Pionero 2014

Savoury elegance with lots of tension and class. Bright ripe cherry, blackberry and damson with notes of dried herbs, pepper, liquorice, inky graphite, cedar and tobacco leaf. Hints of crushed stone and gunflint adds restraint to the seductively pretty violets fragrance. A multi-layered elegantly structured wine with lively acidity, fine grippy tannins and velvety power underlined by inky mineral graphite. Seamless integration of tight grained, flinty, toasty oak. Drinks perfectly at the time of release yet will gain further bottle age complexity if cellared properly.

Origins

The origins of the Bemberg Family can be traced back to the second half of the 16th century in the small town of Langenberg, Germany. It was here where Conrad zum Bimberg—the oldest known ancestor of the family, according to family records—owned a large plot of land where he began growing his first vines, a fascinating activity that, centuries later, still runs deep through their veins.

Although family records connect this Family's early origins with Conrad zum Bimberg's birth, many actually pinpoint the Family's true starting point in the first half of the 19th century, highlighting the figure of Otto Peter Bemberg as its' founder. In 1850, Otto emigrated from the Old World and embarked himself on a journey to South America, where he eventually settled in Argentina. It was he who laid the foundations for the Family, remaining loyal to his European roots.

Otto and his son Otto Sebastián later founded the Franco-Argentina distillery and the Brasserie Argentine Societé Anonyme, a brewery that would eventually mark a significant milestone in the Bembergs' timeline and that later adopted its’ well renowned name, Cervecería Quilmes.

The Family has been fascinated by wine since the very beginning and has sought to remain in touch with this world on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean: as the ancient passion of those living in the Old World, by means of the vines grown in Mendoza in 1920 and by the acquisition of estates in Napa Valley, California, in the New World, in 1996.

After more than 150 years developing Cervecería Quilmes, the Family's close connection to the world of wines led them to reinvent themselves and take on a new challenge in 2010, which meant turning the leading group of Argentinian wineries, now acquired by the Family, into one of the main wine groups worldwide.

A dream come true

As years went by, our passion for the world of wine became increasingly greater. Tasting our own, unique wines soon became an essential and frequent practice at family meetings. The enthusiasm fired by these meetings continued to grow, sparking the interest for tasting new and better bottles. These intimate celebrations meant enjoying a most varied array of aromas and flavours from different regions in the country. It was these private gatherings that served as inspiration to create a family wine label that would convey the values and the legacy of the Bemberg Family.

Little by little, our dream about a range of exclusive wines showcasing the very best exponents of each family-owned vineyard in Argentina began to take shape, until it became the Family's pride by having a label of its own. Every bottle, flavour and colour–even every bottle cap, made with cork oaks sourced from the family's Ciguiñuelas estate in Spain, represents the Family's determined collective efforts to achieve its dream.

Las Mercedes

Plot #19

VALLE DE CAFAYATE, SALTA
1.650 MASL

A microterroir where the combination of sunny mornings, warm, mild afternoons and a marked thermal range translates into a Cabernet Sauvignon with a solid tannic structure.

Finca Las Mercedes stands at 1,650 masl in the Calchaquí Valleys, Cafayate, in the province of Salta. The estate is home to parcel No. 19, located on the distal area of an alluvial fan of the Yacochuya River.

This is a site presenting a unique microclimate, the result of the confluence of the Calchaquí and Santa María Rivers, and deep sandy soils, originated from metamorphic and igneous graphite-type rocks. Its soil textural composition is characterised by the presence of 2% clay, 89% sand and 9% silt. These soils contribute to an intense, charismatic Cabernet Sauvignon, one that truly reflects the essence of the Cafayate Valley.

Los Chañares

Plot #73

CHAÑAR PUNCO, CATAMARCA
1.950 MASL

Its soils, high in lime concentration and minerals, deliver a powerful Malbec with great character and distinctive typicity.

This remote spot in home to plot No. 73, at 1,950 masl. The microterroir is flanked by the Aconquija Mountains to the east and the Quilmes high hills to the west, in the apex and mid-section of two alluvial fans, which results in rocky soils with the presence of 60% flat, sub-angular clasts measuring 5-15 cm in diameter. Originating from igneous and sedimentary rocks, the textural composition in these soils is characterised by the presence of 96% sand and 4% silt. A distant, secluded estate where its soils, rich in lime and minerals, offer a Malbec that stands out for its typicity and minerality.

La Yesca

Plot #13

VALLE DE PEDERNAL, SAN JUAN
1.400 MASL

An area of extreme features, rocky soils and high temperatures delivering a powerfully charismatic Malbec, the absolute expression of its microterroir.

Finca La Yesca stands on the alluvial fan of Las Cortaderas River, running along the eastern foothills, the Osamentas Range, in the Paramillos area of the Tontal Mountains. Plot No. 13 stands at 1,400 masl on rocky terrain, in an area exposed to high temperatures. It is a microterroir where the sandy-loam soils present 3% clay, 78% sand and 19% silt across different strata. The first stratum, at a depth of 50 cm, displays 25% clast content, while the second stratum, starting at a depth of 50 cm and finishing at 150 cm, presents 50% flat limestone-like clasts, with angular edges.

El Tomillo

Plot #1 y #5

GUALTALLARY, MENDOZA
1.210 MASL

A site meant to yield the best wines in Argentina and the very best Malbecs in the world.

Finca El Tomillo stands at 1,210 masl, on an alluvial fan built up by streams from Las Tunas River, about 24 km from the river mouth in the valley. This fantastic microterroir is home to two unique parcels. The soil in plot No. 1 is characterised by an initial 70-cm deep sandy stratum, while plot No. 5 presents its first stratum at a depth of 120 cm, both resting on rounded clastic rocks with a high content of calcium carbonate or lime. These soils offer an absolutely elegant and complex Malbec, undoubtedly sourced from a microterroir, and a Chardonnay brimming with vibrant acidity.

Las Piedras

Plot #12

LOS ÁRBOLES, MENDOZA
1.300 MASL

A microterroir presenting sandy loam soils that yield a most attractive and seductive Pinot Noir, filled with fragrance and tension. A glorious combination of elegance and subtle yet structured power.

Finca Las Piedras stands at 1,300 masl, in the district of Los Árboles, Tunuyán, in the Uco Valley. This estate is home to plot No. 12, a parcel formerly presenting large-sized rocks that were removed prior to vineyard planting. It is a microterroir where its sandy-loam soils present 3% clay, 90% sand and 7% silt across different strata. The first stratum is clast-free down to 60 cm in depth. The second stratum presents 30% clastic rocks with a layer of more than 90% calcium carbonate and measuring up to 50 cm in diameter. These characteristics translate into a powerfully mineral Pinot Noir.

El Milagro

Plot #15

LA CONSULTA, MENDOZA
1.130 MASL

Regarded as one of the very best microterroirs in Argentina, it offers a defined Malbec with vibrant acidity and multi-faceted tannins.

Finca El Milagro, at 1,130 masl, in La Consulta, Mendoza, is an estate located in the Uco Valley. It stands on the oldest alluvial fan formed by the Tunuyán River and is home to plot No. 15, a microterroir presenting sandy, deep, ancient soils with high concentrations of calcium carbonate, in addition to soils composed of 89% sand, 6% silt and 5% clay. This characteristic type of soil delivers a distinctive Malbec brimming with vibrant acidity.

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