The Malbec grapes were cultivated in vineyards on El Portillo Estate, located at 3,937 feet above sea level on alluvial, stony soils of excellent permeability and low organic matter content. The handling of the canopy is based on a perfect balance of shade and sunlight through clustering and leaves, to preserve the character of a mature wine.

Wine maker notes

100% hand-harvested grapes. Selection of clusters was followed by a gentle de-stemming to preserve the berries. From the selection table, the berries went directly to a 450 kg hopper, where they were received with dry ice to avoid oxidation, and then to stainless steel tanks, without using pumps. Cold maceration took place from 3-5 days, at 50 F, with the berries nearly whole, so as to obtain a delicate extraction of aroma and color. Subsequently, select yeasts were inoculated and fermentation started. Fermentation was controlled at between 75 F and 79 F for 10 days. Daily pumping over and manual handling of the cap were gently performed until the end of fermentation. Subsequently, maceration continued for an additional 20 days. After this period, the wine left the vats and was immediately racked to first-, second- and third-use French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation took place. The wine was barrel-aged for 12 to 14 months, and bottled six months prior to release.

Technical notes

14.5% abv

Food pairing

Well-matched with barbecued meats, robust pasta entrées and sharp cheeses.