In this new winery, the family’s most prized labels are carefully made, including the iconic Enzo Bianchi, made since 1994 in tribute to his winemaker mentor for more than 50 years.
In 2019, a new version of this emblematic wine arrived: the Enzo Bianchi Gran Malbec 2017 vintage, the first great wine from the winery located in Los Chacayes. Today, 5 years later, Bianchi presents the 2021 vintage.
In the words of Silvio Alberto “This 2021 Malbec harvest constitutes a true “single vineyard & single plot”, since it comes from a specific lot with perfect polyphenolic maturation. The low natural productivity of this plot provides a very thick, crispy skin, with very good aromatic expression. It is an intense red wine with attractively violet and lively nuances. On the nose, the expression of freshness and terroir are clearly present with characteristic descriptors of Malbec, such as fresh red fruits, floral hints such as violets, a spicy touch that is expressed in herbal and mineral flashes, perfectly combining terroir and aging. . In the mouth it offers a refreshing acidity, sharp tannins and an elegant texture, with great structure and complexity. Without a doubt, an iconic wine that perfectly expresses the qualities and attributes that Los Chacayes can offer.”
Enzo Bianchi Gran Malbec spends 12 months in French oak barrels and another 12 in the bottle. This 2021 vintage has only 27,522 750 ml bottles available for lovers of the world of wine.
It is presented at a price of $104,600.- in the most important wine stores or directly through the e-commerce store: www.bodegasbianchi.com.ar
With the vision that has characterized the family, the new Enzo Bianchi Winery produces the most prestigious exponents of the winery with sustainability criteria: great wines, designed from the vineyard, with a focus on terroir and quality.
Along with this great Bianchi icon, only 15,144 bottles of the 2022 harvest of the high-end María Carmen Chardonnay ($78,500-) reach the market. A wine made with grapes from Las Paredes, San Rafael, and that represents a tribute to the life partner of Don Enzo Bianchi, winemaker mentor of the winery.
It is a single vineyard & single block since the grapes come from a specific barracks, a block with unique characteristics because it has a large proportion of caliche.
“The passage of time has managed to stabilize the vineyard and today, with this new vintage of María Carmen Chardonnay, we can corroborate it. The approximate yield is 5,000 Kgs/Ha. or as we like to express from the winery, the production of three plants is necessary to produce a single bottle of María Carmen” – he maintains. Silvio Alberto.
The characteristics of the vineyard in Las Paredes make the purity of flavors, aromas and remarkable minerality stand out. It is a wine that presents itself with a seductive greenish color, lively with olive reflections. On the nose, its aromas refer to lively citrus and mineral notes very well amalgamated with notes of tropical fruits such as pear, apple and white peach. Of incredible freshness, it is complex in aromas, where notes of vanilla and honey obtained from its aging in French oak round out its aroma. In the mouth it has a very fresh entry, with very good acidity, refreshing, complex, revealing mineral notes, fruits and a hint of vanilla that makes it very attractive. With a very good structure, it shines with a long finish.
In the first line of the top of the Bodegas Bianchi range are also the “Bianchi IV Generation” ($39,550-). A line presented in 2021 and that expresses the view of the fourth generation of the Bianchi-Stradella Family, with wines created from their own vineyards in Los Chacayes, Valle de Uco.
The Great Cut of the “Bianchi IV Generation” 2021 line is a blend of red grapes made up of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc harvested from blocks specially selected to produce few and very unique 5320 750 ml bottles.
This great cut of four varieties presents incredible depth of color to the eye. With great intensity of fresh aromas and intense notes, on the nose red and black fruits intermingle with spicy hints of thyme and black pepper. It highlights that minerality typical of Los Chacayes. All this is balanced by the soft touches of chocolate and vanilla provided by barrel aging. In the mouth, its structure is evident, with great body and balance, where each of the varieties contributes its notes: the sweet hints of Malbec, the structure and complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon, the balanced and fine tannins of Cabernet Franc and the final touch. of Petit Verdot.
Alongside the iconic wines is the Particular line of premium varietals. The first Particular, a Cabernet Sauvignon, was launched on the market in 1976, but since 1967 it was already part of the family’s exclusive private cellar. In 2005, Valentín “Tincho” Bianchi presented this line of varietals, incorporating a Malbec and a Merlot. Today, the launch of this new vintage presents a Malbec and a Cabernet Franc 2021. ($25,500.-)
A particularly intense Malbec from San Rafael that at first glance shows a deep, elegant and sensual violet hue. On the nose we find notes of fresh fruits such as plum, floral and spicy hints very well amalgamated with reminiscences of dark chocolate, vanilla and smoked aromas, obtained from its aging in oak, which finish giving it complexity. These qualities, together with the freshness, make this wine an exceptional exponent of Malbec. It has a sweet entry into the mouth, with friendly but powerful tannins, which will be very useful to continue its maturation in the bottle. With great structure and volume in the mouth, it is fleshy, elegant and with balanced acidity, with a great finish in the mouth that makes it persistent and harmonious.
While the Cabernet Franc from Valle de Uco has a very deep red color, with violet tones, of great vivacity. The nose impresses with its great aromatic intensity, where notes of black and red fruits stand out, as well as cassis and ripe currants. All of them very well assembled with sweet spices, such as red pepper and black pepper, and balanced with notes of vanilla, mineral and smoky hints, extracted during its aging in oak. With great structure and volume in the mouth, it offers sweet tannins. It is a fleshy, elegant wine, with balanced acidity, with a great finish in the mouth.
Enzo Bianchi Gran Malbec 2021, María Carmen 2022, IV Generación Gran Corte 2021, Particular Malbec and Cabernet Franc 2021, are the wines that the winery is presenting to the market.
From the Enzo Bianchi Winery in the Uco Valley, high-end wines are produced with local grapes and those from San Rafael that allow us to distinguish the different terroirs, highlighting the differences and showing the benefits of each place. It is a search to discover the identity of each of the terroirs where the Bianchi family is present, combining the knowledge acquired by the 4 generations over 96 years of experience in the world of wine.
The vineyards of Valle de Uco
Los Chacayes (IG) is one of the best areas in Argentina to make outstanding wines due to several factors, including the amount of rocks in the alluvial soils that give a very fresh style to the wines due to their mineral component and expressive fruit notes. The high altitude at the foot of the Andes Mountains, 1,100 meters above sea level, also provides good color, ripening tannins, wines with nerve and unique personality. It is a challenging place due to the climatic conditions, water management, and manual grape harvesting, which is done by selecting specific blocks from the vineyards to create exceptional wines.
The vineyards of Bodega Enzo Bianchi are located in the department of Tunuyán, in the prestigious area of Los Chacayes. This location brings, in addition to the outstanding quality of its soils, a unique thermal amplitude. The amount planted is 40.5 hectares. The varieties are Malbec, Viognier, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, among others. The vineyards are irrigated by a drip irrigation system, which ensures perfect water balance.
It should also be noted that Vivero Mercier Argentina and Bodegas Bianchi established a cooperation agreement, which commits both companies to jointly navigate a new stage of Argentine viticulture, marked by sustainability, quality and continuous innovation.
Thanks to this alliance, a project was launched that will allow them to grow, with the vision set on the technological development of the vineyards.
The vineyards of San Rafael
Bodegas Bianchi has 3 of its own estates, Asti, Doña Elsa and Las Paredes. These farms located in San Rafael receive pure water from the Diamante River and the breezes of a continental climate that mark the exact pace of ripening of the grapes. Located between 600 and 800 meters above sea level, the vineyards enjoy a pronounced thermal amplitude between day and night that favors the balanced and constant maturity of the fruits.
Clayey-sandy soils, made up of alluvial sediments, are rich in calcium and organic material. Likewise, the abundant snow in the mountain range enables a greater flow of healthy and crystal-clear irrigation water. All these factors favor optimal production of healthy vines of exceptional quality.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
