Hallgarten adds ‘hot’ Argentine wine-making talent

Hallgarten has strengthened its Argentinian portfolio with the “the hottest young winemaking talent in Argentina”, it claimed.

The UK distributor has added Zorzal Wines, which was founded in 2008 by winemaking director Juan Pablo Michelini and his older brother winemaker Matias Michelini, who Hallgarten’s head of buying Steve Daniel described as among “the hottest young winemaking talent in Argentina”.

The duo were also included in db’s round-up of the top ten Argentine winemakers to watch, due to their desire to create wines with personality that stand out from the crowd.

The vineyards, which are based in the promising ‘micro-region’ of Gualtallary, are set at 1,350 metres above sea level in the foothills of the Tupungato volcano in the highest growing sub-region in Mendoza. The desert climate, rocky soils, limestone and chalk-streaked stones leads to “fruit with personality and a sense of place” Hallgarten said, which allowing Michelini to pursue the “purity of the fruit and austerity over oak and exuberance”.

Vinification takes place in gravity-fed winery on four levels, which use roll fermenters and egg-shaped vats to perform micro-vinification in casks, which Michelini previously told db gave “more potential for the character and personality of the wine” which allowed him to create crisp wines with gunflint and mineral qualities, reflecting “the purest texture of Gualtallary”.

The winery also has an automatic temperature control system which can be operated remotely from anywhere in the world.

Together with winemaker Matias Riccitelli, who Hallgarten also works with, the Michelini brothers were making “a real impact on the wine industry as a whole,” Daniel noted.

“We are understandably proud of our Argentinean portfolio, and the addition of Zorzal only cements this – the Eggo range in particular will stand out on any of our customers’ wines lists,” he said.

Zorzal Wines’ five-strong range is targeting the UK independents and on-trade. It joins existing suppliers in Hallgarten’s Argentinian portfolio, which includes Andeluna, Doña Paula, Matias Riccitelli and Piattelli.