“WAPISA” means “whale” in the Yamanas dialect (indeginous inhabitants that lived in Tierra del Fuego).
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Located in San Javier, Viedma. On the banks of the Río Negro river, it is the only Patagonian Winery with vineyards that have a maritime influence. The winery’ s capacity is 300.000 litters in stainless steel tanks and has 150 oak barrels, 80% French and 20% American. It Is dedicated exclusively to the elaboration of our Patagonian line:Wapisa.
The breeze of the sea, the complexity of the soil are expressed in line, with the freshness that is characteristic of a single area not explored as it is the Atlantic Patagonia.
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NEW IN! WAPISA WINES: AGING UNDER THE SEA
Popular science states that 3 years of aging in a cellar are equivalent to 1 year under water. We decided this was something we wanted to test ourselves, so in 2019 we launched a research project just off the coast of the province of Rio Negro, in the south Atlantic Ocean.
In cooperation with the Comahue University in Patagonia we started to analyze the effect of temperature, light, pressure and sea movements at different depths and its impact in wine aging and evolution.
The first step was making sure that no cross contamination took place. We worked with the local environmental agency to make sure that we were respectful of the underwater ecosystem and protected the wine by using stainless steel cages and special wax closures for the corks. Furthermore, as part of our growing appreciation for the wildlife and the ecosystem of this region, we have started working with the California Coastal Alliance on research projects relating to the whales in the south Atlantic Ocean.
In August 2020 we hosted a tasting of the first bottles of Wapisa Malbec (2017) with our technical team. The evolution of the wine surpassed our expectations: after 8 months under the sea the wine expressed a higher complexity in aromas and taste, with a remarkable fruit expression when compared to the sister wines that we aged in our cellars. We encountered a delicious and mature wine, with a much longer aftertaste.
The difference was remarkable and the project a success.
This project has inspired not only consumers and the research community, but also the local diving community and regional tourism agencies. We are excited to continue working on this project and hope you join us in tasting the extraordinary wines born from it!
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Located in San Pablo, Uco Valley, the winery’s capacity is 600.000 liters in stainless steel tanks and has 500 oak barrels, 70% French and 30% American. It is equipped with a bottling line and stowage and dedicated exclusively to the elaboration of the Tapiz lines
The grapes find a perfect combination of soil, mostly of alluvial origin formed by mountain rivers; a climate with optimal solar radiation and good thermal amplitude even in summer. This, aided by reasoned canopy and irrigation management, allows to obtain wines with great fruit potential, structure and maximum quality in each varietal.
We select grapes from the so-called first vineyard area, the most important and extensive wine-growing region in Argentina and one of the main wine-growing regions in South America. Located in Agrelo, Alto Agrelo and Maipú, in Mendoza for its Zolo line; in the Uco Valley in Vistaflores, Tupungato and San Pablo, for its Tapiz line; and in San Javier Río Negro, for its oceanic wines.
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OUR TEAM:
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PATRICIA ORTIZ (OWNER)
Patricia Ortiz, medical, since 2003 in the direction of the winery. Her main vision has been the development of wines with elegance and identity; reflecting the terroir,using techniques that are respectful of the environment. Patricia has worked hard to promote their wines in the USA and Europe.
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FABIÁN VALENZUELA (CHIEF WINEMAKER)
Fabián Valenzuela has over 30 years of experience as a winemaker. Son and grandson of Vigneron, Fabian grew up on a vineyard, began its work in wineries Balbo and then in Catena. He has experience in vintages in other regions of the world such as France, Australia, Spain and USA. He travels frequently to the most important wine regions of the world where meets with other winemakers, exchanging experiences and opinions. Graduated from a degree in Enology from the Don Bosco school, and has completed postgraduate studies in "Planning and management of quality from the vineyard to the wine".
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JEAN CLAUDE BERROUET (CONSULTANT WINEMAKER)
Jean Claude Berrouet was the first permanent winemaker at Chateau Petrus in 1964. After 44 crops in one of the most famous wineries in the world, withdrew andcontinued as a consultant of the family Moueix, owner of the Chateau. We are proud to count it as exclusive consultant for Argentina. "With a life full of passion for poetry as well as wine, its philosophy in wine is the expression of terroir, favoring the elegance of extraction."
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CARLOS CORREAS (AGRONOMIST)
A graduate of Agronomy at the National University of Cuyo, son of Vigneron. Carlos experience over 30 vintages touring the terroirs of Mendoza, worked with the Cartelone Group, Catena Zapata and since 2004 it is part of the staff of Tapiz Winery. Restless Carlos works hard every year to get the best grapes for our wines.
