Long considered one of Argentina’s leading wineries, Achaval Ferrer has now consolidated their place and reputation in the exclusive global fine wine market. To understand how they have achieved this privileged status, one only needs to take into account the excellence displayed by each of the winery’s Malbecs since 1999, especially their Fincas trilogy; wines made solely with grapes from old Malbec vines located in Mendoza’s most prestigious terroirs.
This consistency made Achaval Ferrer one of the first Argentine wineries to attract the interest of collectors after receiving a string of excellent scores from critics and a slew of other honours. Soon, the Achaval Ferrer Fincas trilogy was in unprecedented demand for a New World release: every new vintage set a new record for orders and the 2019 version, released on the third of April this year, was no exception. Because of the low yields produced by old vines, bottles of Achaval Ferrer Fincas are scarce and have become eagerly sought after treasures on the global fine wine market, with the winery now ranking second on the Ultra-Premium Brands from Argentina report published by the IWSR – Drinks Market Analysis in 2023. This latest honour offers even further reason to consider Achaval Ferrer’s wines an essential part of the collections of the most demanding connoisseurs.
Achaval Ferrer’s winery, Mendoza
A collection of 3 unique Malbecs
Since 1999, Achaval Ferrer has enjoyed the responsibility not only of consistently producing world class wines from Mendoza but also of protecting a unique viticultural heritage: three ungrafted Malbec vineyards located in a trio of extraordinary terroirs: Perdriel (planted in 1910), Medrano (1921) and Altamira (1950). Handled with as little intervention as possible, the grapes from these old vines embody a working philosophy that expresses the utmost respect for the culture, heritage, terroir and natural environment of Mendoza.
This year, the famous Achaval Ferrer trilogy consists of Achaval Ferrer Finca Mirador Malbec 2019 from Medrano (Junín), Achaval Ferrer Finca Bella Vista Malbec 2019 from Perdriel (Luján de Cuyo) and Achaval Ferrer Finca Altamira Malbec 2019 from Altamira (Valle de Uco). As is true of every vintage, the low yielding vineyards only allow for the production of a limited number of bottles of each, which explains the eagerness of the market. The 2019 vintage only produced 6710 bottles of Finca Bella Vista, 4220 bottles of Finca Mirador and 9468 bottles of Finca Altamira.
This means that each, in addition to providing an opportunity to enjoy a world class Malbec, is also a precious viticultural asset, the fruit of some of the oldest Malbec vines in the world. This pedigree, thanks to the precise oenological skill of Gustavo Rearte, Chief Winemaker at Achaval Ferrer, results in a unique expression of Argentine Malbec with an ageing potential of more than 20 years, as has been proven during tastings of different vintages at the winery library. There’s no better way to understand why people find Achaval Ferrer wines so exciting than to open a bottle and allow yourself to be carried away by its excellence and refinement.
Gustavo Rearte, Chief Winemaker at Achaval Ferrer
