Place

The province of Salta is renowned for its extraordinary beauty and its centuries-old wine-making heritage. The vast majority of the vines are planted in the Calchaquies Valleys, a succession of valleys stretching from north to south along the Andean foothills and whose majestic landscape is dominated by a mineral desert with a some green oasis on the rivers banks.
The main wine estates are concentrated around Cafayate, a small town located at 5,500 feet above sea level, while the high Calchaquies Valleys, difficult to access and with few resources, are the last frontier, where to cultivate vines and make wine are an everyday feat.
In the heart of the high Calchaquies Valleys, perched at 7,200 feet above sea level, our estate, comprising only four hectares of ungrafted vines is located in the tiny homonymous village of Seclantas Adentro.

Terroir

At this altitude, the climatic conditions are extreme: ultraviolet radiation is particularly intense, winters are cold, frost is frequent and the thermal amplitude, i.e. the temperature difference between day and night, can reach in summer 77°F.
This thermal amplitude favors the concentration of tannins and the preservation of acidity in the grapes.
The soil, alluvial with a granite base is sandy with limestone. It is deep, low in organic matter and permeable, allowing the grapes to develop unique aromas.

Malbec grapes in the vineyards

The vineyard

Since 2007 four hectares of ungrafted vines were planted, and their management was oriented towards the minimum intervention and the absolute respect of the terroir. The vineyard is cultivated in an organic way, and in the spirit of sustainability, in order to preserve the biodiversity of the ecosystem.
From the beginning we choosed an optimal exposure for each of the grape varieties: if the malbec receives the sun directly, the tannat is protected by the foliage of the pink pepper trees.
The water, vital for the survival of the vines in this desert environment, comes from the thaw of the Andes in the spring and from the rain in the high mountains in the summer. The water is conveyed by channels of a remarkable complexity that date back to Inca times and are community-run.
From the vine to the cellar, all the stages of wine production are entirely artisanal, reflecting our strict vision, respectful of the land and its products. We decided to take care of the vineyards without any mechanical intervention.
The harvest time is chosen each year when the grapes are at their perfect maturity.
Yields are very low, as one can imagine: around 20 hl/ha.