We've worked with a number of trailblazing growers over the years but few are as exciting and talented as PerSe, the maverick team behind some of the most extraordinary wines being produced in Mendoza's Uco Valley. Since receiving back-to-back 100 point scores for La Craie in the Wine Advocate, PerSe's wines have been thrusted onto the global stage and they are now rightly hailed as one of the most important New World projects around, with a long, dazzling future ahead of them.
We had a fascinating Wine Therapy Grower Tasting with founders Edgardo del Popolo (Edy) and David Bonomi during lockdown and it was a real pleasure to host these staggeringly talented winemakers and listen to the stories behind each of their wines. This is cerebral winemaking at its absolute zenith, with each miniscule 0.2-0.5ha plot in Gualtallary obsessively selected for its unique microclimate and terroir, always with the goal of producing the finest cool-climate Malbecs from the region.
United by a shared passion for winemaking, Edy and David launched PerSe in 1995, focusing on the high altitude and low yielding sites of Gualtallary. Their relentless efforts and commitment to excellence have played a significant role in establishing Gualtallary as Argentina's first “Grand Cru” vineyard, recognized by Decanter.
The Wine
The style of winemaking here is captured beautifully by the Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez, who declares “the wines stand out for their candid expression, finesse and transparency, as well as for their tension, energy and depth”. It’s always thrilling to share them with Club Members, as these are a totally different breed of Malbec to what you find on the supermarket shelf!
The best entry-point into the art of PerSe is Inseparable, a newer cuvee which is a favourite with the Honest Grapes team. At the top end are Iubileus and La Craie, extraordinary, ethereal wines that will completely change the way you think about Malbec.
