A little history...
Federico Benegas Lynch inherited a very particular family passion, winemaking. He was born and grew up in the Bodega "El Trapiche", Benegas Hermanos SA. Winery that he founded in 1883, the great-grandfather of Federico Benegas Lynch, Don Tiburcio Benegas, who was governor of the Mendoza province. Faced with the economic crisis that the province was going through, which in those years was a producer of alfalfa and wheat, Don Tiburcio had the vision that Mendoza should be a great producer of fine wines worldwide (until that moment during the 19th century they had between 500 and 2,000 hectares of vineyards planted) In addition, he not only focuses on his project, but also encourages other growers to incorporate new techniques and plant fine varieties,
distributing the stakes that he had brought from France to anyone who wanted to plant vines. Don Tiburcio becomes one of the most important personalities of the viticulture of 19th century America with Agoston Haraszthy in California and Silvestre Ochagavia in Chile.
At the beginning of the '70s, as the Argentine wine industry was immersed in a crisis, the shareholders who controlled the family company Benegas Hnos. decide to dissolve El Trapiche, and all assets are sold separately: the “Trapiche” brand was sold without the assets vineyards or the winery, the winery is demolished and sold in lots.
Federico's father continued in the wine business, with the Federico Benegas brand. Federico is always kept by his side, sharing the same passion.
On his mother's side, Federico is also a great-grandson of Edmond J.P. Norton, founder of Bodega Norton.
Federico grew up accompanying his father in making wines in El Trapiche. Behind the dissolution of the company, he goes to live in Buenos Aires. But his passion for Mendoza and for wine made him return to recover the family legacy. This is how in 1999 he has the opportunity to buy Finca Libertad, an old vineyard planted by his great-grandfather Don Tiburcio, which was the basis of the project to return to producing excellent wines, the BENEGAS wines.
Two years later he buys an old winery located in Luján de Cuyo, a relic of the old Mendoza city and historical heritage, built in 1901 by another Mendoza governor, Jacinto Alvarez. It took Federico 5 years to complete the restoration while maintaining the architecture 19th century, with adobe walls with iron and brick columns, but incorporating the most modern technology.
In this way, Federico begins the production of his high-quality wines under the concept of French "chateaux", Where the key to making excellent wines is, few quantities and being the owner of the winery and vineyards.
In 2000 the first harvest was made, which was marketed under the name of Bodega Benegas. Federico brought from Bourdeaux Daniel Llose, Lynch Bages winemaker, Pichon Longeville Baron and Cantenac Brown and after that, he continued working with Michel Rolland until March of 2012. Since July 2012 and for several years the consultant of the Winery has been the prestigious winemaker Paul Hobbs.
Benegas Winery
The trip to the winery itself is an experience from the beginning. Touring an area that was the start of viticulture in Mendoza. The so-called First Zone.
When arriving at the winery we find ourselves at the gates of a unique experience that you will not forget, we recommend it widely. In the next few hours we will travel through the past of the wine of the new world but we will enjoy, as a result of the development in quality, the wine of the 21st century.
The Benegas Winery is located in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza Province, 20 minutes from the Mendoza city (capital). The building is one of the few relics of ancient Mendoza
When entering this Relic it is impossible not to feel the magic and mysticism of knowing yourself immersed in the history of wine and Mendoza. It is decorated inside with period furniture and old implements used in viticulture. In addition to having an extensive collection of ponchos from different parts of the country. It has a large wooden table 10 meters long, symbolism of the old family tables with a large number of diners.
The production area has 80 cement basins, of between 2000 and 20,000 liters. The total capacity is 900,000 liters, although currently only a part is used with the objective to use full capacity in the future.
The cellar is underground and is 8 meters deep with stone walls.
Moisture is maintained at 60 to 70% and the temperature varies slowly from 13ºC in winter to 17ºC in summer naturally so the atmosphere is not ionized.
The stowage capacity of 225L barrels is 1,200 units. It currently has more of 350 barrels, to which new ones are added every year, always made of French oak.
The old underground cement sinks were remodeled and today they are the ideal space to stow 120,000 bottles, allowing the evolution of the wine until it is ready to go to the market.
For the elaboration of their wines they use 100% of their own grapes from Finca Libertad and Finca La Encerrada. This knowledge of the Terroir and the quality control of the vineyards allows them maintain their style and homogeneity in the elaboration of their wines.
The harvest is manual and the bunches are transported to the winery in small plastic boxes of 20 kg. The harvest time of each variety and for each style of wine is made by grape tasting, is a purely sensory method that Federico performs together with his collaborators of him. Upon arrival at the winery, a temperature control is carried out and the boxes are kept if necessary. in a cold chamber, and then move on to the manual selection tables that will help to eliminate grape residues, leaves and grains not suitable for the quality of your wines.
After the two selection tables, the berries go directly to the concrete basins, where the fermentation and maceration processes will begin. First, a cold maceration is carried out in order to enhance the primary aromas of the vine. To begin the alcoholic fermentation, the temperature is raised to an average of 24 ° C / 75 ° F and selected yeasts are added. Parallel to the traditional maceration by the term of 2 to 4 weeks according to the type of wine to be made.
Vineyards
As we are informed, the winery has two large vineyards. One in Stone Cross, department of Maipú, and another in Gualtallary, department of Tupungato in the south of the Province, the so-called Uco Valley area.
Finca Libertad:
Located on the High Coast of the Mendoza River, in Cruz de Piedra, Maipú, Province of Mendoza, 850 masl (2780 ft).
The great thermal amplitude characterizes this micro-region. During late summer and early fall the days are very warm, which allows the Cabernet Sauvignon to reach an excellent maturity, but the nights are very cool. The cold mountain air drifts down the river bed and it gets into the "funnel" that in this area form the mountains of Lunlunta and the river bed. This air fresh spreads around the area near the river and this makes it one of the largest thermal amplitudes of the country. This allows to obtain grapes of great concentration, very good tannins ripe, but preserving very good acidity, thus resulting in elegant, round and balanced.
Finca Libertad is made up of 40 hectares / 100 acres. These are part of the 250 hectares / 625 acres corresponding to the costa del alto Río Mendoza that is born in Blanco Encalada, at west, and ends at Cruz de Piedra, to the east. Mendoza has 240,000 hectares planted which means that 1 out of every 1000 are on the costa del alto Río Mendoza.
There, in addition to the benefit of the climate, the soils have large amounts of pebbles, with a lot of gravel and clay where the vine is demanded at its end and the roots reach up to 5 meters in depth in search of water and nutrients.
Among the varieties planted, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are the most surface area, but we also have Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Some plots date from the late 19th or early 20th century. Part of the Cabernet Franc was planted in 1899 and is one of the oldest in the world. The Cabernet Sauvignon dates from 1935. Sangiovese 1935. Syrah 1956. Malbec 1956 and Merlot 1956. Some plots have been replanted between 1999 and 2002, also adding the Petit Verdot.
100% is planted on loam with a density of 5,500 plants per ha. The vineyards ancient ones come from pre-phyloxylic material. It is irrigated with a furrow and flood system that in Highly permeable soils allow water to go very deep. The driving system is Low trellis, except for the Syrah which is planted in vineyard. The entire lower vineyard is protected with anti-hail mesh.
All these characteristics make Finca Libertad a unique terroir in the world.
Finca La Encerrada:
After several years of exploring different areas, Bodega Benegas acquired in 2010 this farm of 40 hectares / 175 acres.
Located in the Valle de Uco in the upper part of the Gualtallary district, Tupungato, at 1450 masl (4750 ft) This micro-region is today one of the two most valued areas from Mendoza for the quality of its Malbec.
The soil is composed of a fine layer of sand, then it is pure stone and clay. The weather desert, with more than 300 days of sun and the great thermal amplitude favor the development balanced of polyphenols and acidity, giving wines of great freshness and elegance. Thank you to your climate and soil conditions, wines of intense colors, very fresh, with aromas of flowers are achieved and fruits, great body and elegance.
There are currently 20 ha (50 acres) planted, mostly Malbec over 15 years old, as well as also Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Merlot. During 2012, 20 ha were planted (50 acres) more of Malbec to accompany the growth of the Winery's sales.
Wines:
It has 4 lines of wines, Familia, Estate, Single Vineyard e Benegas Lynch
Familia Line:
- - The Familia line is made up of wines with excellent fruit expression and typicality varietal. These wines are named after the sons of Federico Benegas Lynch: Clara (Chardonnay), Carmela (Cabernet Franc Rose), Luna (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Juan (Malbec). Characterized by its fresh, smooth and elegant fruit with an excellent ratio price / quality. Wines that surprise for their intensity, roundness, balance and elegant smell. The reds have been aged for 4 months in French oak barrels
Estate Line:
- For its part, the Estate line seeks the perfect balance between fruit, acidity and tannins. They are elegant, complex and persistent wines. This line presents three varietals (Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) and Don Tiburcio, a Blend made up of five strains (50% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot) Aged for 8 months in French oak barrels
Single Vineyard Line:
- - If we are looking for a little more quality, we come to the Single Vineyard line that expresses the particular characteristics of each unique vineyard. They are wines of high intensity and structure, with excellent body, ripe and sweet tannins; long in the mouth. Count on six different wines: Malbec comes from the best terroir of Finca La Encerrada, at just like the Pinot Noir that is made on one hectare of said farm. The Cabernet Sauvignon is 3.5 hectares like Sangiovese 2.2 hectares, they come from vineyards planted in 1935; the Syrah was planted in 1956 being 2.5 hectares. Adds a Blend made up of Cabernet Sauvignon (1935) *, Cabernet Franc (1899) * and Merlot (1956) *, all of these come from Finca Libertad.
(* year the vines were planted)
Benegas Lynch Line:
- Finally we reach the maximum expression of quality in the wines of the winery, thecalled icon wines. This is the Benegas Lynch line.
They are Icon wines. The best expression of the terroir of its vineyards.
Made with the best grapes from selected plots, with low yields per hectare. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months. This line has three expressions. Malbec from Finca La Encerrada (1935); Cabernet Franc comes from old vineyards planted in 1899 by Don Tiburcio Benegas and a Blend composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (planted in 1935), Cabernet Franc (planted in 1899), Merlot (planted in 1956) and Petit Verdot (planted 2001) at Finca Libertad. Unique wines, of limited production; made only in the best vintages.
Galery:
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| Barrel Room |
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| Centennial Vines |
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| Cavas |
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| Bottles in Cavas |
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| Soil Finca Libertad |
Information:
Source: Benegas Winery
Site: www.benegaswinery.com
Address: Araoz 1600 Mayor Drummond (5507) LUJÁN DE CUYO - MENDOZA - ARGENTINA
Turism: Juliana e Juan Pablo
Guides visits with reservation from second to Saturday from 9am to 5pm / Sundays from 9am to 1pm Cell phone and WhatsApp: +54 9 2616 083470
We highly recommend your visit to enjoy this Benegas Experience. Special thanks to the excellent attention of Juliana and Juan Pablo, in charge of making your visit a memorable one.
Until next time.
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