ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS STARTS A NEW CHAPTER FOR ARGENTINE WINES WITH A MENDOZA MALBEC FROM REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

Alan York taught us to look at grapes and wines not as the products of a plant and a yeast, but as the products of an eco-system. “Our dream is to earn a place among the 'Fine Wines' of the world for a South American wine, a place in that limited library of world-renowned wines where -yet- the region has not entered”, says Antonio Morescalchi, founder of this Argentinean winery led by a world-renowned multi-cultural team.

Mendoza-based winery Altos Las Hormigas (ALH) is releasing the first wines from the Jardin de Hormigas vineyard, located in Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley), at 1200 meters above sea level. The entire vineyard is certified organic, with regenerative and sustainable management and a focus on biodiversity, where - following the teachings of Alan York, a leader in the holistic and biodynamic viticulture movement in the United States - grapes are seen not as the product of a plant but of an ecosystem.

These wines are the result of many years of research and work. While vineyards in Mendoza have a square shape, all parcels in Jardin de Hormigas have an organic form that reflects soil units; each parcel follows natural hidden underground lines. Pedro Parra, Terroir PhD, studied these soils by making countless soil inspection pits and designed the parcels so that each one of them gives a wine with a personality: the personality of its origin.

“Our work is based on the idea that the place of origin shapes the character of a wine” – Pedro Parra, PhD.

Land is expensive in the Uco Valley, and vintners usually plant every inch of it, to maximize income. However, at Altos Las Hormigas, we are aware that nature is fragile and monoculture is not sustainable. We have chosen to leave 40% of the farm to native plants, resigning quite a bit of potential revenues in favor of biodiversity. We believe that a balanced vineyard needs a balanced ecosystem where many species can live together, farming organically since day zero and using compost made of the same materials that result from harvesting and pruning. A cycle that helps the land maintain its own fertility, as in a natural forest.

“It is much more challenging to make wines of place than wines of ‘winemaker’. The difficulty resides in interpreting the interaction between soils, plants and climate, and be able to combine everything in a wine” – Alberto Antonini

Each of these wines boasts a different overview of this unique vineyard.

“This is the beginning of a new story”, said the Italian Alberto Antonini, co-founder of Altos Las Hormigas when trying Jardin de Hormigas LOS AMANTES Malbec 2021 during his quarterly general tasting in the winery. “This is the best wine I have tasted in the history of Argentina,” said the prestigious Tuscan winemaker after 27 years of working in the country advising most of the top names.

“…this stunning Malbec comes from a one-ha plot that Pedro Parra justifiably describes as a Grand cru. Scented and alluring with rose petal and violet top notes, pure raspberry, wild strawberry and pomegranate flavours, layered tannins, very little oak and a finish that lingers like the last note of a great string quartet.” This is the tasting note from Tim Atkin MW.

Today, ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS announces the 100/100 POINTS awarded by Tim Atkin MW, influential international critic, for the first harvest of this 100% organic and sustainable micro-plot Malbec, which is the only one of its kind in the country. A wine with subtlety and power at the same time, which shows the Terroir through Malbec, providing an experience that goes beyond the grape variety. This wine is the product of more than 10 years of exhaustive teamwork in soil research in the vineyard, led by the Chilean Pedro Parra, one of the five PHD in Terroir in the world and a partner in the winery.

In the presentation of his 2023 yearly report on the wines of Argentina, Atkin explained that Jardín De Hormigas Los Amantes Malbec 2021 is a wine from Paraje Altamira, “made by people who had a great impact in Argentina”. Atkin clarified that he does not easily give out 100 points, since he has only awarded this score to 4 Argentine wines in 30 years of reviews and only two from South America in 2023.

Jardin de Hormigas is a new range of wines that was created from its origin in the vineyard. “Jardin de Hormigas is our estate in Paraje Altamira. We bought 55 hectares in 2011. We decided to plant only 32 hectares, in 2017, and preserve the native ecosystem in the rest of the estate, along with Alan York teachings. It is a truly unique vineyard project, developed with a garden concept. It is the next revolution of ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS in the viticulture of Argentina”, says Federico Gambetta, Technical Director of ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS. "Here, we have fully applied the concepts of regenerative agriculture, biodiversity and organic work, to show 'Terroir through Malbec' in its purest form", continues the engineer responsible for the vineyard.

The design of the Jardin de Hormigas vineyard is a revelation. “It was organized by “Terroir units”, according to the different types of limestone soils, in 22 small plots of 1.5 hectares each, interspersed with native fauna and flora; with an independent irrigation system and organically grown from the beginning. There is no other vineyard like it in Argentina”, declares the ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS team.

Antonio Morescalchi, founder of the winery, explains that “in the very design of the vineyard biodiversity was highlighted, constituting a paradigm shift in the way of making wines in the country, it’s an approach that connects the vines to the environment at a more profound and complete level”. The wines are transparent and generate another model: a 100% Malbec that goes beyond variety, since it is difficult to recognize it as such. "The place, the agricultural project and the special care of the vineyard added to the minimal intervention in the winery aim to show the ingredient", adds Morescalchi. The odd, “organic” shape of the vineyard parcels strikes the viewer, when compared with the square vineyards of the neighbors. “Nature does not use straight lines” says Federico, explaining that the plots follow the shape of the soil units.

“Our research work on Terroir led us to make wines with depth, persistence, texture and tension, with little use of wood. Less is more”, says winemaker Alberto Antonini. "But to do less, you need to know more, and that takes a lot more work."

“Mendoza's potential has not been fully exploited. It is a spectacular place, unique in the world that still has a lot to give”, affirms the winemaker from Tuscany and fourth partner, Attilio Pagli. “We are in love with these lands like the first day.”

About Jardin de Hormigas LOS AMANTES Malbec 2021

The two major forces of wine, power and subtlety do not go hand in hand; they belong to opposing categories and almost split the world of wine in two sides. But the incessant strive of these forces can actually balance in some very special instances, in a unique moment and in a special place. Love is certainly part of what can bring balance and much love is needed to create something of value. Los Amantes (The Lovers). Limited release of 4,000 bottles.

o 100 points Tim Atkin, MW

o 98 points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

· The Jardin de Hormigas LOS AMANTES Malbec 2021 hails from a single plot of just over 1 hectare (2.5 acre), in the southern sector of the Jardin de Hormigas vineyard. This sector is very special due to the origin of the soil profile, created by the alluvial process at the end of the last glacial period. On the plot, the soil profile has 80 centimeters (32 inches) of topsoil rich in silt with dissolved limestone and, from there, large granite rocks covered in a limestone crust.

• The Jardin de Hormigas METEORA Malbec 2021 comes from plots 7, 9, 11 and 12 of our Jardin de Hormigas vineyard. This wine provides an eye opening insight of the unique set of flavors and aromas that this site, planted with vines grown organically in a biodiverse environment can generate.

These wines have received the following scores to date:

· Jardin de Hormigas LOS AMANTES Malbec 2021:

o 100 points Tim Atkin MW

o 98 points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

· Jardin de Hormigas METEORA Malbec 2021:

o 93 points Descorchados Guide by Patricio Tapia

About Altos Las Hormigas: Altos Las Hormigas, celebrating our 27th year, is located in Mendoza, Argentina. Founded in 1995 by Antonio Morescalchi and Alberto Antonini, Altos Las Hormigas is focused on producing high quality Terroir-based wines. Through extensive research, digging, & mapping of soils, meticulously hand-selecting grapes, and minimal intervention in the winery with no use of small oak barrels, Altos Las Hormigas has built their philosophy on purity of fruit, organic and sustainable management, regenerative agriculture and biodiversity, pursuing the most precise and original sense of place expression that Mendoza can give.

For more details about Altos Las Hormigas in APAC get in touch at info@nimbilityasia.com

Altos Las Hormigas Winery Release of Jardin de Hormigas Line received major critical acclaim - 100 points Tim Atkin MW, 98 points Robert Parker,...