Pure & Untouched

Mendoza is truly an extraordinary place. You may sometimes hear it referred to as the “Napa Valley” of Argentina. Though I have a feeling that this common analogy will prove to be short lived, as Mendoza continues to make a name for itself, and more and more people begin to recognize it as its own thriving entity worthy of world-wide attention. Mendoza is responsible for more than 70% of the country's wine production, an impressive number when considering that Argentina is the 5th largest producer of wine in the world. As the world's familiarity with Argentine wine grows, international demand grows with it.

The wines born of this region are world-class quality, and for the most part this place is untouched. It’s still pure. The country’s wine regions spread from the foothills of the Andes Mountains, and all the runoff water from the snowcaps and glacial melt is used for irrigation for the whole region. This is some of the purest water on the planet. And I don’t mind saying that I probably enjoy a glass of Mendoza wine a little more when I think about the incredibly pure water that grew those grapes.

Mendoza has clearly experienced an explosion in popularity over the past decade and the region is ripe with new winery and real estate development. I’ve witnessed it personally; there’s obvious evidence of it everywhere down there, and it’s one of the hottest conversation topics among the locals. Northern California also saw a real estate explosion in the 1980s and the investment analogy couldn’t be clearer. Mendoza real estate prices are currently a fraction of the cost you would find in any other major wine region in the world. Vineyard estate developments are popping up across Mendoza’s landscape; and this is a trend that seems to be rapidly growing in momentum. In fact, I’ll be so bold as to say that I believe we’re one of the trailblazers of this movement.

Bormida & Yanzon

I’m very proud to say that Algodon Wine Estates is one of the premiere wine and golf estates in all of Argentina. It’s also a member of Argentina Wine Hotels and is situated on Mendoza’s “Ruta del Vino” (Wine Trail).

Once we decided to move forward with the homesite offerings, I wanted to make absolutely sure this was done right. We did all kinds of research on master plan artists and architects, and when the smoke finally cleared, the one that most keenly stood out was a Buenos Aires architectural firm named Bormida & Yanzon.

Check out their website here. I imagine you’ll be just as blown away by their work as we were: Click here.

These two are fantastic architects, and they’ve designed wineries all over Mendoza. Some of these designs are truly breathtaking. I feel very fortunate that we were able to secure them to work on this project. While they won’t be building us a winery in the immediate future, they have created the master plan layout which you can see here: Algodon Wine Estates - Master Plan.

- And their design has helped us to determine more clearly defined village sectors within the community that we’re creating. I’ll expand on that later. Have a good evening.

Viñas del Golf

Algodon Wine Estates’ first incarnation was a much smaller-scaled wine and golf resort called Viñas del Golf. We’ve retained the name for the golf course, at present. It was named after José Jurado, who was Argentina’s #1 golfer during the sport’s Golden Age, and is probably the most recognized figure in Argentinean golf history.

José is considered “The father of Argentine Professional Golf.” It’s his grandson, Ricky, who created the estate (with his father, Ricardo) and who is still an active partner and voice in the evolution of the estate. Ricky and his father founded Argentina’s largest golf equipment business and embarked on a personal journey to combine two of their life passions: wine and golf. Thus “Viñas del Golf”; 741 acres (of magnificent landscape!) combining championship golf, world-class boutique wine production, and traditional Mendocinian (I know, it’s a new word for me too. It means “of Mendoza”; as in “Parisian” or “Italian”) structures and agricultural techniques.

Those original 741 acres were eventually increased significantly when my companies partnered with Ricky and purchased adjacent properties, resulting in an increase of vineyards and other cultivatable areas, and an amazing addition of the neighboring desert hills. The expansion brought the total property to over 2,050 acres, and every new parcel offers spectacular views of the Sierra Pintadas as well as of the property itself.

Believe it or not, creating the homesite offerings for this estate was more of an afterthought. Initially, I was thinking; “Wow, this is going to be a fantastic wine & golf resort…” Yet as more and more connecting acreage was purchased, it soon became evident that homesite offerings were the most logical next step. See you next week.

A Fitting Compliment

I truly feel that Algodon Wine Estates, as a resort and vacation experience, is the perfect complement to Algodon Mansion, because it will offer guests the ability to round out their Argentinean experience with the flavor, flair and excitement of Buenos Aires- and the relaxation of a unique wine and golf retreat situated in the majestic beauty of the Andean foothills. What could be better?

It’s exciting too, because I feel that each property serves to create a built-in demand for the other; they’re a great combo. Perhaps more importantly though, I believe that each property will also stand independently as a destination draw from a wide range of international and domestic visitors.

When I reexamine the Algodon tag; “… Algodon conjures a clean and pure appreciation for the good life, a sense of refined culture, and ultimately a destination where the best elements of the illustrious past and the affluent present meet.” - I find these qualities are exemplified by a few pastimes, and notable among them would be the appreciation of fine wine and the pursuits of golf and tennis. The link between wine and golf is so fundamental that a feature article was recently published that explores this connection. It’s a fun read.

See Travel and Leisure Golf, March/April 2007, Reds, Whites and Greens

See you next week. In the meantime, have a great week!

Algodon Wine Estates

I just flew back from business in San Rafael, and realized as I read through these entries that I haven’t mentioned Algodon Wine Estates yet. So, for those of you who don’t know what Algodon Wine Estates is- let me start by saying that as I traveled more broadly in Argentina, particularly to the splendid Mendoza wine region, I stumbled upon what I felt were incredible opportunities:

-opportunities to invest in luxury agrotourism targeted to both Argentinean nationals and international tourists.
-and an opportunity to create an elite, gated, golf course/winery community.

Hence Algodon Wine Estates was born. Now let me just say here on a personal note- this has to be one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. I may even retire there myself one day. In my opinion, it’s not only an incredible investment opportunity for both myself and my business partners, it’s honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.

Here is the real estate tag we use that I think pretty much sums up what Algodon Wine Estates is about:

“Algodon Wine Estates (AWE) is situated in the hills of the Sierra Pintada Mountains at the base of the Andes, in San Rafael, Mendoza. Our stunning Argentine vineyard and golf estate encompasses over 2,050 acres (830 hectares) of picturesque terrain that harmoniously intermingles with multiple golf courses, lush vineyards, fruit and olive orchards, water reserves and channels, and spectacular tree-lined roads. The enormous estate also features a boutique world-class winery and tasting room, a traditional Mendocinian lodge, clubhouse, and an award-winning restaurant. Some of the property’s original structures, whose elegant rustic style adds a certain element of charm and comfort to the estate’s overall character, date as far back as 1921. The vineyard’s oldest vines date back to the 1940s and are comprised of seven varieties of grapes including Malbec; Argentina’s signature varietal. AWE’s surrounding resort and lodge frame this vineyard and golf estate, creating an alluring sanctuary of relaxation and tranquility.”

Period. This place is truly magnificent, and it amazes me that what started out as a boutique winery and golf estate- has become a multimillion-dollar homesite development project that buyers are scrambling to own a piece of. More on Algodon Wine Estates next time.

Let’s get busy!