Within three vintages, Finca Decero has become recognized not only for having one of the highest quality vineyards in all of Mendoza, but also for catapulting into an elite group of the most highly regarded producers in Argentina. The wines all come from the single Finca Decero vineyard, and the winery’s focus is entirely quality focused – the varietal Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignons they produce can easily be compared to wines selling for twice the price. These are serious wines that moreover showcase the best of Argentina: a beautiful mix of purity and elegance. This winery is one of the most exciting introductions VINTUS has made to the US market.
Decero, meaning ‘from scratch’, was born of a bare patch of land and a family’s love affair with wine. Winemaking in Thomas Schmidheiny’s family goes back to his grandparents in Switzerland and, just as Napa had inspired his mother Adda in the 1970s, so too did the Agrelo sub-appellation in Mendoza capture the heart and mind of Thomas when traveling over the Andes into Argentina 20 years later. In Agrelo, perhaps now considered the source of Argentina’s finest red wines, Thomas instinctively knew that he had found the place to continue the family legacy and to handcraft wines whose allure would lie in being true to their origin. Once a desolate piece of land in the foothills of the Andes, absent of everything but shrubs, Finca Decero is now a one-of-a-kind vineyard where each vine is nurtured by hand and the winemaking is without compromise.
The estate has followed an ‘amano’, or ‘by hand’, approach that is sensitive to natural differences, sustainable, and human. Their philosophy is to tread lightly in an environment they have come to know intimately, almost inch-by-inch, and allow the unique natural attributes of the Remolinos vineyard and of Agrelo to shine through in the wines. The vineyard at the estate is named “Remolinos” after the tiny whirlwinds in the area that thread their way along the vines, keeping the grapes dry and in perfect condition. The 110 hectare estate was planted in 2000 to Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot (unusual for Argentine producers) and Tannat. All the Decero wines come from this single vineyard, all from hand-picked fruit.
After being sorted twice on sorting tables, first cluster selection and then berry selection, the grapes are gently gravity fed into small wide tanks which ensure maximum benefits of skin contact during maceration. Maceration begins with a cold soak and continues for 30-35 days. After fermentation (which is done partially with indigenous yeasts), and through the barrel aging process, all lots are kept separate until blending of the final wines, to ensure optimal monitoring of individual lot qualities. There is then a separate, temperature-controlled room for malolactic fermentation, which takes place in barrel. Aging is in 100% French oak, in a combination of Sylvain, Saury, Taransaud, Demptos, and Seguin-Moreau. The wines are nurtured through the winery and finally blended by winemaker Marcos Fernandez with consultant winemaker Paul Hobbs.
"With only four vintages on record, efforts have already paid off: remarkably wines, sensitively priced. All are made from Decero's sustainably farmed Remolinos vineyard in Agrelo." Decanter Magazine: Argentina's 10 Star Names, August 2011
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Latest News
April 29th, 2013
Steven Tanzer’s e-zine, Winopilia, featured Argentina’s value Malbecs for $20 or less. Tanzer explains, “Importers of wines from Southern Hemisphere countries like Argentina, Chile and South Africa often bemoan the fact that most consumers don’t understand why they should be asked to pay more than twenty bucks for a satisfying bottle of wine from these countries. Sadly, in a growing number of cases, importers here can’t justify bringing in the top bottlings from many of their most quality-conscious producers because they can’t sell them.” But when it comes to Argentina, Tanzer says, ‘this country still offers a great number of seriously concentrated and satisfying red wines, mostly from malbec, at amazingly palatable prices”. In March/April issue of the International Wine Cellar, Stephen Tanzer offered many wines that are malbec-based and rated a solid 90 points. One of the wines listed was Finca Decero’s 2011 Malbec, his notes are below! Click here to read the full piece.
“The Finca Decero 2011 Malbec Remolinos Vineyard Mendoza ($20; Vintus Wines) leads off with slightly high-toned aromas of blackberry, kirsch, bitter chocolate, violet and spice cake. It’s densely packed and smooth but also light on its feet thanks to harmonious acidity, conveying a restrained sweetness to its dark berry, licorice, violet and tobacco flavors. The finish shows smooth tannins and sneaky length.” 90 Points Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
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