Mendoza, now the heartland of Malbec, was once a wild frontier roamed by the legendary, brave and unruly Gaucho - the cowboy El Vaquero. Now tamed, this is a rich, aromatic and smooth wine crafted by an independent winery. The Budeguer family have their roots in sugar cane production in the Tucumán region of Argentina. Juan José Budeguer realised his dream to have his own winery when, in 2005, 100ha of land in Maipú was purchased and planted with vines. The first harvest was in 2008 and they began building their own winery in Agrelo, 35km south of Mendoza City, in 2011. Water for irrigation is drawn from a specially constructed reservoir and the Andes, 60-100km away, form an impressive backdrop to the winery. Winemaker Juan Manuel Mallea, previously worked worldwide in wineries from Ribera del Duero to Australia. He has been in charge since the first harvest and 2012 saw Budeguer awarded the accolade of Best New Mendoza Winery.
