In 2005, after a vacation in Mendoza and falling in love with the place, Michael Evans returned to found The Vines of Mendoza. It all started with a dozen friends buying land in the Uco Valley to grow, and make, their own Malbec. While many regions in the world were economically inaccessible for small vineyard owners, Michael saw the opportunity for wine lovers to become vineyard owners, and winemakers, there at the feet of the Andes. Sixteen years later, The Vines has 243 independent vineyard owners and makes over 300 unique wine labels every year from Malbec to Cabernet Franc, Merlot and even Michael’s own Zinfandel plantings. The Vines of Mendoza has grown into a whole world of its own with a luxury resort & hotel, along with a ‘village’, and community, of many of the region’s best winemaker’s pioneering their personal projects there. If you ever fantasized about owning a vineyard, this episode will take you behind-the-scenes and indulge your curiosity from grape-to-glass.
In this episode we talk about:
• Why Michael fell in love with Mendoza
• How he turned his dream of going from wine lover to winemaker a reality in Argentina
• What it’s really like to own a vineyard: the many details involved from farming to vinification to wine labels and exporting.
• How to get deeper into wine and really understand your own palate–translating taste.
• How The Vines has expanded to move into hospitality as one of the best hotels in Argentina and South America
• The Vines newest expansion and project that is taking owners around the world to craft wines
• Tips for exploring the Uco Valley along with a few favorite Argentine wines
Resources:
The Vines of Mendoza
Uco’s Playground (Michael Evan’s own label of wines)
The Vines
