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ARGENTINE WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR TROPHY, SUPPORTED BY WINES OF ARGENTINA:
VIÑALBA
For those who love the richness of Argentine reds, but also the classic structure of claret, Viñalba is a name not be missed. Founded by Bordeaux-born Hervé Fabre, Viñalba is a property that unites Argentine old vines with French winemaking know-how. Family-owned to this day, and still run by Hervé along with his wife Diane, Viñalba has vineyards in a range
of Argentina’s top terroirs, from the Valle de Uco’s sought- after sub-region of Gualtallary to the extreme climate of Patagonia’s Río Negro.
Although Hervé has been making wines in Mendoza since the early 1990s from his Fabre Montmayou winery in Luján de Cuyo, in 2007 he launched the Viñalba brand. Not only do the wines of Viñalba benefit from a number of Argentina’s oldest Malbec vineyards, which date back to 1908, but also Hervé’s subtle approach in the cellar; techniques that favour elegance over power.
In keeping with his Bordeaux background, Hervé has always championed wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. However at heart Viñalba is a brand for Malbec, no doubt because Hervé was the first winemaker to create a pure Malbec expression from Argentina.
Nevertheless, as one might expect considering his French roots, the art of blending grapes to create complexity
and balance is also key to Viñalba’s wines and, aside from the aforementioned Bordeaux grapes, Hervé
also likes to marry Malbec with Syrah and Touriga Nacional to great effect.
SPANISH WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR TROPHY, SPONSORED BY HELLMANN BEVERAGE LOGISTICS: BODEGUEROS Y VITICULTORES ALTOS DE RIOJA Founded in Rioja Alavesa in 2006, Altos de Rioja is a joint venture between Jean Marc Sauboua, an award-winning flying winemaker from Bordeaux, Roberto San Ildefonso of Bodegas Sobreño in Toro, and Bienvenido Muñoz of Bodegas Muñoz in La Mancha.
Sauboua began his career at first-growth Château Haut-Brion and has worked at top estates in South Africa and New Zealand, alongside winemaking projects in Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile and Argentina. Ildefonso, meanwhile, started out in the Rioja Alavesa in the early 1980s and by the late ’90s had successfully developed his Bodegas Sobreño brand.
Boutique project Altos de Rioja was born from a shared passion between the three men to make modern Rioja wines of great quality with a respect for traditional methods. Grapes are sourced from old vines in the high-altitude villages of Laguardia, Elvillar and Cripan – a privileged microclimate for growing grapes characterised by dry summers, warm days and cool nights with a temperature difference during the growing season between day and night of 20°C, which allows for optimum ripening of the grapes in terms of colour, structure and ageing potential. The entire range is aged in 80% French oak and 20% American barrels.
The six-strong range includes a partially barrel-fermented white made from Virua and Malvasia; a Tempranillo aged in
oak for six months; and a Graciano called Pigeage made from 80-year-old vines.
Argentine Wine Producer shortlist
 El Esteco (Bodegas Trapiche)
 Viñalba (Buckingham Schenk)
 Terrazas de los Andes
 Trivento Bodegas y Viñedos
 Viniterra (Compania Andina S.A. Orfila)
Spanish Wine Producer shortlist
 Bodegueros y Viticultores Altos de Rioja  Rovellats
 Bodegas Pinord SA
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