Finca Don Eugenio, Viñedos La Consulta and Adelante Malbec — La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Finca Don Eugenio, Viñedos La Consulta and Adelante Malbec — La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Finca Don Eugenio and Adelante Malbec: Legacy Restored.
This story begins in 1946, when Italian immigrant Eugenio Gioachini planted a Malbec vineyard in La Consulta in the Uco Valley of Mendoza, Argentina. He built a family home on the land and, with his wife, raised four daughters and a son. For decades Don Eugenio tended the vines with quiet dedication, working the vineyard until his death at the age of ninety. Each harvest he loaded his truck with grapes and delivered them to a local cooperative; though no wine was bottled under his name, the vineyard became a lasting family legacy, honored with the name Finca Don Eugenio.
In 2005 the property was acquired by Viñedos La Consulta who immediately felt a deep connection to the history embedded in the soil. They recognised not only a vineyard in need of care but an opportunity to rescue an overlooked treasure and to reveal the true character of wine from this place. The vines were over-cropped and the canopy unbalanced, so the new stewards began a painstaking revitalisation: installing posts and wires, training canes, and lifting the fruit zone to improve airflow, reduce mould risk, and keep grape temperatures cooler.
The early years required patience and persistence. Soil nutrition was rebuilt, pruning became more deliberate, crop loads were controlled, and invasive grasses were removed - all while preserving the traditional flood irrigation fed by Andean snowmelt. These interventions, guided by respect for the land’s past, steadily restored the vineyard’s health and yielded a rebirth. By 2012 everything was in place to support the first vintage of Adelante Malbec, a single vineyard wine that has established a position in the markets of the United States and Western Europe.
Today the estate tends 79-year-old vines that are organically certified and produce wines expressive of La Consulta’s distinctive terroir. At the heart of the winery’s philosophy is vine health: a balanced vine produces balance in the glass, giving wines that are fresh, concentrated, and vibrant without heaviness. The vineyard is divided into three sections — north, centre, and south — each with distinct soils and water retention; practices are adapted accordingly, using a mix of Guyot and Cordon trellising. Green harvesting controls yields and advances ripening, with the aim of crafting wines around a refined 13.5% alcohol.
While neighbouring vineyards are often replanted with new clones, Viñedos La Consulta is committed to preserving its original identity. Replanting follows traditional methods - layering, arch grafting, and growing from cuttings - choices that are more costly and labour-intensive but that safeguard the vineyard’s singular character and the Adelante Malbec that now carries its story forward.
The winery’s future is rooted in its past. By honouring Don Eugenio Gioachini’s work and embracing sustainable practices, Viñedos La Consulta ensures its vines, soils, and spirit will continue to thrive. Every bottle from the estate stands as a testament to resilience, tradition, and the belief that great wine begins with respect for the land and its stewardship.
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