The "Bodega Colomé" winery is located near the village of Molinos in the Calchaqíes Valley in the Cafayate area of the Salta region. This oldest winery in Argentina was founded in 1831 by the last Spanish governor of Salta, Nicolás Severo de Isasmendi y Echelar. His daughter Ascensión first introduced the Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec varieties in 1854. The farm remained in the family for 170 years, then passed to the Rodó family for 13 years and was finally sold to the Swiss company Hess Family Estates in 2001. The estate comprises 39,000 hectares of land, most of which is used for sheep and cattle breeding. Part of it is used as a luxurious hotel. Furthermore, there is an important art gallery.
The vineyards cover 135 hectares and lie between 2,400 and 3,111 metres above sea level. The vineyards, known as "Altura Maxima" (maximum altitude), at over 3,000 metres above sea level are thus the highest vineyards in the world. The resulting intense sunlight produces particularly hard-skinned berries rich in tannins and anthocyanins. The sustainable cultivation of the vineyards follows the guidelines of biodynamic viticulture with no use of chemicals. Artificial irrigation is necessary in some cases. The red wine varieties Malbec (Cot), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tannat, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Bonarda are cultivated, as well as the white wine varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Torrontés Riojano. Three vineyards are partly planted with over 150-year-old ungrafted vines.
Picture: Vinum
