Trousseau “Old Vines From Patagonia” 2018 – Matias Riccitelli

The grapes to produce the Trousseau “Old Vines From Patagonia” Matias Riccitelli were carefully sorted and selected. The fruit, of which 30% was kept as whole-bunches, was fermented in small French oak vats with indigenous yeasts at temperatures of 26 to 28°C. The wine was aged for a further eight months in French oak before being bottled without being fined or filtered.

The Trousseau grapes come from the traditional vine growing sites of Allen and Ing Heuergo in the province of Rio Negro, Patagonia, approximately half way between the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Situated on the 39° latitude south, the sunlight exposure is more intense than northern areas, but at this latitude the nights are much colder. This daily diurnal temperature range is excellent for the production of quality grapes. The lowyielding vines were planted at the beginning of the 1970s and they are ungrafted allowing for complete interaction between the silty soils and the vine. The long-forgotten variety of Trousseau is a dark skinned variety that originated in the Jura, France and is a synonym for Bastardo.

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.