With its San Pablo Single Vineyard Chardonnay Salentein continues leading world class viticulture in the Uco Valley
From the beginning, the Uco Valley’s charming and unique personality shaped founder Myndert Pon’s vision for producing the highest quality wines, and inspired his mission to position the Uco Valley as a world-class wine region. In 1996, Pon arrived in the Uco Valley with the intention of not only founding a winery, but also of transforming the region; it was his long term vision and comprehensive view that were key to the region’s transformation. It was in this way, with a passion for his work, love for the land and commitment to his people that, twenty years later, the Uco Valley became Argentina’s most recognised winegrowing region in the world.
From its vineyards, Bodegas Salentein produces one of the most highly awarded wines on an international level. Over time, the winery has propelled knowledge of the Uco Valley, planting grape varieties at all heights and across different types of soils in the Uco Valley, making the most of its estate which ranges from 1,050 to 1,700 meters above sea level.
From 2015 Salentein is leading (with some neighbor wineries) the creation of a new GI “Geographic Indication” (IG Indicación Geográfica in Spanish) called San Pablo which is located in the upper reaches of the Uco Valley, ranging from 1,175 to 1,720 meters above sea level.
In 1996 Salentein bought an estate called “San Pablo” and was the first winery to develop this region planting vineyards of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and experimental Malbec ranging from 1,400 up to 1,600 meters above sea level, in one of the coldest climate in Argentina. This ‘oasis’ microclimate is a combination of altitude (which provides perfect thermal amplitude), the Villegas snowmelt creek, annual rainfall of 450 mm, and superb soil structure. The ‘Villegas’ snowmelt creek crosses the 400 hectare San Pablo Estate, delivering pure mountain water while the alluvial soils of San Pablo, with some calcareous stones, sand, lime, and a small proportion of clay, rest on rocky subsoil providing optimal water retention and excellent drainage. These special conditions in San Pablo allow our grapes to develop concentrated flavors in the grapes with balanced sugars, polyphenols and acids, resulting in very refined and fresh wines with great natural acidity. The combination of San Pablo’s unique conditions and micro-climate produces world class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as fresh floral and lively expressions of Malbec.
Our wines coming from these distinctive region has been recognized by the most relevant wine critics around the world with consistent 90+ scores over the last 5 years.