2023 Alfredo Roca Fincas San Rafael Malbec

Color : Red color with blackish tones. Nose : Nose reminiscent of cherry and red fruit. Its oak aging complex provides sweet and toasted notes. Palate : Wine harmonic soft and round tannins, silky texture and elegant.
Try with barbeque and red meats.

About the producer

The Roca family has been producing wine in Mendoza for four generations and currently farms vineyards in San Rafael, the southernmost province of Mendoza. At altitudes of 800 meters (2,600 feet!) above the sea level, Roca’s vineyards produce distinctly cool-climate wines. In 1912, the Roca family’s ancestors came from Spain and Italy, settled in San Rafael, and started working with what they knew best: the vineyards. Mostly, they planted Malbec; they knew that it adapted perfectly to the area.

In 1976, enologist Alfredo Roca fulfilled his dream of having his own winery where he could use the grapes grown in the family’s vineyards. Today, Alfredo and Gladys Roca’s three children work in the family business. Son Alejandro Roca is President and winemaker. Daughter Graciela Roca works in marketing and communications, and daughter Carolina Roca specializes in exports and management. The company’s motto, “Family Dedication, Wines with Soul” summarizes their family’s values and commitment.

The Rocas own three farms: Finca Los Amigos, Farm Santa Herminia and Finca La Perseverancia. Finca Los Amigos is in the northeast of San Rafael, district Cuadro Nacional. It has a planted area of ​​10 ha (25 acres). It contains 40-year-old Bonarda vines and 60-year-old Malbec and Cabernet vines. Farm Santa Herminia is in the southeast of San Rafael, in the City district. The vineyard is 44 ha (108 acres), with an average of 15-year-old vines. The varietals planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Merlot and Chardonnay. The 8-acre parcel of Pinot Noir (Finca Santa Herminia), south-facing and on iron-red soils, is 3,000 ft above sea level, and could very well be the coolest parcel in all of Mendoza! Finca La Perseverancia is northeast of San Rafael, in the National Box district. With a total of 55 ha (135 acres) planted, 55% of them were planted during the 1940s and 1950s. In the last 10 years, new vineyards have also been cultivated. The terroir is dominated to the West by the Cordillera de los Andes, to the North by a desert zone, to the East by the plain and to the South by the Payunia of Malargüe.

Due to their location at the foot of the Andes Mountain Range, the vineyards are irrigated with meltwater from the Diamante River. A low amount of rain, intense sun and cool nights are characteristics of the climate, which allows for slow ripening of the grapes. These conditions differentiate the wines and are reflected in the intense colors, in the great expression of aromas and complexity of flavors. Their Quality Management System is certified to ISO 9001-2008.

Quality is the singular focus at Roca. Purely an Estate Winery, they buy neither grapes nor wine and bottle everything they grow. Alfredo Roca’s father held degrees in both viticulture and enology, so does Alfredo, and so does Alfredo’s son Alejandro. The family knows that only personal hands-on oversight, from planting to bottling, can assure the quality they demand.