Pyros Wines is one of the leading emerging wineries on the Argentine viticultural scene, in great part thanks to the distinctive qualities of their vineyard and the top class wines it produces.
Founded in 2008 upon the vision and determination of Myndert Pon, the force behind Bodegas Salentein, Pyros Wines began with a small vineyard in one of the most extreme terroirs of the Andean foothills: the Pedernal Valley.
Unbeknownst to many at the time, this modest valley is now considered one of the world’s most interesting new terroirs due to the outstanding quality of the calcareous terroirs. This in turn delivers wines with great minerality and expressiveness, namely those of Pyros’ young winemaker Paula González.
The Pedernal Valley, an emerging terroir
The Pedernal Valley is an arid, high-altitude region of the Andean foothills to the south of the Province of San Juan. It is protected by the 2500 metres-high mountains which provide shelter to the Pon family vineyard, planted to found Pyros Wines.
With a cool, continental climate where temperatures vary greatly between day and night, the unique vineyard also stands out for its extraordinary chalky soils, formed 480 million years ago and only found on 7% of the earth’s surface. ‘Our vineyards combine factors that aren’t seen elsewhere in the world: calcium-rich soils with a loam-sand texture rich in colluvial limestone, dolomite and flint [pedernal in Spanish] brought by the wind and rainwater to a region located 1400 metres above sea level,’ says Gustavo Matocq, Agricultural Engineer at Pyros Wines.
Paula González, winemaker at Pyros Wines
The naturally distinctiveness of Pyros Wines
Paula González has made use of all of the singular conditions found at the Pyros vineyard, which even surprised the renowned microbiologists Claude and Lydia Bourguignon, to produce a collection of wines that expresses the unique character of the terroir while also demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable practices.
‘Our vineyard is managed under organic principles, in harmony with nature and local biodiversity, which we believe is reflected in the terroir-driven identity of our wines,’ says the González.
With the Pyros Appellation range, which includes single varietal Malbec, Syrah and Chardonnay, González introduces us to the purity and freshness of the Pedernal Valley. while Pyros Special Blend (a blend of Malbec, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon) showcases a complex interpretation of the valley’s vineyards through a blend that demonstrates great potential in the fine wine category.
In-depth research into the different soils and microclimates has resulted in other, parcel-based wines that truly express the subtle qualities of the Pyros Vineyard: the Pyros Vineyard Block N° 4 Malbec, made with grapes hailing from a complex parcel rich in limestone, flint, schists and granite, and the Pyros Vineyard Limestone Hill Malbec, the winery’s current flagship wine, from a limestone-rich section, offering an extremely vibrant example of mountain Malbec.
