CARO

CARO was born of the alliance between two wine cultures (French and Argentine), two noble grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec), and two renowned wine families, Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite and Nicolás Catena. Both vignerons since the 19th century, these two powerful organizations have combined their deep knowledge of Mendoza’s high-altitude terroir and the art of winemaking to create a unique portfolio of wines: CARO, Amancaya, and Aruma. Two noble grapes, two families, one dear and elegant portfolio of wines.

CARO grapes come from selected sections of rows within our blocks, where the soil is layered with calcareous deposits as well as limestone, remnants of a river which used to flow through Altamira. A harsh winter followed by a sunny spring triggered an even bud break and enabled full flowering. Good weather was the norm for the rest of the season, with little rainfall and a completely dry month of March. These conditions of sunny and dry days combined with the thermal oscillation between day and night allowed for slow and steady maturation of the grapes, softening the intensity of the tannins whilst preserving a remarkable freshness. On March 25th temperatures dropped again in our high-altitude vineyard but fortunately this cold episode didn’t affect the ripening process, leading to one of the best harvests in the decade.

CARO is made with the utmost care, just like our Bordeaux Grands Crus. CARO grapes come from selected sections of rows where the soil is layered with calcareous deposits as well as limestone, remnants of a river which used to flow through Altamira, and from selected sites in Gualtallary and San Pablo. Grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested. After destemming, they are placed in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for alcoholic fermentation. Maceration lasts for a period of 20 days with gentle pump-over. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in tanks, then the wine is transferred into French oak barrels made by the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac (18% new oak) for a period of 18 months.

The nose reveals aromas of black fruit such as blackcurrant and blueberry. On the palate, the wine exhibits excellent balance, soft tannins confer its elegant structure and persistent freshness contributes to the harmonious finish.