Mendoza’s wineries are offering more than just vino, but fine architecture too. Amanda Barnes takes a peek at the buildings.
Historical bodegasMendoza’s first vineyards appeared in the early 1600s and by the 1800s there were hundreds of wineries in the region, but not for long... The horrendous 1861 earthquake wiped out all but one existing winery: Bodega Gonzalez Videla (in Las Heras). This vineyard still functions today (although not for visits) and shows some of the more traditional characteristics and building processes used in older wineries.
Due to a lack of wood and bricks in the region, wineries (and indeed most buildings) were constructed with adobe bricks – mud mixed with straw – and topped off with a cane roof, packed with more mud on top. Far from being as primitative as it may sound, this common building technique is great for wineries as earth acts as a natural temperature regulator, keeping constant, cooler temperatures inside. Some wineries still choose to restore their buildings in this fashion: Bodega Benegas in Lujan did just this, although this time adding cactus juice to the mix, and at Salentein you can see a series of adobe bricks at different stages of construction.
There are many restorations of old wineries, an important preservation of the region’s historical and cultural heritage. Although red-tape prohibits this now, most historical wineries were multi-functional. At Kaiken in Lujan you can see how the bodega (built in 1930) was originally used for wine making, olive oil production and as an alcohol and cognac distillary as well as a metal basher and for the extraction of tartic acid. Although Kaiken only makes wines now, it offers a glimpse into this history and multi-purpose design. Other historical restorations worthy of attention are La Rural (for its museum of old technology), Alta Vista and Trapiche.
Moving underground
Although Mendoza’s extensive thermal amplitude is great for the vines, it isn’t for the wines, and so in the 19th century wineries in Mendoza started to build their first underground cellars to keep the wines cooler – provoking a dramatic rethink of architectural design (although not always evident from outside).
Although almost all wineries have an underground cellar, one winery took it one step further: Dolium – the first completely underground winery. Italian-born engineer Mario Giadorou bought vines in Lujan as a retirement project. Despite knowing little about wine, he had an innovative vision for his vineyard from the outset – basing it completely underground. Taking its name from the latin for amphora (a ceramic wine vase Ancient Greeks used to store in the ground) Dolium modernised this traditional technique by taking the entire operation below ground level (and brand new technology with it) and packed the land back on top. Built in 1997 six meters deep, the bodega was designed with functionality and simplicity in mind. Using innovative ramps and slopes, it keeps the process in a smooth, streamline direction (to minimise mechanic handling). All that remains above ground are the laboratories overseeing the whole process.
Mario recruited the help of the young architecture firm Bormida & Yanzon (who would later become Argentina’s leading winery architects) to map out his vision and construct their first landmark winery.
One other Argentine winery made an unusual discovery while working its way underground: the remains of a dinosaur. Schroeder, in Neuqúen, came across the remains of a 12 metre long, 16 ton, 95 million-year-old Titanosaur – the largest of its species ever known. Paleontologists were then called in to supervise the fossil extraction and tourists can see a copy of the fossils in the cellar of the winery, which produces a wine named after their discovery - Saurus.
Showcase wineries
In recent years, Uco Valley (90 minutes south of Mendoza city) has afforded space and resources to create some big, bold and unusual wineries. Argentine architects Eliana Bórmida and Mario Yanzón (B&Y) have changed the face of Mendoza’s bodegas with their functional, Brutalist designs:
O Fournier is other-wordly. Its futuristic shape excites archophiles but perhaps has limited appeal for those looking for something ´pretty´. The real beauty in the concrete, steel and glass construction lies in its functionality and innovation. The multi-tiered Uco Valley winery uses one of nature’s greatest assets to its benefit: gravity. A continuous gravity flow system minimises the use of pumps and works in a downward progression: the top level is the reception and harvest area, the second level for fermentation and finally down to the cellar for ageing. This wine circuit is deeply efficient, however a tourist circuit incorporates the more aesthetically pleasing qualities of the construction: a stunning restaurant overlooking a reflective lake and the breathtaking Andes, an atmospheric cellar-cum-art-gallery and a prominant cross shape to the bodega which is symbolic of the Southern Cross. A fascinating winery which is architecturally sexy, in a star trek kind of way.
If O Fournier works in a vertical direction, Septima has been designed to work horizontally. Another B&Y brainchild, this Lujan winery is designed on a conveyer belt principle – the grapes enter from one end and travel the length of the winery to exit as bottles of wine at the other. The production line is (as in Dolium) all on one level using ramps to enable easier flow. It is all above ground but temperature control comes from only southward facing windows (away from the sun) and the use of stone walls. With a nod back to history, Septima uses traditional pirca techniques (the same used in Machu Picchu). The large rocks from southern Mendoza (some of which also have fossils - this time of fern) create a design that keeps the inside a constant 15 degrees and tries to blend in with the landscape. Atamisque in Tupungato is another B&Y-designed vineyard to use stones in this way.
And finally, Salentein. Surely one of B&Y’s most biggest achievements, this Dutch owned winery in Valle de Uco has not only two bodegas, but also a restaurant, a pousada, an art gallery, a sculpture garden and even a chapel. Salentein’s design is geared towards the wine experience of the visitor. Killka is in the centre of the plot and, although it may look like an airport lounge from the outside, inside it feels as if you have stepped into a sculpture – glass, stone, cement and open air play with space and light and the restaurant has a glorious panorama of the mountains.
But the most interesting spaces are the bodega and the chapel at opposing ends. Along with tourism, another focus of Salentein’s construction is nature. The minimalist chapel was intended to thank the Deity for the natural blessings of the land and is constructed of mud bricks to reflect this. On the outer wall there is a sculpture depicting the Last Supper and, of course, the parable of Jesus turning water into wine. Although the chapel is used for church services, it is actually the bodega which feels perhaps more sacred. Dubbed the ‘wine cathedral’, the winery is very compact and utilitarian but the cellar in the centre is beautifully atmospheric. A large compass resembles the Greek cross and is symbolic of the Jesuits who lived on the land centuries ago. As you walk into the barely lit tasting room with long marble tables you could be forgiven for thinking you were about to take communion. A wholly complete experience.
Architecturally fantastic wines
This time we are talking about the architecture inside the bottle. Here are some of our recommended wines from the bodegas listed:
Dolium Gran Reserva Malbec – A legend in the making, if not already. Voted Best South American Wine 7 years in a row and still has great aging potential. Exemplary and outstanding malbec if you can get your hands on it.
Salentein, Pinot Noir – Salentein is doing the best Pinot in Mendoza, get the delicious Primus if you can otherwise go for the Reserva.
B Crux, O Fournier – Great value Temperanillo-based blend from the Spanish winery.
Kaiken Ultra, Cabernet Sauvignon – A big, yet elegant Cabernet bursting with blackcurrant and cherry.
Dolium Petit Reserva Sauvignon Blanc – Retains the fresh citrus and herbs of a sauvignon but the oak gives it creamy undertones and depth.
