Graffigna WineryI recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ignacio Lopez of Graffigna Wines. This winery is located in San Juan, Argentina, which is a dynamic and beautiful region producing some stunning wines. Graffigna has over 145 years of winemaking tradition, and when you taste these wines, you certainly get a taste of passion as well as innovation in every single bottle. The history of the winery is a mix between the history of Argentina and also the drive of an Italian immigrant, who arrived in San Juan with a clear objective to discover new wine terroir.

“The Winery was founded in 1870 by Santiago Graffigna in the province of San Juan. Santiago was a true entrepreneur as well as an innovator and risk-taker who gave everything in order to achieve his goals. In 2009, Graffigna was recognized as “Winery of the Year” in the USA by the Critics Challenge and Graffigna Centenario became the most awarded Malbec in 2007-2008. Moreover, in 2010 Graffigna Centenario & Grand Reserve Malbec wines received 90 Points by Robert Parker.” -GraffignaWines.com

Graffigna WineryI tasted with Ignacio a bit ago for International Malbec Day, where I tasted the Centenario Malbec and Santiago Graffigna Malbec. The Graffigna Centenario line has a range of wines including malbec, cabernet sauvignon, a red blend, and pinot grigio. This I found quite interesting, but given the Italian history entwined in the Argentinian wineries history, I absolutely embrace it and think it’s what makes this winery unique, exciting, and innovative. The malbec expresses deep aromas and stays true to the Graffigna WineryArgentinian malbec style with bold flavors of cherry, plum, cooked fruit, and spice. This wine is lovely and has great concentration and a long finish. As for the Santiago Graffigna Malbec, this wine is a tribute to the founder of the winery and is the finest expression of the wineries terroir. This wine is iconic and is a blend of the very best Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes from selected vineyards in San Juan’s Pedernal Valley. This beauty is also aged in new oak barrels for 18 months, producing a fruit forward, bold, and complex yet elegant wine.

Sip malbec much? If so, and you haven’t tried Graffigna wines yet I absolutely recommend giving them a try. These wines pair beautifully with charcuterie, grilled meats, grilled vegetables, and can even compliment cigars too!