Au Naturale in Tupungato

Photo of this totally not shabby view from the Domaine Bousquet blog

Tupungato, Argentina is named for one of the most impressive peaks in all of Argentina. Mount Tupungato stands at 21,560 feet, towering between the countries of Chile and high above the wine making region of Mendoza, Argentina. This giant stratovolcano is a bucket list item for the world's serious alpinists.

Here in the northern reaches of Mendoza's Uco Valley, wine making reaches new heights. The Uco Valley is a bit of a paradise for wine growing. A sunny disposition, 250 days or so of it, great winds, and lots of diurnal variation (the difference between the heat of the day, and cool of night) make for fantastic wine grapes. In the town of Tupungato, a short drive from the city of Mendoza, life is a winemaker's paradise. The high altitude sun has an intensity, that is balanced by the cool winds at an altitude around 4,000 feet. These natural conditions make organic farming a real possibility and that is the ethic that Domaine Bousquet has embraced.

The Bousquet family arrived in this part of Mendoza in the late nineties, from the the French wine region of the Languedoc. They brought with them some French wine know-how and probably some kick-ass cassoulet recipes. In Mendoza the Bousquets set up shop and looked to their new home and its regional expertise while hoping to take advantage of the pristine wine growing conditions and burgeoning Argentinian wine scene.

The Domaine Bousquet wines have become the most awarded organic wines in the world and while we should always be sceptical of gold medal stickers on bottles in our local tasting room, that's a big claim. The wines are all technically dialed in, super clean and while I'm not knowledgeable enough to speak to the terroir of this region, these are fruit forward, fresh wines that emphasize the beauty of the grapes grown here.

You see grapes that we know well like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and the Argentinian classic, Malbec stripped of overt oak influence and let to shine in the Andean sun. Add to the purity of these wines the price and you have a must find bargain as the Bousquet wines clock in at around $15 but drink at two times the price.

2017 Domaine Bousquet Malbec, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Argentina $15

An elegant version of this popular variety this is fruit forward Malbec with a freshness you don't typically see in the variety. Fresh berry fruit, black plum and a fresh lively finish with a great structure. All organic, all the time and with a really low alcohol percentage makes for a super fresh red wine.

2018 Domaine Bousquet Unoaked Chardonnay, Tupungato, Uco Valley $12
Fresh on fresh with this bright and lively Chardonnay, with overt citrus and tropical aromas. The palate is fleshy green apples, lime zest and lots of fresh zippiness but a fair bit of body for a white wine.

2017 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon, Tupungato, Uco Valley $13
You have to love an unadulterated Cabernet, and that is what we get in this well priced bottle from Mendoza. Fresh organic and super clean, this wine sings with bright fresh berry fruit, kisses of white pepper and clove. The palate is lively, the wine sees just a kiss of oak, and delivers great balance, with notes of leather, ripe berries and a fresh acid driven finish.