Casarena Areyna Malbec Lujan De Cuyo Mendoza Argentina 2017 (750ml)

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

Ripe dark berries and plums with a fresh, lithe and juicy edge of fine, fresh tannins on offer. This has a wealth of approachable fruit. Drink or hold.  James Suckling

 

Chasing A Wine Dream…Casarena

 

The dream of Caserana began with a simple idea, to become experts on Agrelo & Perdriel terroirs, with the ultimate goal to achieve wine showing the true essence of our vineyards in Lujan De Cuyo

 

Areyna

 

Areyna marks a moment in time in the evolution of the Lujan De Cuyo wine region.  With newly discovered vineyard sites and inspiring energy, Areyna sparks the modern chapter of this regions’s traditional past to unleash its full potential

 

Casarena Areyna Malbec

 

Lujan De Cuyo Mendoza Argentina 2017

 

Vintage:  2017

 

Country:  Argentina

 

Region:  Mendoza

 

Appellation:  Lujan de Cuyo

 

Wine Type:  Red

 

Varietals:  Malbec

 

Vineyard:  20-25 year old vines

 

Orientation:  3,000 feet on average for altitude

 

Soil:  Alluvial gravels, sand, clay and stones

 

Vinification:  Fermented in concrete tanks with wild yeasts.

 

Aging:  Aged in the concrete tanks for 6 months

 

Production:  1,500 cases imported

 

 

Casarena

 

• Casarena is a producer grower based in the Lujan de Cuyo that practices organics in the vineyards.

 

• They do grow Malbec, but their main focus is really Cabernet.

 

• While Malbec is the most famous wine from Argentina, it is Cabernet that put Argentina on the world wine map.

 

• The Cabernet that shocked the world comes from a vineyard owned by Casarena and now named "Owen's".

 

Casarena is forging a different path from the other wineries in Mendoza.  Instead of searching for undiscovered terroirs in new places like the Uco Valley, it is discovering the hidden gems in its home region of Lujan de Cuyo - a place full of rich tradition, potential, and unique micro - terroirs.  Casarena has purchased as well as planted vineyards in several distinctive sites, and they control all aspects of winegrowing and winemaking in order to maximize the flavor expression of these terroirs.

 

The name “Casarena” is a creative merging of the Spanish words “casa” (house) and “arena” (sand), and is a tribute to their restored 1930s winery made of sand-colored stone and the sandy soil that their estate is built on.  Young and innovative winemaker Leandro Azin leads the charge with determination, creativity, and an enthusiastic sense of discovery.

 

Casarena Winery and Vineyards

 

At only 20 minutes from the City of Mendoza, this viticulture project began in 2007 after the full restoration of a century-old winery that still preserves its façade.  It is now exclusively focused on the making of Premium wines.

Casarena Winery and Vineyards is a viticulture project that honors the rich tradition of Agrelo and Perdriel, in Luján de Cuyo, two of the best terroirs in Mendoza.  For this reason, the preservation of the plants that are the origin of the viticulture industry in Mendoza is our main concern.  At 945 meters (3100,39 ft) above sea level in the High Valley of the Mendoza River, these superb designations are home to some of the oldest and most precious vineyards in the province.

Casarena is located in the heart of Perdriel, in the building of a century-old winery, built in 1937, fully renovated for this project. The different properties in Luján de Cuyo were chosen according to their different geographical situations as for height, orientation and soil composition.

Each vineyard soil was thoroughly surveyed so all possible expressions of the same varietal in a nearby area could be shown.  Casarena has four strategically located estates: Jamilla, Naoki, Owen and Lauren.

Casarena Winery and Vineyards stands for the supremacy of a region that expresses itself from the historic vines thanks to the work of great professionals that interpret them.  All the dimensions of Luján de Cuyo, the perfect region to create wines with identity.

Capacity & Technology

 

The building preserves the original structure; it was fully renovated and adapted for the operation of a state-of-the-art winery that combines the best of traditional elaboration procedures with the latest technological innovations.  It has a processing area equipped with pioneering French technology, different presses for white and red wines, pumps, destemmer, and for the selection of grapes phase, a double gravitational table that prevents the damage and rupture of skins.  A rise in temperature is thus avoided and whole and healthy berries reach the fermentation vessels, ensuring health, cleanliness and varietal purity.

At present, the winery has a capacity of 650.000 liters in concrete vats coated with epoxy and equipped with a heating and cooling system that helps preventing temperature changes during the fermentation process.  It also has 175.000 liters capacity in stainless steel tanks and an expressly designed room to hold 400 French and American oak barrels with controlled temperature and a programmable humidity system to preserve the wood quality.