Bodega Urqo Palo Santo Cabernet Franc opens with a nose of goji berry, pencil shavings and tomato plant. On the palate it's juicy, structured and bright, with texture and a gently grippy finish characteristic of its Los Chacayes provenance in the high Uco Valley. Bright red in colour, with aromas of bell pepper and red fruits typical of Cabernet Franc. Subtle spicy notes from oak ageing add complexity. The palate confirms the aromatic promise of the nose, delivering good acidity and a balanced, elegant finish. Food match Sundried tomato linguine, aged hard cheese and the caramelised corners of a perfectly cooked fillet steak.

About the Producer

Not far from the mountain town of Tupungato, the Urquia family have invested in 300 hectares of desert soils shadowed by the immensity of the Argentine Andes. The winery's name, Urqo, elegantly merges the family's surname and the Uco Valley. Urqo's vineyards spread across Los Chacayes and Tupungato districts and benefit from this raw exposure. The high UV and the mean, sandy soils of the desert environment are ideal for producing characterful fruit. The bodega itself is minimalist, a clean white structure designed, in simple terms, to best convey the essence of these grapes.

The wine labels reflect owner Loli Urquia’s deep respect for the earth’s natural energies. Alongside young Uruguayan winemaker Leo Pisano, the small team are overseen by the consultative presence of affable local legend Daniel Pi. Their collaborative efforts yield wines with the aromatic purity of the Andean air and a pronounced mineral quality. This energy and perfume belies the austerity in which they are grown.

Respect, care, and grow is the vision of Bodega Urqo. They want to carry forward the ideas of environmental care, renewable energy, good practices and of caring for people, in everything they do both in the winery and on the farm. They work organically in the vineyard with formal organic certification on the horizon for some labels.

Vineyard and Winery

El Mirador Estate: Located in Los Chacayes; with an average altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level. This soil is of alluvial origin, with low fertility and good drainage, containing sand and stones with calcareous deposits. The grapes are trained on high trellis with equidistant vertical shoots and drip irrigation. They are chilled once they get into the winery before they go into a pre fermentation maceration process for 2 days. Fermentation process takes place and then a third of the juice is separated and goes into French oak, while the remaining volume stays in stainless steel tanks for 12 months before blending and bottling.