Donald Hess has added Argentina's Bodegas Muñoz to his group of wineries.

The acquisition is Hess Estates’ seventh winery and its second in Argentina after its flagship Colomé estate, the world’s highest altitude winery and vineyard, which Hess purchased in 2001.

Located in Salta, on the northern outskirts of the region’s wine capital of Cafayate, Muñoz has 20ha of Malbec, Torrontes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

One of Muñoz’s wines, Don Salvador, will be discontinued while its entry level Territorio label will be developed as an additional export brand.

Bodegas Muñoz will be renamed Bodegas Amalaya – after Amalaya, the second label of Colome, which will move into new acquisition’s winery.

Hess Family Distribution will continue to distribute the Amalaya brand worldwide along with Colomé and eventually Territorio. Hess maintains its own importing wing in the US while Enotria is its importer in the UK.

‘Since Amalaya has been doing so well we needed to give it its own home and establish a firmer identity,’ said Christoph Ehrbar, of Hess Family Latin America. ‘Malbec “madness” shows no sign of slowing in the US where Argentina recently surpassed Chile in volume exports,’ he added.

David Furer
David Furer
Decanter Magazine, Wine Writer & Sommelier

David Furer is a Californian wine writer, educator, consultant and speaker, who has worked for over 20 years in the wine trade. He has appeared in publications such as Decanter, Wine Business Monthly in the US and SommelierS Int’l in France. He formerly served on the Circle of Wine Writers’ executive committee and is a sommelier with accreditation from the Court of Master Sommeliers. In his book, Wine Places, he collaborates with photographer Charles O’Rear to capture some of the world’s vineyards, wineries and winemakers.