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GRAFFIGNA WINES
San Juan, the other Argentina

At the foot of the Andes, the province of San Juan
produces luscious Malbecs, Syrahs,
powerful Cabs and now a fresh, crisp Pinot Grigio .

(To listen to an interview with Marcantoni, click here)

By Simone Zarmati Diament

San Juan, north of Mendoza, is the second most important area in the Argentina wine industry* . The alluvial soil: sand and clay is highly permeable and stresses the vines that receive natural irrigation by melting snow from the Andes. A dry, warm and very sunny weather and a height of 1,400 meters are ideal for sustainable agriculture of a great variety of grapes growing in the region since 1880.

Spanish, Italian and French immigrants settled on the arid slopes of the Andes in valleys like Tulum, Zonda, Ullum, Jáchal and Iglesia and In the 1980’s Bodega Graffigna, a traditional winery founded in 1869, by an Italian immigrant Don Juan Carlos Graffigna in Tulum Valley, San Juan, started investing in new technology. As a division of Pernod Ricard’s with state-of-the-art technological improvements both in the winery and in the fields, Graffigna has planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot and Chardonnay, Chenin, Torrontés and Pinot Grigio and their wines are exported world wide.

Complex and powerful, Graffigna’s wines “draw from Old World traditions with New World passion,” according to senior winemaker Victor Marcantoni. (To listen to an interview with Marcantoni, click here

The wines range from $34.99 for the Santiago Graffigna Bordeaux blend, and $20 for Graffigna Grand Reserve Malbec to $16 or $17 for the "G" ultra premium labels, and $11 for the luscious Pinot Grigio.

Graffigna Centenario Pinot Grigio 2007, San Juan, Argentina ($11)
This elegant wine is made with 100% Pinot Grigio sourced from the Tulum Valley, 1,969 feet above sea level. A remote, unspoiled region with a distinctive terroir, San Juan receives an average of 310 days of sun each year, encouraging the development of vivid flavor profiles. And the wine is delightfully fresh, crisp and fruity with floral notes.

Santiago Graffigna, San Juan, Argentina ($34.99)
This Bordeaux blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 30% Syrah, is a contender. Deep ruby red and full-bodied it has a rich nose of red berries, earthy tones and sweet tobacco which carries to the palate. It a well balanced wine with firm yet elegant tannins and a long, round finish. Pairs with meats, venison, cheeses and pastas.

Graffigna Grand Reserve Malbec, San Juan, Argentina ($20) 100% Malbec grapes. The dark red wine displays the quintessential qualities of mature Malbec grapes with a nose of leather and earth and aromas of chocolate covered plums and ripe berries. Graffigna's Malbec is soft, round and full on the palate yet lively and fleshy with a nice smoky, spicy finish. Pairs well with BBQed meats and poultry, pastas and cheeses.

Graffigna 'G' San Juan Syrah Pedernal Valley 2003
This single vineyard Syrah is distinctively rich and gamey on the nose with a hint of pepper and toast. A complex wine aged in French oak, Graffigna Syrah 'G' is firm in structure with fabulous ripe fruit flavors and great depth.

Graffigna San Juan Shiraz 2004
The Tulum Valley's outstanding conditions for growing the Shiraz grape are fully demonstrated in this wine. Graffigna Shiraz has rich berry fruit flavors and is full bodied with sweet, velvety tannins and a well balanced structure.

* According to the INV Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura (National Institute of Viticulture) 147 wineries in San Juan produce about 4 million hectoliters per year while Mendoza produces 11 million hectoliters, and the third wine producing province, La Rioja, produces about 580,000 hectoliters.

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