Achaval Ferrer, Argentina
Santiago Achaval was studying accountancy in California in the 1980s when his heart was stolen by the quality of wines being produced there. He and was convinced that wines of a similar quality could be produced in his homeland – Argentina. Fast forward to 1995 when Santiago had found the right sites, teamed up with a few Italian friends; Manuel Ferrer, Tiziano Siviero, and famed oenologist Roberto Cipresso, and Achaval Ferrer was born.
They focused on terroir above all else, specialising in vineyards with ancient, ungrafted vines, convinced of their grapes’ outstanding complexity. Benefiting from Argentina’s high altitude and low disease pressures, these plants have been grown organic conditions for up to a century, resulting in darker coloured wines with bolder flavours and an immense potential for ageing.
Achaval Ferrer Fincas
Their debut single vineyard Malbec, the 1999 Finca Altamira, exploded onto the scene, becoming the first Argentinian wine to ever achieve five stars from Decanter magazine.
‘Altamira’ is their highest vineyard site, located 1,100 metres above sea level and produces elegant, aromatic wines. ‘Mirador’ sits on an ancient, dried riverbed at 700 meters above sea level and is distinguished by structured wines with great ripeness and power. ‘Bella Vista’, watered by meltwater coming from the mountains to join the Mendoza River, is home to Achaval Ferrer’s winery and its oldest vines, planted in 1910.
This specific site selection, coupled with a hands-off minimal intervention approach in the vineyard and winery, enables the team at Achaval Ferrer to craft wines with Old World elegance and concentrated New World fruit. Thanks to Roberto Cipresso’s winemaking philosophy from the outset, balancing tradition with terroir, the quality of the vineyards is palpable in each bottle. Today, head winemaker Gustavo Rearte works closely with viticulturalist Leopoldo Gomez to uphold the high standards and the legacy of these vines. Having joined the team in 2013, Gustavo was named Argentine young winemaker of the year 2019 by Vinomanos, Argentina’s most prominent wine publication.
These are serious Malbecs for any discerning enthusiast and a must for the cellar. Stepping away from Argentina’s poster-child variety, Achaval Ferrer make a selection of other red wines, including a lifted and refreshing Cabernet Franc, as well as their ‘Quimera’, a Bordeaux blend that varies each year in pursuit of perfection.