A finely tuned, structured red that offers nuanced notes of black fruit, mocha, tobacco and paprika. Notes of oak and vanilla are nicely integrated with rounded tannins and fresh acidity. The silken texture of the wine floats through to the long and persistent finish.

Bodega del Desierto is owned by the sibling team of Armando and Maria Loson. Located in the La Pampa province of the Alto Valle Rio Colorado, the wines were named 25/5 in honor of the local town and in recognition of the 1810 revolution that led to Argentina's independence from Spain. The strong Patagonian wind and arid desert conditions produce bold red wines and aromatic, delicate whites. At harvest, the grapes are hand-picked and arrive at the winery within an hour to preserve freshness and acidity. Winemaker is Sebastian Cavagnaro works hand in hand with vineyard manager Adrian Barrios and consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs.

Technical notes

The wines are named to commemorate the day that Argentina beof the 25th of May 25/5 La Pampa to honor the town whose terroir and beauty are powerfully expressed in their wines. The town of 25 de Mayo (25th of May) is itself named in recognition of the date that began Argentina’s surge toward independence from Spain.

Producer

Bodega del Desierto (Winery of the Desert) is located in the town of 25 de Mayo, province of La Pampa, on the western border of the desert route to Patagonia, Argentina. The 140 hectares of vineyard are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. The vines are irrigated by a dripping system which is fed from a 35 milllion liter reservoir on the property. The climate is dry, continental with moderate to cool temperatures, a thermal amplitude of 26 degrees celsius and annual precipitations of 220 mm. The vineyard is located at 340 meters above sea level and at 37"45' south latitude, 67"05' west longitude.