Otronia 45 Rugientes Corte de Blancas 2021
Notes of tropical fruits, citrus peel and jasmine are combined with floral aromas. The palate shows an exuberant freshness complimented by a delicate minerality and excellent acidity.
Bodega Otronia's vineyards are unique for an abundance of reasons. The diverse soils, permanent winds, cold and dry climate, and extreme sunlight intensity, give a singular profile to these wines. In addition to nets, thousands of trees have been planted around the vineyard to help shelter the vines from battering gales. Proving that fortune favours the brave, the merciless conditions give rise to elegant wines with distinct vibrancy, aromatic intensity and a very unique sense of place. The name '45 Rugientes' refers to the 45° latitude, and 'rugientes' translates to 'roaring winds.'
On arrival at the winery, the grapes were directly pressed and racked. Each of the varieties were then fermented separately in stainless steel and concrete eggs. Once blended, the wine was aged in French oak barrels and concrete vats for 20 months prior to bottling.
| RRP | £32.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13% |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Patagonia |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 35%, Gewürztraminer 30%, Pinot Gris 20% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 2.63 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | Yes |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Diam |
| Winemaker | Juan Pablo Murgia |
‘Extreme winemaking’ best describes Alejandro Bulgheroni’s ambition to produce world-class, cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Patagonia’s far south. Winemaker Juan Pablo admits that “we're all still learning, it’s all so different from how we do things in Mendoza”. However the desire to explore, experiment and learn, as well as to develop a vineyard in a region as marginal as this, singles Otronia out as one of the most individual and impressive producers in Argentina.
Otronia is located at 45.33°S in the province of Chubut, the most southerly winemaking region in the world. Their vines are planted on the shore of Lake Musters, once called ‘Otron’ by the region’s indigenous people. The environment here is incredibly hostile, with very little rainfall, bitterly cold temperatures, year-round frost risk and blusterous winds of up to 110km/hr, all providing highly challenging conditions for viticulture. In addition to implementing nets, thousands of trees have been planted to help shelter vineyards from battering gales. Proving that fortune favours the brave, these merciless conditions give rise to elegant wines with distinct vibrancy, aromatic intensity and a unique sense of place.
In 2010, 50 hectares of organically certified vineyard were planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Torrontés, Riesling, Merlot and Malbec. These comprise a fascinating mosaic of small, individual plots; each meticulously selected for a specific variety according to its soil type and microclimate. In the winery, rising star Juan Pablo Murgia (named ‘Young winemaker of the Year’ by Tim Atkin MW in 2021) is supported by world-renowned consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini. Alberto’s influence is evident in their hands-off approach. They also use concrete eggs and large, neutral French oak to enhance the wine’s character, not mask it.
