of April, thus attaining a good alcohol tenor (above 14 grades) when the grapes lose their herbaceous character. Harvest is carried out manually, in cages of 12-15 kilos, to avoid berry damage and preserve them from contamination.At this point the vines have undergone two bunch selections: the first after flowering and the second when the berries colored, to cull out those malformed, defective or lacking of adequate color.

Winery Arrival
Upon arrival at the winery, the third selection of fruit bunches is carried out manually over special tables to separate immature grapes, dry or withered, before proceeding to remove stems. This operation is performed by a machine placed across the opening of the fermentation vessel.

Winery Method
Fermentation and maceration of these varieties is carried out separately, given by the fact of maturity points differ. In the case of Petit Verdot and Carignan, they proceed at a temperature of 30-32 °C, whereas for Grenache it is best at 28°C. “Pumping up” and “Punching down” procedures are performed daily.

Casking
After alcoholic fermentation is finished, the blend is made and set in French oak casks to undergo malolactic fermentation as a whole, using both new and one -wine barrels. Once malolactic fermenting is completed and the barrels cleaned, wine is set again into them for 10more months. Time spent in barrels is very important, allowing color to stabilize, whereas aroma is enriched and deepened, attaining bouquet standard. Clarification is also assisted, tannin content increases and overall expression becomes more rounded.

Bottling
The wine is kept 60 days in a “cold chamber” at very low temperature for stablilization. Then is bottled without filtering. When in bottle, wine begins to evidence a sweetness hitherto concealed.It remains stowed at least 10 months before being marketed.

Tasting Notes
This is an intense, garnet colored wine, that is powerful and impressive.It has strength and personality, featuring tannins that are grained and blended that are appreciated in the palate. Earthy and truffled aromas.There is a touch of green peppercorns and ripe plums.

Gourmet Notes
Its power and personality enable it to accompany red and game meatvery well.This also applies to very firmandhearty cheeses such as Gorgonzola. We like to think it is a wine for meditation because its complexity responds to the subjectivity of whoever is fortunate enough to taste it.