Argentina’s Award-Winning Wines
Having steadily earned its place as one of the biggest wine-producing countries in the world, Argentina’s rich history in winemaking dates back to the first arrival of the Spanish with vines in the mid-1550s. Virtually all of its wine regions are located in the western edge of the country, along the corridor of the Andes mountain range, and bordering Chile. The best-known of these is, of course, Mendoza, whose Maipu, Luján de Cuyo, Uco Valley, San Rafael and San Martin subregions of over 1,200 wineries cements its status as the wine mecca of South America. The country, however, produces award-winning wines in several other regions including the province of San Juan, located a little over two hours north of Mendoza. Ranked second among the country’s wine-producing provinces, San Juan is home to Bodegas Callia, which won three awards at the recently held Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2022, including the coveted platinum medal for its Contracara Reserva Malbec.
This 100% Malbec, produced in San Juan’s Pedernal Valley, scored a total of 97 points from the over 250 international wine experts that included 54 masters of wine and 16 master sommeliers. On the nose, the wine is perfumed and inviting, with aromatics of lifted herb, pure fruit as well as a lovely floral fragrance. On the palate, flavours of plush plum, silky violet, bright cherry, spice and supple, succulent tannins caress the mouth as the wine is savoured. Located in the Tulum Valley area, Bodegas Callia’s vines receive permanent sun, soft and dry wind, in addition to abundant water which flows from the mountains then combines with the rocky soils to achieve high-quality, fruity and round wines.
The winery owns estates in three valleys: Tulum, Pedernal and Zonda, with vineyards located at altitudes ranging from 630 metres at the lowest, to 1,380 metres at the highest. In the Tulum Valley, it is warm all year round with the limited rainfall averaging just 90mm per year. The soils of the vineyards have a great variety including alluvial, clay, sandy or loamy terroirs, resulting in a wide variety of grapes being planted there. Among them, in addition to their well known Syrah, are Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Bonarda, Malbec, Chardonnay and Viognier. The Pedernal Valley vineyard, where the platinum award-winning Malbec originated, is located 1,380 metres above sea level with its distinct terroir giving the grapes their intense colours and fruity taste.
Pedernal Valley vineyard is located in the Sarmiento subdivision of San Juan, a valley that stands out because of the wide temperature range that allows for the perfect development of the cultivated varieties. Despite the sometimes low harvest of winemaking grapes, the area is gaining more and more prestige because of the excellent quality grapes that are still being produced. The prevailing varieties here are Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Chardonnay. The winery itself is home to 8,000 square metres of tanks, with a capacity of 9,000,000 litres, outfitted with modern pneumatic presses.
It was first established in 2002 by the Pon family, owners of Bodegas Salentein at their location in the Tulum Valley of San Juan province. It encompasses 700 acres of land nestled between the Pie de Palo hills to the north and the Cerro Chico Del Zonsa to the south. Born from passion and legend, Bodegas Callia is named for a young woman, Callia, who arrived in the province of San Juan from her native Italy many years ago. She wrote to her family describing San Juan as a paradise endowed with abundant fruits despite the desert landscape. Today, the name Callia is synonymous with hope, endurance and success and the bodega celebrates the spirit of this illustrious woman.
Bodegas Callia is part of the Dutch-owned MP Wines Group, which also includes Bodega Pyros in San Juan and Bodegas Salentein in Uco Valley, Mendoza. The current winery is modern and innovative, built under high-quality standards while preserving and respecting the historical heritage of the area. Every detail, as well as the original vegetation, was carefully calculated during the construction which was completed using anti-seismic techniques, some of the most advanced in the world. The winery was created to produce the best wines from San Juan and the best Syrah, for which it is particularly known, from Argentina.
The bodega also won two bronze medals, one each for its Contracara Reserva Blend which scored 87 points, and the Contracara Reserva Chardonnay which scored 88 points. Their goal is to produce the best-quality wines in San Juan, while continuing to respect and support the people, nature and community from which their wines are created.
