Salentein Barrel Selection Chardonnay 2024
A golden-hued Chardonnay with ripe tropical fruits intertwined with delicate hints of vanilla and buttery toast. Refreshing and balanced, the palate is filled with luscious citrus fruits, pineapple, and creamy hazelnut through to a persistent finish.
The grapes for this wine are sourced from Chardonnay vines planted in 2007 between 1,250 and 1,300 metres above sea level at the Finca La Pampa estate, within the San Pabo geographical indication and Los Arboles, in the Valle de Uco. The planting density is 5,000 vines per hectare and the vines are drip irrigated. The native flora is preserved between the vine rows in order to encourage biodiversity. The vines are trellis-trained, and the alluvial soils are loamy sand with loess deposits and calcium carbonate-encrusted stones.
The grapes were hand-picked and transported to the winery in 400kg bins. Vinification took place using an oxidative method. Clusters were pneumatically pressed, and the must was clarified via static filtration. 40% of the must was transferred to stainless steel tanks and 60% to used French oak barrels where fermentation took place with wild and selected yeasts at 16-20°C for 14 to 20 days. Post-fermentation, the wine was aged on its lees for approximately six months in a combination of oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks. 50% of the wine underwent malolactic conversion which rounded out the palate.
| Vintage | 2024 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.5% |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Valle de Uco |
| Subregion | San Pablo |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 2 |
| Dry/Sweet value | 2 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Screwcap |
Bodegas Salentein is nestled in the picturesque Uco Valley just south of Mendoza. In 1996, Dutch entrepreneur Mijndert Pon purchased the estate in what initially seemed to be a rocky desert. He ambitiously embarked on planting vineyards at high altitudes with the aim of producing ‘wines like no other.’ A year later, construction of the magnificent cross-shaped winery began. The four wings of the landmark winery each ferment the wines before gravity transfers it to the underground cellars. The high-altitude vines are planted at an elevation of between 1,050 and 1,600 metres, against the breathtaking backdrop of the Andes Mountains. At this altitude, the vines benefit from optimal diurnal temperature differences and a diverse terroir in which they flourish. Today, Bodegas Salentein is one of the most admired Argentine wineries - not just in the Uco Valley, but in the world. Their focus is producing terroir-driven wines which express the essence of the Uco Valley, and they do so with great purity and finesse.
