2024 was a vintage with cold and warm weather bouts combined and interspersed. Thanks to our team care and to regenerative agriculture we produced typical colder vintage wines: tense, juicy, and lively. The spring was cold, with several Zonda wind events causing frosts. These conditions led to a slow yet well-fulfilled completion of the phenological process, while posing challenges for the plants to set due to the wind, which also resulted in reduced canopies. The prelude to the harvest was an extensive heat wave that lasted more than 3 weeks, with maximum temperatures reaching around 40°C (104°F) and little thermal amplitude. This increased the sugar content, but at the same time, the pulp did not separate from the seed, yet retaining a very attractive natural acidity. As we approached the final stretch and the harvest, the fruit matured slowly, allowing us to wait and retain a good level of natural acidity and freshness. Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley experienced diverging weather conditions, with significant ripening variation observed between the two areas. The team followed the evolution of the process without respite, tailoring the harvest plot by plot, confirming once more that exceptional wines are indeed crafted in the vineyard.
The grapes come from a pergola-trained vineyard located in Casas Viejas, San Carlos, Uco Valley. The climate of the area is typical of a semi-arid landscape, with hot summers, cool nights and very cold winters with sunny days. The 50-year-old vineyard has deep silt soils with dissolved calcium carbonate.
100% Cabernet Sauvignon handpicked grapes. Early harvest. Use of a sorting table to classify the clusters. Fermentation was carried out in concrete vats for 7 days, with 30% whole cluster and using only indigenous yeasts. Then it was pressed to continue the fermentation process without the grape skins. The temperature throughout the process was 22º C (72°F). It was aged in concrete vats for a minimum of 6 months. No oak aging.
In this new vintage of Cloud, we have chosen a new terroir to source the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, always seeking to rescue the local identity and the ancestral winemaking techniques, while conserving the “Claret” style.
It shows a bright ruby red color. It has an expressive nose, with notes of white pepper, green bell pepper and jalapeño. A second approach on the nose reveals aromas of plum, thyme, black currant, bay leaf and eucalyptus. The palate has an agile entry, with lots of texture and juicy tannins. It is a wine of great drinkability and fluidity, but at the same time has structure and grip on the palate. The finish is long and very fruity. This is an ideal wine to pair with stuffed peppers, wild boar, lamb or rabbit terrines, and soft cured cheeses.
