Not so long ago, Salta’s wines were usually thought of as just as challenging as the landscape itself: intense wines, the reds often marked by a heavy-handed use of wood. Today, however, this image no longer corresponds to the reality. Many elements have come together to create this transformation, from the introduction of new varieties and the exploration of different valleys and sub-zones to experimentation in sparkling, white and red winemaking styles. The shift can be traced back to around a decade ago, with Salta winemakers’ growing openness to the path of diversity – of grape varieties, styles, winemakers, terroirs and stories.
Altitude brings extreme daily temperature variation
Passion projects
Key to understanding the modern Salta wine scene is the growth of signature wines: winemakers’ personal projects, guided less by commercial considerations than by passion for winemaking and the terroir itself. Established winemakers are using their personal projects to provide a fresh perspective – artisanal, but still informed by knowledge of the international market.
Alejandro Pepa, for example, winemaker at the historic Bodega El Esteco, is known for his work with old Criolla vineyards. Paco Puga, who oversees winemaking at El Porvenir de Cafayate, is a proud lover of Burgundy, having lived and worked for many years in the region. Bodega Colomé’s Thibaut Delmotte, meanwhile, made the opposite journey, emigrating from his native France to immerse himself in the life of the Calchaquí Valleys.
The talented agronomist Raúl Dávalos Rubio, known as ‘Yeyé’, represents the sixth generation of the historic Dávalos family. Dávalos is responsible for winery operations at the family winery, Bodega Tacuil, deep within the Calchaquí Valleys in Molinos, while also producing wines under the Valle Arriba label. A renowned consultant across the region, he is a founding member of the Bodegas de Salta association.
For winemakers, Salta is a region of extremes
Diverse terroirs demanding new techniques
To make wine in Salta, winemakers must relish a challenge. Salta’s terroir is extremely diverse, even between neighbouring areas such as Cafayate and Tolombón. The task of understanding and harnessing this intricate geography was one of the things that attracted Alejandro Sejanovich to the region. One of the country’s most experienced agronomists, having worked widely across Argentina’s regions, Sejanovich now he serves as winemaker at Estancia Los Cardones in Tolombón.
Salta, explains Sejanovich, is a region of extremes. Compared to other regions, temperature differences are especially marked here because of the elevation – which also leads to great solar intensity, very diverse soils and extremely dry conditions. For Sejanovich, the first challenge is therefore the work in the vineyard: protecting the grapes from dehydration and the impact of the sun, while simultaneously avoiding over-ripeness to protect the grapes’ natural acidity and aromatics.
Vineyards high in the Calchaquí Valleys
Combining legacy and innovation
Many Salta winemakers are heirs to a long vinous tradition – but are nonetheless unafraid to experiment. One of the most fearlessly innovative is Pancho Lavaque, who travelled widely before returning home to run the historic Lavaque Winery.
It’s clear from Lavaque’s Vallisto wines that his family’s long winemaking heritage is no obstacle to experimentation: native yeasts, regenerative viticulture, skin contact and ageing in cement eggs – the list goes on. As well as a fortified wine in the traditional Rancio style (which ages for three years in the open air), Lavaque produces a blend of Ugni Blanc and Riesling from a 50-year-old vineyard on granite-based terroir. While reviving old Tannat vines, he’s also planting Garnacha and Barbera; taken together, Lavaque’s wines offer a fertile mix of past and present.
Increased UV exposure drives grapes to develop thicker skins. Credit:…
Source : https://www.decanter.com/sponsored/salta-winemakers-the-changing-face-of-salta-a-fresh-approach-549434/
