ESCALA HUMANA
2024 MALBEC
This wine comes from three plots around their home region of Gualtallary at 1200m above sea level. Soils are lime-rich calcareous clay-loam with medium to large stones. The vines are some of their youngest, planted as recently as 20-25 years ago, partially to selection massale, but all on vertical trellis. The grapes are destemmed into concrete egg but some stems are added back in for structure and complexity. After a few weeks of gentle pump-overs, the wine is pressed off its skins into the same tank for a short élevage. 14% ABV
2024 MALVASIA
This wine comes from the El Zampal region of the Uco Valley. The site, Pelegrina, features 19 rows of Malvasia planted in 1927. At ~1000m above sea level, the vines are planted in clay loam and sand. The grapes are destemmed into concrete for a 90-120 day maceration. After pressing it sees an additional six-month élevage in neutral barrel and concrete before being racked and bottled unfiltered. Suckling: 97 points, Tim Atkin: 93 points, Vinous: 94 points, Parker: 92 points
2024 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
These vines were planted in 1920 in El Peral, Tupungato, on clay-loam. The vines are the size of trees and are trained to overhead pergolas. After hand harvesting in late March, the grapes are destemmed into concrete egg for 25 days of maceration with gentle pump-overs. The wine is then pressed back into concrete for a modest élevage. 13.5% ABV
2025 CHENIN BLANC
This wine comes from Tunuyan in the Uco Valley. The 45-year-old vines were planted into sandy soils, although there are some clayey and rocky sections as well. They’re trained to pergolas. The grapes were destemmed and pressed into stainless steel for an overnight settling period. The juice is then racked into concrete for both fermentation and élevage. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with minimal SO2. Suckling: 94 points, Vinous: 93 points
2024 BEQUIGNOL
This variety is indigenous to South-West France, but now only a hectare remains. Fortunately, Argentina is keeping this obscure cultivar alive. It does well in hot, dry conditions, making it an ideal candidate for the Uco Valley. The small berries tend to yield light-bodied wines with plenty of colour saturation. These vines, planted in 1954 in El Zampal on clay-loam, are trained on pergolas. This wine is fermented 30% whole-cluster in concrete egg for 30 to 45 days before being pressed off. Élevage is done in the same vessel. 13.5% ABV, 4.9 g/L TA, 0.46 g/L VA Suckling: 97 points (#2 Wine of the Year), Vinous: 93 points, Tim Atkin: 92 points
2024 SANGIOVESE
This vineyard sits at 1450m above sea level in San José, a sub-region of the Uco Valley’s Tupungato. The vines were planted in 1952 on clay loam and are trained to pergolas. The vineyard is surrounded by old poplars are pines, planted as a wind shield for the exposed site. It is some of the cleanest fruit I’ve ever seen. The grapes are destemmed and fermented on skins in concrete tank for four weeks before being pressed off. 12.9% ABV, 5.49 g/l TA, 0.36 g/l VA Suckling: 95 points, Vinous: 93 points, Parker: 93 points
ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $82.50 (AB), $108.00 (BC)
CSPC: 878778 (AB), 276538 (BC)
2022 CREDO MALBEC ALTAMIRA
Altamira is a really special site. Located at the southern end of the Uco Valley, it is much closer to the mountains. This proximity increases diurnal temperature swings and means the soils are less eroded, leaving giant boulders in and around the vineyard. A 5000m peak is only 10km away, glistening in snow and ice year round. The soils are in three distinct layers: an upper layer of silt and loess, a mid-layer of granite and calcareous material, and a base layer of alluvial rocks and limestone. The grapes were fermented in small concrete eggs, 30% whole-cluster, for three weeks with gentle pigeage. The wine is then basket pressed off into 3rd and 4th fill barrel for a two year elevage. Only 144 cases were produced. 14% ABV Suckling: 97 points, Vinous: 95 points
2022 CREDO CHARDONNAY ALTAMIRA
This vineyard is planted in San Carlos at the base of a 5000m high mountain, which is perpetually capped with snow. The plot itself is at 1050 to 1150m above sea level and is uncommonly cold. The soils are broken into three layers: a topsoil of silt and loess, a mid-layer of granite and calcareous material, and a subsoil of alluvial rocks and limestone. This vintage was incredibly cold and cloudy, which resulted in a super slow ripening period. 70% of the grapes were direct pressed into third and fourth fill 500L French oak barrels for fermentation and élevage. The other 30% were fermented as whole clusters with gentle cap management. After two years, the wine is racked and bottled. 128 cases were produced. 12.5% ABV Suckling: 99 points, Vinous: 97 points
2022 CREDO SEMILLON EL PERAL
This wine comes from the El Peral District of Tupungato. The vineyard is between 1120m and 1200m above sea level, making it much colder than the valley below. The oldest vines were planted 125 years ago while younger vines are either selection massale or layering. Soils here are mostly loam but with smatterings of granitic and calcareous stones from the mountains above. The grapes are destemmed into concrete for primary fermentation. After 24 hours, the free run juice is racked into barrel while the remainder sees several weeks on skins. The wines then undergo a 24 month elevage before blending and bottling. 125 cases were produced. 12.5% ABV Suckling: 97 points, Tim Atkin: 97 points, Vinous: 98 points, Parker: 97 points