Bodega Riglos
Bodega Riglos is an Argentine producer of premium wines based in Gualtallary, in the Tupungato district of the Alto Valle de Uco, in the province of Mendoza. The project began in 2002 with the purchase of land in Gualtallary, and its high-altitude vineyards and single-vineyard wines now reach markets on several continents.
History
The project began in 2002, according to the reference records, under Darío Werthein, who serves as president, and Fabián Suffern, the vice-president. The starting point was the purchase of around 72 hectares in Gualtallary, a locality in the Uco Valley sitting roughly 1,300 metres above sea level. Altitude is one of the defining features of the area, since cool nights and strong sunlight shape how the grapes ripen and the acidity of the wines.
In 2011 Rafael Calderón joined as a partner and chief executive, and the company has since oriented its work towards precision viticulture. The approach aims to understand each sector of the vineyard in order to obtain grapes that are uniform and consistent from one harvest to the next. It is combined with a continuous quality improvement programme and a sustainability philosophy intended to manage the vines while protecting the ecosystem of Finca Las Divas, which lies at the foot of the Andes.
The plantings are divided among five varieties: Malbec on 18 hectares, Cabernet Sauvignon on 9.2, Cabernet Franc on 5.9, Petit Verdot on one hectare and Sauvignon Blanc on 3.36. With an annual output of about 90,000 bottles, the winery sells six wines. They include Riglos Gran Corte, a Malbec-based blend, the Gran range of varietal wines, and the Quinto range, which features Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc.
The most cited milestone came in 2012, when the American magazine Wine Enthusiast named Riglos Gran Corte 2009 its wine of the year. That recognition brought the label wider attention beyond Argentina, and exports became its main channel: 75 per cent of production goes to Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the United States, Denmark, England, Italy, Hong Kong and Uruguay. The remaining 25 per cent is distributed through leading restaurants and wine shops across Argentina.
Culture
Riglos is a young winery, but it belongs to a deeply rooted winemaking tradition. Mendoza is Argentina's main wine-producing province, and the Uco Valley has become one of its most prized areas in recent decades, especially among growers looking for high-altitude vineyards. Within that setting, the winery is part of a generation of projects that put the origin of the vineyard ahead of large-volume production.
Malbec is the grape most associated with Argentine wine abroad, and it sits at the heart of the Riglos range. Riglos Gran Malbec presents it as a varietal, while Riglos Gran Corte relies on a blend, a practice with Bordeaux roots that combines several grape varieties to balance structure, colour and aroma. This approach is common in age-worthy red wines and sits comfortably alongside single-variety bottlings in Mendoza.
The Quinto line adds a Sauvignon Blanc to the offer, showing that the winery does not limit itself to reds. Beyond Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the estate also grows Petit Verdot, a variety often used in red blends for colour and tannin.
In Argentina, Riglos wines are found mainly in restaurants and wine shops, places where drinkers can compare bottles from different regions. Abroad, the presence of the brand in markets such as the United States, Canada and England places it among the Uco Valley wines that reach overseas. Its current presence therefore combines local consumption at the table with an international profile built on exports and critical recognition.