Andeluna: Good Wine, Mountain and Magic

After a pleasant ride that took barely half an hour from Mendoza, we reached Valle de Uco and, more precisely, Andeluna Cellars, in the District of Tupungato.

The tour we hired at Kahuak led us to the winery. We entered the vineyards boasting almost transparent leaves and grapes in their entire splendor. The path took us to the building featuring Italian lines cut out against the mountainous skyline in the background, with uneven peaks and different shades of green.

Once inside, we were impressed by the fantastic wine bar and the wine tasting area furnished with comfortable armchairs. We waited for a few minutes for the tour to begin. Large windows let the beautiful scene in. There was no doubt the Tupungato Volcano was the protagonist. Several glass cabinets display the wine line and the awards received on contests both in Argentina and abroad.

We immediately felt comfortable and entertained as we met our guide. And so the tour began across the tank production room. This is where the process of making export wines starts. The previously selected grapes, grown in the proper soil and climate, are brought here and treated with cutting-edge technology by a team whose first priority is quality.

Malolactic fermentation takes place there. This is the process through which malic acid is transformed into lactic acid decreasing the acidity in the wine and softening its taste. This is related to butter, cream or yogurt flavors, which undergo the same chemical process.

“The first owner of the winery was an American businessman called Ward Lay. He was joined by his partner Ricardo Reina Rutini, a traditional surname in the wine-making world of Mendoza. They both managed to become famous worldwide very soon as premium wine leaders in Argentina. Almost 100% of the production at the cellars is exported", the guide explained as he made a point about to the origins of the business.

We walked onto the cellar, located on the second basement. We moved along corridors with very high walls and got past the lab. The environment where the bottles and barrels are stored waiting for the right moment is humid, silent and almost gloomy. Control, patience and wait are the essential conditions for each wine line to age properly.

Technical tasting is carried out in this area. Visual, smell and taste impressions are associated. Color, depth and reflections reveal youth or aging time as well as grape variety. Density, body and tears on the glass wall unveil concentration. The aromas must define the wine's balance and harmony. We noticed that this space was bestowed with a special kind of charm, in spite of being empty at the time.

As the tour came to an end, we enjoyed a tasting session. We began sipping the youngest wines in order to end up with those featuring a stronger body. The latter are wines stored in barrels. We took our time to feel the sensations in our nose and mouth. Our palate gradually became familiar with the particular traits of each wine. Besides, we took advantage of the comments made by our guide as far as the specific notes of each variety are concerned in order to understand them better and be delighted by them.

Before bidding farewell, we made a reservation at the restaurant to visit the venue in a couple of days. We would flatter ourselves once again with the excellent professional assistance provided at this cozy location known as Andeluna Cellars.