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Episode 38, Leon's Winementaries
Today a Fairtrade wine. This time a red one from Argentina.
It is the Solombra of Bodegas La Riojana that not only is one of the largest and most successful cooperatives in Argentina,
but also the world's largest producer of Fairtrade wines.
And big it is, up to 4125 hectares of vineyards, the majority located in the picturesque and remote Famatina Valley in the province of La Rioja.
Famatina Valley is one of Argentina's best kept secrets, a paradise for winemakers.
Soil of mainly clay, upland vineyards at 900 to 1400 m above sea level, benefiting from intense sunshine, warm days, cool nights and low rainfall.
The cooperative in the village of Chilecito has over 500 members, most of whom have less than 3 acres.
Most of them are children of the first Italian immigrants who settled down here around 1940. Similarly, chief winemaker Rodolfo Griguol.
By being part of a cooperative, all individual members have many benefits,
so they have the guarantee that they can sell their grapes to the cooperative for a good price and they also benefit from massive purchasing of many things (agricultural supplies).
Since Fairtrade certification in 2006 the members benefit of various Fairtrade projects such as a clean water project and a schoolproject.
Well, off to the wine, Solombra (sol & sombra) means the sun and shade and refers to the balance between light and darkness
which symbolizes the necessary balance and justice that Fairtrade brings.
The series consists of a white Torrontes Chardonnay and 2 reds: a Cabernet Sauvignon and this is the Malbec
On the website I see that there are different lines, but it seems that only the Solombra series is for sale in NL, at AH.
Soon I'll visit friends in Belgium, see if I can find the series Vinedos de la Posada.
I had already tasted it yesterday and the bottle is completely empty. I definitely recommend this one!
The taste was very juicy, very soft, fruity and full. Hard to keep my hands off.
In terms of odor: an explosion of strawberries, ripe juicy sweet strawberries.
This was the Malbec, and that grape is the main red grape of Argentina. As many as 10% of the total vineyard area is planted with Malbec in Argentina, more than 20,000 acres.
That Malbec is doing so well in Argentina has everything to do with temperature.
The Malbec needs more sun and warmth than Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and there is plenty in Argentina.
Tomorrow an episode about Chardonnay and then I taste, coincidence or not, another Fairtrade wine, 3x in a row!
Thanks for watching, hope you will watch tomorrow.