Salentein Malbec: Premium Wine for Every Budget
The Argentine Salentein Winery is a pioneer in the production of Premium Malbec wines in the Uco Valley (Mendoza, Argentina). Its estates have unique qualities that result in exceptional wines. So, they are located 1,050 and 1,700 meters above sea level and have five different microclimates.
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When was Salentein Winery established?
In 1996, Dutch entrepreneur and visionary Myndert Pon acquired his first two farms in San Pablo, Tunuyán, and founded Bodegas Salentein.
A year later, he would cultivate his first vines with no more support than his intuition and enthusiasm for producing quality grapes. Until then, this corner of Mendoza was nothing more than a distant mountain spot at the foot of the Andes. And nobody had still opted for this place for viticulture. In 1998, convinced that he had made the right decision, he not only began the construction of Bodega Salentein. But he also inaugurated the region that today is the origin of many of Argentina’s best wines.
So in 1997, he began the history of this winery with the cultivation of Malbec at high altitudes in Mendoza on his Finca La Pampa, at 1,300 meters above sea level. Then, between 2000 and 2002, he would extend his vineyards up to 1600 meters of altitude.
The results obtained in those first vineyards did not take long to draw the attention of other important producers. They were essential for the National Viticulture Institute to grant Geographical Indication status to 4,300 hectares in 2019. Of them, only 535 today are covered with vineyards.
Besides, in this area of vineyards, Bodega Salentein has 230 hectares divided into two different farms: Finca San Pablo (between 1400 and 1600 masl) and Finca La Pampa (between 1,200 and 1,300 masl). These farms are divided into small vineyards and plots. So, here the producers obtain the Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Merlot grapes, which they use to make the winery’s high-end wines.
The oenological team is led by the legendary José “Pepe” Galante. He works together with the young winemaker Jorge Cabeza and the agronomists Gustavo Soto and Diego Morales.
What is San Pablo vineyard like?
Located on alluvial and rocky soils, the vineyards of San Pablo boast an extraordinary differential: they combine an extreme altitude with the proximity to the Andes Mountains. This condition explains its cold and relatively humid climate.
“The height and proximity to the mountains are the great strength of this unique terroir in Mendoza for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Malbec grapes,” explains Galante, winemaker at Bodega Salentein. “In just twelve kilometres, San Pablo offers us vineyards between 1,175 and 1,600 meters of altitude. There the climatic conditions and the landscape vary dramatically and create an ideal world for the production of high-end wines.”
These peculiarities highlighted by Galante account for different oenological opportunities. For example, up to 1300 meters, the rainfall can accumulate up to 300 mm per year. Here the soils are rockier, with the presence of calcium carbonate.
But above 1,350 meters, conditions are more akin to Burgundy or Champagne and add a rainfall regime of 500mm. This is more than twice the Mendoza average. From this height, the soils are more heterogeneous and vary from sandy loam with fluvial deposits to deep ones. Also, there is the presence of stones with calcium carbonates.
“On the southern edge, where the altitude is higher than 1400 meters above sea level, there are unique and ideal conditions for cold climate varieties, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir”, explains Cabeza.
Salentein Reserva: A wine coming from the highest Uco Valley regions
This varietal comes from farms that are located between 1,050 and 1,700 meters, with rocky soils, great thermal amplitude, optimal sun exposure and pure meltwater from the Andes. All this offers the ideal conditions to produce wines that are the maximum expression of the Uco Valley.
At sight, this Malbec has an intense red colour with violet tones. On the nose you will perceive it as fresh, intense and complex, with notes of red fruits, plum flowers such as roses and violets standing out, combined with balsamic notes. Also, it has mineral notes, which are very characteristic of wines from the Uco Valley. In the mouth, it is fruity, silky, fresh and juicy, with a good structure and a long finish. After having been aged for 12 months in oak barrels, it has also notes of tobacco. So, this is an elegant wine, with sweet and juicy tannins.
Product Description
- Varietal: 100% Malbec
- Serving Temperature: 16°C (60,8 °F)
- 12 months oak barrel ageing.
- ABV: 14,5%
- Pairing with pasta or red meat
Salentein Killka Malbec: A fruity wine with a touch of vainilla
Killka – an Andean word whose meaning is “gateway” – is the cultural and gastronomic centre of Bodegas Salentein. Killka wines open the doors to the world of enjoyment in all its senses: culinary expression, art, music, landscapes and good company.
“Our line of Killka red wines is made with grapes from Finca “El Oasis”. This is one of the highest regions of the Uco Valley, at an altitude of between 1,050 and 1,200 masl. So, this place has the ideal conditions to get superior quality grapes, with good natural acidity and concentration in cool weather conditions.
The harvest is carried out mechanically, taking advantage of the low night temperatures due to its great thermal amplitude and the altitude where the vineyards are located. This allows us to receive fresh grapes and reduce energy consumption, contributing to sustainability”, explains Carlos Bauzá, winemaker of the Killka line of Bodegas Salentein.
This purplish-red wine has aromas of plums, blackberries and violets with a touch of vanilla provided by contact with oak for 6 months. Fruity and with sweet and silky tannins on the palate, it has an elegant finish.
Product Description
- Varietal: 100 % Malbec
- Serving Temperature: 14 – 16 °C (57,2 – 60,8 °F)
- ABV: 14%
- Ageing potential: 3 years
- Pairing with asado, steak and cheese
Portillo Malbec: A young and distinguished Malbec
This is a young and modern line of wines, where the flavours and aromas of fresh fruit, a product of the high altitudes of the valley, predominate. These wines stand out for their bright and intense colours as they are easy to drink.
Portillo wines took their name from the historic mountain pass that connects the Andes Mountains with the Uco Valley, crossed by General San Martín in his liberating deed and later by the scientist Charles Darwin. Today Portillo is also the best way to enter the fascinating Uco Valley terroir through wine. Portillo is a young and distinguished wine, which expresses in each of its fresh varietals, the colour, the aromas and a special flavour given by the tradition of Bodegas Salentein, with its own personal style.
Portillo is a balanced and intense Malbec with a clear varietal character. This red colour wine opens with the aroma of red fruits (plums and blackberries). On the palate, it’s fresh due to its natural acidity, fruity sensation, and round and ripe tannins.
Product Description
- Varietal: 100 % Malbec
- ABV: 13%
- Suitable for vegans
- Serving temperature: 16°C (60,8 °F)
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