South American Wine Guide, Independent Guide to the Best Wines in South America for Visitors to Peru

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South American Wines

An Introduction to the Wines of South America for Visitors to Peru

Wines from Argentina: Introduction / Regions / Notable Producers / Reviews

Notable Producers: Alto Las Hormigas

www.altoslashormigas.com

Bodegas Alto Las Hormigas

In 1995, Alberto Antonini, a well known Tuscan wine maker, and Antonio Morescalchi a young entrepreneur, took a trip to visit the major viticultural areas of Argentina.
They returned powerfully impressed by the potential of Malbec in the Mendoza appellation, and felt certain that they had found what they were looking for. The next step came that year and 216 hectars were bought in the the township of Lujàn de Cuyo.
Shortly after this, some other old time friends, enthused by the idea, joined the enterprise: Attilio Pagli, another well known Tuscan wine maker; Marco de Grazia, a well known negotiant of fine Italian wines; Alan Scerbanenko, a Italo-Swiss management counselor; and last, but not least, Antonio Terni, Italo-Argentine Bob Dylan aficionado, who produces top quality wines in the Marche region of Italy.
Nowadays we are amazed of how a society so numerous and diverse works so well and in such harmony.

Wines
Altos Las Hormigas Malbec / Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Grand Anne Magnum / Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Reserva /
Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda / Viña Las Hormigas Malbec Reserva

Reserva Viña Hormigas

From a selection of 80 years old vineyards: 35% from the sub-zones of Vistalba and Perdriel (Luján de Cuyo), and the rest from the zone of La Consulta and Vista Flores (Valle de Uco). Harvested in the first week of April, selected first in the vineyard, and then by "triage", the grapes are vinified at 30º - 32º Celsius in small stainless steel vats that allow ideal conditions for punching down, and therefore for the best extraction.

Fermentation-maceration lasts four weeks. The wine then is transferred into small French oak where it undergoes malolactic fermentation, and where it matures up to 18 months before bottling without filtration.

Shipping occurs after six months of bottle age.
Yearly production is around 40,000 bottles.

Malbec

It is our main production, deriving from grapes harvested at the end of March, 35% from our vineyards and 65% from grapes bought from contracted vignerons from La Consulta, Vista Flores and Perdriel sub-zones of the Mendoza appellation.

The destemmed and softly pressed grapes are vinified in stainless vats at 30º Celsius.

During the 15 days fermentation-maceration process the must is pumped and punched down for optimal extraction. The 50% of the wine stays in first use American oak and a 10% in second use French oak. The wine is the bottled without any form of stabilization or filtration, in order to not to alter quality, and is sold after three months of bottle age.

Yearly production is about 700,000 bottles.

South American Wines - An Independent Guide to the some of the Best Wines from Peru, Argentina & Chile.