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Viña Cobos, Argentina

In 1989, Paul Hobbs visited Mendoza for the first time. Driving over the Andes from Chile with his longstanding friend Jorge Catena, brother of the famous Nicolas Catena, he fell in love with the place, the people, but also with the potential to make great wine.

He began experimenting with wild fermented Chardonnay and then with the variety that would become Argentina's calling card - Malbec. His first 10 barrel vintage of Malbec persuaded the American press of the potential of this grape. Paul established his own winery, Viña Cobos, in 1999 and 20 years later, Paul continues to make wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir from which they come. In an exploration of the different terroirs across Mendoza Paul looks for the most distinguished regions in Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco to produce wines that uniquely express their origins. The winery’s elegant and balanced wines are a result of meticulous vineyard farming and utmost respect for terroir.

Viticulture

From vineyard sites in Luján de Cuyo, Maipu and Valle de Uco at altitudes of 2300 to 3835 feet above sea level. The diurnal temperature variations, long growing season and altitude give a tremendous purity of fruit. These sites are semi desert and irrigation is essential. Yields are limited to around 3.2 tons per hectare.

Winemaking

Viña Cobos' winemaking philosophy is to produce wines with natural practices, assuring that in each step the vines and wines are treated with utmost care. We encourage and pursue fermentation with indigenous yeast and prefer to bottle our wines unfiltered and unfined in order to retain their full body and persistent finish.

Highlights
  • Organic principles are at the forefront of their ideals, Waste is managed to provide compost, organic fertilsers are used and inter row grasses are used to fix nitrogen in the oils.
  • Solar panels are used to provide energy to winery. Proceeds from the sale of waste products goes to support childhood nutrition programmes and economic support for local schools and health centre.
  • Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts and all wines are bottled unfiltered and unfined.
One of the top producers and best value wineries in Argentina.
Tim Atkin MW Argentina Report 2014
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