Managing Director at Clos de los Siete

Clos de los Siete is a landmark collaboration in Argentina. In the late 90s, Michel Rolland invited a select set of vignerons from Bordeaux to invest in a collaborative project in Mendoza.

Together seven French wine families purchased 850 hectares in the up-and-coming Uco Valley and today these families make some of the best wine in the country. We interview Clos de los Siete, Managing Director, Ramiro Barrios to get the inside story on the Clos and find out why it is a key Wine Paths destination to discover in Argentina.

What is the concept of Clos de los Siete and how did it all start? 

I think Clos de los Siete is quite a unique concept in the New World. It all started when Michel Rolland was asked to consult for a winery in Cafayate in Salta. He was astonished with the beauty of the landscape and kindness of the people, but also understood there was room for improvement in the wines. Over the following years, he visited Argentina a few times each year and he had the chance to visit the different valleys across the Andes mountains. Rolland soon realized the huge potential of the foothills of the Andes to produce high end wines and by 1995, Michel had started planning his own project in Argentina…

He wanted a virgin land and high elevation and discovered the perfect place here in Vista Flores. We are at the heart of the Uco Valley, placed between two alluvial funnels: Campo Los Andes and Chacayes. Poor soil with sand, clay and large pebbles and a proper slope to East/North-East are the perfect conditions for growing vines. Rolland invited other families, owners of famous châteaux in Bordeaux, to join him on this quest and, in 1998 seven families bought the 850 hectares. It is actually a larger extension than the planted surface in Pomerol! Planting started in 1999. This is how the name “Clos de los Siete” was born: the amazing unique challenge and a single block vineyard forming an enclosure called “Clos” in French and made by seven families “de los Siete”.

The name is also used for the wine we make in common, the first vintage of which was in 2002. Today we make the blend from Malbec mainly, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It is a blend of all the estates.

As well as the wine the entire Clos makes together, the families make their own wines here in Vista Flores. The families and wineries in Clos de los Siete are Monteviejo (Péré Vergé family from Pommerol’s Chateau Le Gay, and Chateau La Violette), Cuvelier Los Andes (Cuvelier family from St Julien’s Leoville Poy Ferret), DiamAndes (Bonnie family from Pessac Leognan’s Malartic La Graviere) and Bodega Rolland.

Clos de los Siete families

What can winelovers expect when they come to Clos de los Siete? 

We are located at an altitude of over 1.100 meters (3.600 feet), at the foot of the Andes mountains. This location gives us breathtaking views from the Andes mountain range and Uco Valley. Four different wineries, each one with its own charisma, style and personality, offer our guests an in-depth approach to the story of the Bordeaux families that believed in the potential of Uco Valley and took part in this great “Argentine Adventure”.

We also offer exclusive wine and gastronomy experiences, where visitors can eat at the restaurants of our acclaimed chefs Nadia Haron in Espacio Monteviejo and Santiago Orozco in Diam’s Bistro. Each restaurant has carefully designed multiple-course menus that enhance and pair well with the wines produced here on the estate and the menus also take advantage of local seasonal ingredients. Our more adventurous guests can also go horse riding in our splendid vineyards and enjoy the cool Andes breeze!

There seems to always be an art exhibition or concert going on in Clos de los Siete. What are the yearly highlights for you? 

Wine excellence and respect for the nature is our basic philosophy and that’s why we can easily connect with our visitors. The ideal time for this is harvest season when they can visit the vineyards, taste the grapes right from the bunch and follow the grape berries on their journey from vineyard to the cellar.

We also enjoy other ways to connect by means of culture and art. Every year since 2010, Monteviejo organize the Wine Rock Festival in April: a tribute to wine and rock mounted among the vineyards and with the backdrop of the snow-capped Andes mountains. Plus+Arte take also takes place during this month with the exhibition of local artists that create their pieces at the estate combining music and plastic arts.

Clos de los Siete landscape

Each year, Clos de los Siete makes its special blend from the different wine estates. How would you describe the 'blend' that is Mendoza? What makes Mendoza a unique wine region to visit?

Being born and raised in Mendoza, I’m very proud to talk about our land and its people. Several factors made Mendoza the wine capital it is today. The fact that we are in a semi-arid area with the Andes on our back had a strong influence on our people from the very beginning: they had to work hard and fight to be able to plant and create the oasis that Mendoza is today.

Also the mountains play a unique role on the quality of our grapes: altitude give us cool nights and sunny days which favours having thicker skins on the grapes. The snow-capped peaks provide the pure crystalline water we use to irrigate the vines. All of these were the ideal conditions for the French cépage of Malbec, initially used as a blending grape for average wines but eventually becoming our flagship and best ambassador in the world.

Finally, the impact of immigrants is also key in our land: from the early immigrants in the 19th and 20th century from Italy and Spain that brought the culture of the wine up to the flying winemakers that arrived in our land in the 90s, such as Michel Rolland, Paul Hobbs or Alberto Antonini, who brought their knowledge and passion for making top wines.

 

It’s undoubtedly this rich big blend that put Mendoza, in only 15 to 20 years, on the map as a fine wine region. And it is only the start… we still need more time to see the full potential of our wines and their ageing potential. Keep tuned because there’s much more to come!

For more:

Clos de los Siete

Bodega DiamAndes

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