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The vineyards at Bodega Argento were planted with the soil in mind. What started as an investment in vineyard microbiology turned into a substantial conversion resulting in the largest swath of organic vineyard acreage in all of Argentina—and now, Argento’s organic estate wines are reaching consumers across the U.S.
In partnership with Pedro Parra, the world-renowned wine consultant known as “Dr. Terroir,” the team at Argento initiated a complex soil-mapping project a decade ago. Parra characteristically conducts his study by creating calicatas—six-foot pits dug into the vineyard—from which he can closely examine the soil structure.
This undertaking has allowed Argento to intimately understand the health and dynamics of its vineyard land, which includes high-altitude plantings in Alto Agrelo, a range of Malbec on various rootstocks in the Uco Valley’s Altamira, and three other distinct sites in Mendoza. The vineyard environment is home to layers of biodiversity, including native flora and heterogenous soil biomes.
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Discoveries revealed by the project have subsequently allowed Argento to classify its vineyard blocks, which can then be harvested and vinified uniquely. This motivated a revelation: the five estate vineyards should be farmed organically to further express the distinctive terroirs of each of these vineyards. Aligned with this philosophy, the team uses energy efficient machinery, responsible water management, and reduced waste and packaging materials.
The efforts of the past decade have unlocked a new chapter for Argento, which now has 735 acres of certified organic vineyard land, and a portfolio of wines which are certified organic or crafted from certified organic grapes, with a focus on single-vineyard and single-block releases made possible by years of research and dedication.
Winemaker and Mendoza native Juan Pablo Murgia brings youthful enthusiasm for sharing the authenticity of Argento wines with an international audience. “Natural management has helped us extract the character of the terroir, and to express authentic wines,” says Murgia.
The promise of sustainability and quality is delivered in the estate wines that are now landing in the U.S., each one expressing the highest potential of each distinct estate parcel. The Estate Organic Malbec, Estate Reserva Organic Malbec, and Estate Reserva Organic Cabernet Franc have already arrived in the U.S., while the Estate Organic Pinot Grigio will arrive this fall and the Estate Reserva Organic Chardonnay will arrive in early 2022. Proving that sustainable farming can produce accessible wines as well as elevated releases, Argento also recently launched Minimalista, a line of fresh, fruit-forward, vegan wines available for less than $10 per bottle.
In every bottle, at every price point, Argento’s dedication to organic winemaking is leading Argentina forward—and resulting in exceptionally high-quality expressions of Mendoza’s terroir.