ESCALA HUMANA
2023 MALBEC
Their twenty-year-old Malbec vines are planted on alluvial calcareous soils at 1200m above sea level. The grapes are destemmed into concrete egg for fermentation but 30% are added back in for complexity. After maceration, the wine is pressed back into concrete for élevage. 14% ABV, 5.24 g/l TA, 0.47 g/l VA
2023 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
These vines were planted in 1920 in El Peral, Tupungato, on clay-loam. They’re trained to overhead pergolas. The grapes are both hand-harvested and hand destemmed. Fermentation takes place in concrete egg for 25 days. The wine is then pressed back into concrete for a modest élevage. 13.5% ABV, 5.12 g/L TA, 0.48 g/L VA
2023 MALVASIA
This wine comes from the El Zampal region of the Uco Valley. The site, Pelegrina, features 19 rows of Malvasia planted in 1927. At nearly 1100m above sea level, the vines are planted in clay loam and sand. The grapes are destemmed before fermenting and macerating on skins for 90 to 120 days in stainless steel. It sees an additional six-month élevage in neutral barrel and concrete before being racked and bottled unfiltered. 11.5% ABV, 5.1 g/l TA, 0.38 g/l VA
2023 BONARDA
Douce Noir, a rare variety from Savoie in France, is confusingly known as Bonarda in Argentina. It is a late-ripening variety that tends to result in wines with plush tannins and balanced alcohol levels, even in warm climates. These 45-year-old vines are planted in sandy soils in La Arboleda, Tupungato at 1100m above sea level. They’re trained to overhead pergolas. Half the grapes are destemmed before fermentation and élevage in concrete egg. 13.2% ABV, 5.94 g/L TA, 0.63 g/L VA
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $34.00 (AB), $40.50 (BC)
CSPC: 878773 (AB), 276513 (BC)
2023 BEQUIGNOL
This variety is indigenous to South-West France, but now only a hectare remains. Fortunately, Argentina is keeping this obscure cultivar alive. It does well in hot, dry conditions, making it an ideal candidate for the Uco Valley. The small berries tend to yield light-bodied wines with plenty of colour saturation. These vines, planted in 1954 in El Zampal on clay-loam, are trained on pergolas. This wine is fermented 30% whole-cluster in concrete egg for 30 to 45 days before being pressed off. Élevage is done in the same vessel. 13.5% ABV, 4.9 g/L TA, 0.46 g/L VA
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $34.00 (AB), $40.50 (BC)
CSPC: 878772 (AB), 276516 (BC)
2023 SANGIOVESE
This vineyard sits at 1450m above sea level in San José, a sub-region of the Uco Valley’s Tupungato. The vines were planted in 1952 on clay loam and are trained to pergolas. The vineyard is surrounded by old poplars are pines, planted as a wind shield for the exposed site. The grapes are destemmed and fermented on skins in concrete tank for four weeks before being pressed off. 12.9% ABV, 5.49 g/l TA, 0.36 g/l VA
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $76.00 (AB)
CSPC: 878778 (AB)
2021 CREDO MALBEC ALTAMIRA
This vineyard is planted in San Carlos at the base of a 5000m high mountain, which is perpetually capped with snow. The plot itself is at 1050 to 1150m above sea level and is uncommonly cold. The soils are broken into three layers: a topsoil of silt and loess, a mid-layer of granite and calcareous material, and a subsoil of alluvial rocks and limestone. This vintage was incredibly cold and cloudy, which resulted in a super slow ripening period. The grapes were fermented in concrete egg, 30% whole cluster, plunging the cap gently by hand. It undergoes a two-year élevage in third and fourth fill French puncheons. 106 cases were produced this year. 14.7% ABV, 5.53 g/L TA, 0.57 g/L VA
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $93.00 (BC)
CSPC: 276538 (BC)
2021 CREDO MALBEC EL PERAL
This wine comes from the El Peral District of Tupungato. The vineyard is between 1120m and 1200m above sea level, making it much colder than the valley below. Soils here are mostly loam but with smatterings of granitic and calcareous stones from the mountains above. The grapes were destemmed into concrete egg but 30% of the stems were added back in. After forty days on skins with gentle pigeage the wine is pressed off into barrel for a two year élevage. 130 cases were produced this year. 14.7% ABV, 5.53 g/L TA, 0.57 g/L VA
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $76.00 (AB), $93.00 (BC)
CSPC: 878776 (AB), 276522 (BC)
2021 CREDO SEMILLON EL PERAL
This wine comes from the El Peral District of Tupungato. The vineyard is between 1120m and 1200m above sea level, making it much colder than the valley below. Soils here are mostly loam but with smatterings of granitic and calcareous stones from the mountains above. The grapes are destemmed into concrete for primary fermentation. After a week, the juice is pressed off to finish fermentation in barrel. After a two year élevage, the wine is racked and bottled. 138 cases were produced. 12.5% ABV, 5.72 g/L TA, 0.59 g/L VA, 9 ppm free SO2
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $76.00 (AB), $93.00 (BC)
CSPC: 897311 (AB), 333375 (BC)
2021 CREDO CHARDONNAY ALTAMIRA
This vineyard is planted in San Carlos at the base of a 5000m high mountain, which is perpetually capped with snow. The plot itself is at 1050 to 1150m above sea level and is uncommonly cold. The soils are broken into three layers: a topsoil of silt and loess, a mid-layer of granite and calcareous material, and a subsoil of alluvial rocks and limestone. This vintage was incredibly cold and cloudy, which resulted in a super slow ripening period. The grapes were direct pressed into second and third fill French oak barrels for fermentation and élevage. After two years, the wine is racked and bottled. 138 cases were produced this year. 12.8% ABV, 5.69 g/L TA, 0.67 g/L VA, 8 ppm free SO2