At Orfila Winery in Mendoza, Winemaking Traditions Merge with Pioneering Spirit

In January 2022, Orfila Winery from Mendoza, Argentina launched a portfolio of five wines that are now available in the United States. A few weeks ago, I received (as samples) the wines that deliver outstanding quality at a price point of under $20. After tasting, I’m a fan and  given the family’s backstory, I’m not surprised.

In 1905, Jose Orfila founded his winery in Mendoza, Argentina on lands once owned by Jose de San Martin, the country’s founding father.  In the 1940s, part of the Gancia family emigrated to Argentina from the Piemonte area of Italy Piemonte where the family had been making wine for generations. With Camilo Gancia at the helm, the family planted vineyards in Mendoza and by 1965 the family had more than 2500 acres. In 2010, the Gancia and Orfila families merged their winemaking traditions and their pioneering spirit continues.

After Camilo Gancia’s death in 2012, the fifth generation of the Gancia family oversees operations of Orfila Winery. Vineyards that had been leased are now in family control, winemaking and growing strategies are state-of-the-art, and the process for certifying their organic vineyards has begun.

As a follow up to my tasting of the wines, I had the chance to learn more from Juan Ruiz who has been Export Director for Orfila Winery for 15 years.

Juan explained that “the vineyards were planted by Camilo Gancia when Argentine wine country was just being introduced to quality and the project was truly pioneering.” Based on the family’s Italian roots and winemaking traditions, the wines “are friendly, fruit-driven and easy to drink. They’ve been conceived for people to talk around and not about. I’ve had the chance to do several tastings and see bottles go empty with conversation. I love when people enjoy my wines and I’ve been lucky enough to see it happen many times! We work hard to make wines that can be enjoyed by themselves – food pairing is a possibility not a must-have.”

Organic viticulture, biodynamics and sustainability are of the utmost importance. “Orfila has recently been certified with the “Bodegas de Argentina” sustainability standards and we plan to continue working on several circular economy projects. Some of the vineyards have achieved the NOP certification, guaranteeing that the grapes are organic per United States standards. Additionally, our wines are vegan certified.”

 

“What comes from the vineyard must star in each bottle,” stated Juan Ruiz when addressing European winemaking traditions. “This is found in Italian wines and will always drive our winemaking. Fruit driven wines that highlight nature’s potential in Mendoza remain our goal with every vintage.” In fact, grapes are sourced from premium vineyards, considered “the heart of Orfila” in Mendoza and include those in Uco Valley, Lujan de Cuyo and Maipu.

Each wine that I tasted offered elegance and style on their own or paired with foods ranging from homemade lasagna to grilled cheese sandwiches to roast chicken. Juan remarked that his favorite pairing doesn’t relate to food but to a moment. “At the end of a long day at work, especially during nice weather, there is a period when you return home and can just relax. For me, this moment is perfect for enjoying a glass of our Orfila Estate Selection Malbec. The wine seems to welcome you home and into a relaxing moment. I love that. For a food pairing, I like something simple that lets the food stand out. A great example would be a nice grilled steak seasoned only with salt and paired with our Malbec. Just as a simple salt seasoning showcases the quality of the beef, our wines show the quality of the grapes we use.”

Intrigued? Pick up a bottle of Orfila wines and taste for yourself. 2020 Malbec, Orfila Classic ($13) was fresh and pure with a solid concentration of cherries and blueberries on the nose and palate, along with bright acidity and firm tannins. The Orfila Classic was unoaked and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Savory with purple fruit, blackberries, spice and pepper is 2019 Malbec, Orfila Estate Selection ($15), a fresh and approachable selection that was aged in French and American oak, then in the bottle for 3 months.

Balanced with soft tannins and just-right acidity is 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Orfila Estate Selection ($15) that boasted notes of red cherries, black fruit, spice and crushed blueberries on the nose and palate. It was aged in French and American oak followed by ageing in the bottle for an additional 3 months before release.

With subtle notes of oak on the finish, 2019 Malbec, Orfila Reserva – Uco Valley ($20) offered luscious notes of red fruit, espresso, chocolate, black cherries and florals. 2018 Red Blend, Orfila Reserva – Uco Valley ($20) is a blend of 50% Malbec and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. On the nose, I found herbs, dark chocolate, crushed blueberries and blackberries on a foundation of snappy acidity and soft tannins. Both Reserva wines were aged for 12 months in French and American oak before “a careful barrel selection of the best lots for the final blend.”

Cheers! ~ Cindy

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