100 Years of Award Winning Wines
Guillermo Barzi, 5th generation owner.
Since 1909, Humberto Canale has actively promoted the quality of Patagonian wine across the world.
They have become the standard bearers for Patagonian viticulture, winning international acclaim for their wines.
In the Province of Río Negro at the 39th Southern parallel, Alto Valle is the largest wine producing area in Patagonia. Blessed with ideal natural conditions for grape vines, for over a century this oasis has been producing high quality wines thanks to the vision of the engineer Humberto Canale, the founding father of the wine industry in Patagonia.
Today, eleven decades and five generations later, Humberto Canale is still family-run and continues to build on his legacy with each of their wines. Their estate spans 1,108 hectares of vineyards spread out across 100 miles, accounting for 32% of all the vines in Patagonia. These crops are watered with ice-melt that flows into the Río Negro and Neuquén rivers.
A climate designed for wine.
Because of its location (39° South at an altitude of between 600 and 850 feet above sea level), Alto Valle has a desert climate ranging from cool to temperate. This latitude ensures an average annual temperature of 15°C, with lows of between 10 and 12°C and highs of between 26 and 32°C during the ripening cycle (January to March).
On the Winkler scale, the Alto Valle falls mostly in category 3 but some areas are in category 4. During the ripening period the daily thermal range is between 18°C and 20°C on average, also a result of the southerly latitude, which is a key factor in achieving a natural balance of acids and phenolic compounds in the grapes. The cool nights help to bring balance during the harvest months.
The most certified winery in Argentina.
Humberto Canale has been committed to protecting the environment from the very beginning. The founder himself laid down guidelines for cultivating crops in the Alto Valle that ensured that conscientious use was made of the available water supply. Over the last century the descendants of Humberto Canale have acted as guardians of the natural heritage of Alto Valle.
All that effort and commitment has been consolidated over the past two decades by the attainment of demanding international certification affirming good agricultural, crop management and production practices, in addition to more specialized certificates of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability. The process began in 2001 with the receipt of the first Global GAP certification and they have maintained those standards ever since in their vineyards and crops, making Humberto Canale the most certified wine producer in Argentina.
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Humberto Canale Selection
Microterroir Wines from One of Argentina’s Most Coveted Regions
Ana Delmar, co-founder.
This project was started more than 17 years ago by two entrepreneurs, enthusiasts and nature lovers, Ana Delmar and Fernando del Castillo, a married couple from the city of La Plata, Buenos Aires province.
The project aimed at uniting their family with fellow naturalists that share a deep respect for all that nature can give, and the appreciation of human labor in all its stages throughout the winemaking process.
The Finca Buenaventura winery is located in the Valle de Uco Valley, in Los Árboles, Tunuyán, in Mendoza province, across 247 acres (100 hectares). This is a privileged area in Argentina, at an altitude of 3851ft (1174 meters) above sea level, which is irrigated by meltwater from the Andes Mountains.
The vines benefit from the naturally protected microclimate with 300 sunny days per year, unaffected by heavy rains and hail. Intense hot mornings and low temperature nights directly promote the development of the vine plantations.
A microterroir master-class.
The land is divided into small plots called “vine-parcels”. Each terroir has soils with different characteristics: areas where alluvial soils abound and others which are more stony, sandy or volcanic. Each area, sector and plant have specific and particular working guidelines and techniques in order to respect soil times and natural characteristics, and to preserve the most fertile soil layers.
This type of methodology anticipates human intervention in all stages: tying time, pruning time and harvesting time, which adds to the oenological potential of what the winery seeks to achieve.
Embracing natural resources to enhace quality & sustainability.
The reduction in irrigation flows due to the decrease of snowfall in the Andes Mountains and the glacier retraction caused by climate has led Finca Buenaventura to develop a detailed planning process to preserve and optimize the use of water through sustainability plans to reduce infiltration losses in the irrigation networks and efficiency in the vineyard. The winery is also in the process of moving to solar energy.
Weed control is done by free horse grazing. Horses flatten the soil less than tractors and do not always walk in the same place. Therefore, the soil is much softer and its microbial life is much richer. The rich soil quality has a direct impact on the quality of the grapes.
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Finca Buenaventura Selection
Signature Wines from a Special Collaboration
Seriogo Montiel, Oenologist & Valeria Bonomo Agricultural Engineer.
Valeria Bonomo and Sergio Montiel were already notable figures in the wine world prior to teaming up to craft Signature Wines worthy of the Bonomo & Montiel label.
Winemaker Sergio Montiel’s awards include the gold medal at the Malbec World Contest in 2012. Valeria Bonomo, an accomplished agronomist engineer, was a former agronomist at Viña Cobos and worked with Paul Hobbs for 14 years.
100% solar powered.
Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source. Photovoltaics generate electricity directly from sunlight via an electronic process and can be used to power anything. The winery uses NDVI (Taranis Technology) indicators, weather stations, solar panels, drones, and the latest technology equipment such as ultra-low volume sprayers.
These technologies enable the winery to prioritize the productive and qualitative growth of the grapes, while also obtaining a deep analysis through satellite images and aerial images by drones, potential infection or abnormal growth indicators.
SOCIETĀS Vol. I
Bonomo Montiel Selection
Expertly Crafted Organic Wines
Alejandro Molina, the next generation of the Molina legacy.
The history of Bodegas Molina winery is steeped in noble tradition. The Molina surname dates back to the 12th century, when the kings of Castile and Aragon granted Manrique Perez de Lara the “Lord of Molina” title.
The Molina Pico House Museum was originally built in 1761 and historically linked to Pedro Molina, a well-respected figure in Mendoza province history. The winemaking tradition first started in this house through “La Resurrección” winery, which produced wines of renowned quality. Through the Bodegas Molina project, the family descendants have resumed this legacy of winemaking excellence, focusing on organic wines.
Committed to sustainability & social good.
From the beginning of the Bodegas Molina project, the activities were planned considering the fragility of both the global ecosystem as well as that of Mendoza. As such, the development of organic wines is considered to be just the starting point of the project’s commitment to sustainability and social good.
The project generates a growing proportion of its energy through renewable resources, primarily solar, and is looking to pioneer advanced irrigation systems using water from the atmosphere. Investments in cutting edge technology are aimed at making such systems financially and economically feasible for the entire region.
Beyond the environment, Bodegas Molina supports several initiatives to improve access to basic education for local communities and to create strong links between these communities and several sports organizations. The project is based on solid values, with positive development goals throughout Argentina, providing resources and growth to underserved areas thus building on the foundations of the Molina family legacy.
