93 points, Tim Atkin MW
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93 points, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
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About the Wine
Critic Reviews
93 points, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
93 points, Tim Atkin MW
“The super aromatic, explosive and heady 2016 Pinot Noir comes from the second year they have worked the vineyard, and this delicate and sometimes finicky grape is the one that shows the greatest improvement. They used a good percentage of full clusters for the fermentation in concrete eggs and bins, and the wine matured in used barriques for ten months. It has very intense flavors and very fine tannins, with a saline sensation on the palate. This is different, very intense and distinct, generous and tasty. There is also some ripeness, more than in the Malbec. Only 1,500 bottles were produced.”
93 points, Tim Atkin MW
“The latest release from this extreme site, planted at 2,000 metres on the road to Chile, proves that early-ripening Pinot Noir has a home here. Intensely spicy and peppery, with 30% whole bunches adding another layer, this is floral, savoury and complex with fresh, crunchy minerality. 2019-24”
About The Winery
Estancia Uspallata, located 6,560 feet above sea level, is the highest vineyard in all of Mendoza. It is situated in the Quebrado del Minero (Miner's Canyon), just outside of the town of Uspallata. The estate belongs to the Saud family of Buenos Aires and is part of a massive mountain ranch of almost 100,000 acres. However, as is often the case in these Andean properties, only a tiny fraction is actually usable. In 2008, the Saud family planted a small vineyard of about 10 acres (five acres each of Malbec and of Pinot Noir) on a pronounced north-facing slope.
In 2015, Ariel and Belen Saud approached Alejandro Sejanovich and Jeff Mausbach to partner in the development of the property, taking charge of viticulture, winemaking, and commercial activities. Under Alejandro's care, the vineyard has thrived, and one-half acre of Cabernet Franc has been added. The plan is to continue to develop the estate, with small parcels of different grape varieties matched to the tapestry of soil profiles found on the property.
In 2015, Ariel and Belen Saud approached Alejandro Sejanovich and Jeff Mausbach to partner in the development of the property, taking charge of viticulture, winemaking, and commercial activities. Under Alejandro's care, the vineyard has thrived, and one-half acre of Cabernet Franc has been added. The plan is to continue to develop the estate, with small parcels of different grape varieties matched to the tapestry of soil profiles found on the property.
