2018 Old Vines Trousseau From Patagonia, Matias Riccitelli

Made from 100% Trousseau this elegant wine offers aromatic complexity with wild red-berried fruits and mineral notes complemented by spicy, floral hues. Refreshing and silky, this is light but with good structure and a long finish.

The Trousseau grapes come from the traditional vine-growing sites of Allen and Ing Heuergo in the province of Rio Negro, Patagonia, approximately halfway between the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Situated on the 39° latitude south, the sunlight exposure is more intense than in northern areas, but at this latitude, the nights are much colder. This daily diurnal temperature range is excellent for the production of quality grapes; the nightly cooling-off extends the ripening period, allowing the grapes to develop rich varietal characteristics while retaining balancing acidity. The low yielding vines were planted at the beginning of the 1970s and they are ungrafted allowing for complete interaction between the silty soils and the vine. The vines are cultivated naturally following organic principles resulting in wines that are expressive of the terroir and their varietal characteristics. The grapes are hand-harvested once they have reached optimal maturity. The long-forgotten variety of Trousseau is a dark-skinned variety that originated in Jura, France and is a synonym for Bastardo.