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Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
2023 Old Vines Semillon From Patagonia, Matias Riccitelli Wine Republic

2024 Old Vines Semillon From Patagonia, Matias Riccitelli

Patagonia, Argentina

Patagonian Revival

Quietly complex and wonderfully distinctive, this old-vine Semillon opens with lemon peel, white peach and orange blossom, layered with chamomile, beeswax and a delicate touch of vanilla. Subtle notes of green apple, almond and dried herbs emerge with air, giving the wine a savoury depth beneath its bright citrus fruit.

The palate is textured and gently rounded, yet held in perfect balance by vibrant acidity and a fine mineral tension. Waxy citrus, orchard fruit and softly nutty flavours build towards a long, precise finish with just a trace of salinity. Serious, elegant and beautifully composed, this is a compelling reminder of what old-vine Semillon can achieve.

For when: You want a white wine with real history, texture and something new to say.

Pairs with: Roast sea bass, grilled scallops, chicken with tarragon, lemon and ricotta pasta, Comté or aged goat’s cheese.

The fruit comes from own-rooted vineyards planted in the late 1960s around Allen and Ingeniero Huergo in the Alto Valle of Río Negro. Situated at around 400 metres on the 39th parallel, these historic vines grow in silty, alluvial soils under intense Patagonian sunlight. Cold nights slow the ripening process, preserving the acidity and precision that give this wine its remarkable vitality.

Whats in the bottle
100% Semillon

Notable Awards
98 points, Tim Atkin MW

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£42.00
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Matías Riccitelli was born in Cafayate, Salta, into one of Argentina’s best-known winemaking families. After completing vintages around the world and learning from his father and mentor, Jorge Riccitelli, he established his own winery in 2009 in Las Compuertas, high in Mendoza’s Luján de Cuyo.

Riccitelli has built his reputation by exploring the remarkable diversity of Argentina’s vineyards. His wines extend from old, own-rooted Malbec in Las Compuertas to extreme high-altitude sites across the Uco Valley, but they share a consistent focus on freshness, individuality and a clear expression of place.

In 2015, Matías and his team began working in Patagonia, restoring neglected vineyards beside the Río Negro and reviving varieties that had once played an important role in Argentine wine. The project now encompasses 17 hectares of historic vines and has become particularly celebrated for Semillon, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir and Bastardo. Farming is organic and agroecological, with an emphasis on preserving these rare vineyards for future generations.

This is 100% Semillon from low-yielding, own-rooted vines planted in the late 1960s. The fruit was hand-harvested into 20kg cases and carefully selected before vinification. The vineyards are farmed without herbicides or systemic treatments, producing approximately 5,000kg of fruit per hectare.

Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts in French oak foudres at controlled temperatures of 16 to 18°C. The wine remained in foudre for eight months, allowing its texture and savoury complexity to develop without obscuring the natural citrus character and freshness of the fruit.

The result is a highly individual expression of Semillon, combining the concentration of old vines with Patagonia’s cool nights and piercing natural acidity. It is already expressive, but its balance and structure should allow it to develop greater waxy, nutty and honeyed complexity with time in bottle.

Alcohol: 12.5%. Residual sugar: 1.8g/L. Total acidity: 7.2g/L. pH: 3.15. Serve at 10 to 12°C. Recommended drinking window: 2026 to 2040.

Wine-Searcher Retailer Awards 2026/27 Gold, Overall List in Cardiff