Bodegas Luigi Bosca
Bodegas Luigi Bosca is one of the oldest and biggest wine producers in Argentina. The estate is located in Luján de Cuyo, in the region of Mendoza.
The company has belonged to the Arizu family for almost 120 years and has had a key role in Mendoza gaining its recognition, achieving the first Argentine C.D.O., known as the “Lujan de Cuyo” or Controlled Denomination of Origin.
A Taste of Bodegas Luigi Bosca
Bodegas Luigi Bosca was established in the Argentine region of Mendoza in 1901, but its history is rooted back to the 18th century and split across the destinies of two families, one from the Basque Country and the other from Piedmont.
The Arizu family was based in the Basque village of Unzue. In 1890, Leoncio Arizu was part of the massive European immigration that brought to Argentina winemaking skills, decisively contributing to the development of the wine industry in the country. As was common practice for those times, grape varieties were imported from Europe. It would therefore be accurate to say that today’s Argentine vineyards are the result of the old family vineyards of Europe.
Luigi Bosca was from Piedmont, a region in the northwest of Italy that was already famous for its wine industry. Specifically, the Bosca family came from Canelli, a village in the middle of these renowned vineyards, surrounded by glorious appellations, such as Barolo and Barbaresco. It is also alleged that this is the area where sparkling Asti Spumante was first produced.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the joint-venture between these two families has contributed to a legacy that has lasted for almost 120 years and is firmly anchored to tradition. With the oldest vineyard of the estate “Finca de Los Nobles” dating back to 1863, as well as the old family still owning the company after 4 generations, Bodegas Luigi Bosca are still driven to make wines that are considered among the finest expressions of the Mendoza terroir.
In 1989, Bodegas Luigi Bosca had an active role for the creation of the first Argentine C.D.O., the “Lujan de Cuyo” Controlled Denomination of Origin and today the winery is a leading player in the Argentine wine industry, heavily influencing both the local market and those outside its borders. Bodega Luigi Bosca’s wines are often paired with the most iconic gastronomic sites worldwide, as well as served aboard the world’s most exclusive airlines.
Bodegas Luigi Bosca are among the biggest landowners in Argentina. The estate has 8 vineyards, with a total surface of over 700 hectares in planted vineyards in the most privileged areas of Mendoza: Lujan de Cuyo, Maipú and Valle de Uco.
The share allocated for export is over 60% of the total production, with the most important countries being the United States, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The company has also secured a lucrative contract with the world’s most premium airlines.
In terms of grapes, Malbec is the most represented variety, with 40% of the total plantations. Cab Sauvignon (11%) and Chardonnay (7%) are the next most revelant, with the remaining portfolio being shared between Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah, with tiny amounts of others making up the rest.
At Bodegas Luigi Bosca, viticulture is looked after the agronomists and engineers Alberto Arizu and Juan Solas, while winemaking is under the control of Pablo Cúneo and Vicente Garzia’s.
The high altitude of the region means temperatures are much cooler at night time than elsewhere, making viticulture possible in an otherwise sunny, desertic region. The attention to terroir is one of the firmest beliefs at Bodegas Luigi Bosca, with an approach to viticulture and winemaking that is based on biodynamic techniques.
Despite not holding an official certification, the planting system and a non-intrusive approach, which is also facilitated by Mendoza’s low humidity, are state of the art for an estate with vineyards up to 90 years of age.
This is exactly the case for the iconic vineyard Finca de Los Nobles, a plot with sandy loam soil and stones at half depth, ensuring excellent drainage. The vines are planted at a high density of 6,600 per hectare and not treated with chemicals, imparting on these wines a more complex and structured feel than any other vineyard on the estate.
The grapes at Bodegas Luigi Bosca are handpicked and stored in boxes between 18 and 20 kilograms. The stems are removed and grains further selected for. Depending on the wines, ageing takes normally 18 months in new French oak barrels. For Finca de Los Nobles, about half of the wine is kept in stainless steel tanks for fermentation on selected lees, while the other half is aged in new French oak barrels for about 12 months.
After filtering and bottling, the wines are stored at 7°C, in a refrigerated chamber, before release.
Luigi Bosca are known to produce wines that are rich in flavours, yet always with a certain balance of acidity. Their exclusivity makes them highly expensive. Due to the vines’ high altitude, and the low night time temperatures, this has led to a great complexity and depth to the wine.
The Beauty & The Taste has selected for you a 2016 Luigi Bosca Finca Los Nobles Chardonnay, one of the finest titles in the estate catalogue.
