Collection: Argentina

Argentina is the fifth wine producer in the world after Italy, France, Spain and the USA. The main producing region is the province of Mendoza producing more than 60% of the Argentinian wine, followed by the provinces of San Juan and La Rioja, and then Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Pampa and Rio Negro.

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The Bodegas CARO winery

The idea of forming a partnership between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family was born in 1999. Initial enthusiasm quickly became a concrete plan to produce a single wine that would combine French and Argentine cultures and the two signature grapes of each producer, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Catena family has produced wine for four generations. Consequently, it was able to draw on its vast knowledge of the high altitude terroirs of the Mendoza region as well as its passion for Malbec to find the best vineyards. DBR (Lafite) contributed its centuries-old skills in growing, vinifying and ageing great Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as its know-how in blending different grape varieties to produce one wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Exchanges and selection work began in 1999 to produce CARO’s first vintage in 2000. The success of the early vintages resulted in the creation of another wine in 2003: AMANCAYA which, like its older brother, is based on a harmonious balance between Argentinian identity and Bordeaux style. Bodegas CARO then decided to celebrate the grape variety for which Argentina’s vineyards are famous by selecting a pure Malbec, ARUMA, starting with the 2010 vintage.

The Bodegas CARO winery, in the heart of Mendoza, has been producing the wines since the 2003 vintage and serves as the anchor of the CARO project. The renovation of the historic building and gardens in order to expand the winery and open the Bodega to the outside brings the final touch to the original project.

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From the outset, one of the top priorities for Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family was to select the finest terroir that would enhance the alliance between Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The grapes selected for CARO come from Bodegas CARO’s vineyard and from the best vineyards we have selected as the most representative of the great terroirs of Mendoza and known for the high quality of their Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

These terroirs are located :

– In the “First zone”, in  Luján de Cuyo and Maipú :
The region is known as the First Zone because it was the first place where Malbec was planted in Mendoza. The wines coming from this area are acknowledged to be among the best in the country. The altitude ranges from 800 to 950 metres and the average temperature range is 23ºC (max)/ 8ºC (min).

– In the Uco Valley, in Tunuyán, Tupungato and San Carlos:
This is an up-and-coming wine region, located one hour south of Mendoza. The landscape of this area is impressive, with glaciers and year-round snow overlooking the adjacent river and the vineyards.  The altitude range is here 1000 to 1600 metres and the average temperature range is 22ºC (max)/ 7ºC (min).

The management of the estate is ensured by Philippe Rolet, Estate Manager. Olivier Trégoat, ​Technical Director of Château Rieussec, Château L’Evangile, Château Paradis Casseuil  provides technical supervision.