Piattelli Vineyards Training Presentation

Meet Piattelli: A Training Guide

Your guide to get to know Piattelli Vineyards—the people and the place

that make our wine delicious & memorable.

Piattelli from Budbreak to Bottle: What You Need to Know

1.  Ground Work: Piattelli’s Roots 2.  Budbreak 3.  Growing Season 4.  Harvest & Winemaking 5.  Bottling 6.  Import and International Sales

Ground Work: Piattelli’s Roots

The history of Piattelli and its people.

Rooted in Two Cultures •  Piattelli Vineyards got its start when retired American

businessman Jon Malinski invested in 120 acres of prime Mendoza vineyard land and a winery in the early 2000’s.

•  Valeria Antolin, from a multi-generational winemaking family of Argentina, joined to lead winemaking in 2004.

•  Alejandro Nesman, another Argentine winemaker from a family of winemakers, joined a few years later.

•  Roberto de la Mota—one of the leading Argentine winemakers who has led the way in developing Malbec as a single varietal wine—consults for Piattelli.

Valeria Antolin Principal Winemaker

Alejandro Nesman Lead Winemaker Cafayate, Salta

Roberto de la MotaConsulting Winemaker

Piattelli Winemakers

Piattelli: The Name

•  The Piattelli family arrived in Argentina from Italy in the early 1900’s, bringing with them knowledge of how to work the land. They settled in Mendoza, known for its extraordinary characteristics for the cultivation of grapes. This is how the fist vines of what today is known as Piattelli Vineyards were first planted.

•  We continue to operate as a family winery, taking pride in our craftsmanship and creating the best wine we possibly can – no shortcuts.

Piattelli Family Tradition Continues

“We realized early on that to succeed in our venture meant taking the time to truly care about and understand the people, lands, and customs in Argentina.” –Jon Malinski

“Today the Piattelli team continues keeping the spirit of a family vineyard and family winery, where the most important thing is to make the most of the maximum potential of the terroir. To do this we are sure that it is necessary to pay attention to every single detail in the vineyard as well as in the winery.” –Valeria Antolin



Budbreak

The vineyards, the wineries.

Two Wineries, One Experience

Agrelo, Mendoza

Cafayate, Salta

Bodega Piattelli: Mendoza

•  Location: Lujàn de Cuyo, Agrelo—the best of the best of Mendoza at 940 meters altitude.

•  Land: 48.7 hectares: Finca Cobos, Finca Cochabamba + partner vineyards in Uco Valley.

•  Weather: 300 days of sun; 8 inches of rain per year. Avg thermal amplitude 25°F.

•  Soil: Sandy-silt loamy soils with excellent drainage. Low organic matter. Deep, alluvial soil with small gravel appearing below one meter.

Bodega Piattelli: Salta

•  Location: Cafayate, Salta—gaining reputation as the new “it spot” for wine in Argentina at 1,796 meters altitude, in the world’s highest wine region.

•  Land: 207 hectares: Finca el Chaski & Finca Tres Cruces.

•  Weather: 325 days of sun; 4 inches of rain per year. Avg thermal amplitude 30°F.

•  Soil: Sandy loamy soils & many stones with excellent drainage. Heavy gravel and stones appear at one meter. Low organic and slightly alkaline.

Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo Land of the sun and good wine

Uco Valley Stony soil, very permeable

Cafayate Valley, Salta High elevation, special micro-climate

Piattelli’s Premier Growing Regions



The Growing Season

Unique wine from one of the world’s most perfect regions for wine.

Near-‐Perfect Conditions for Sustainably Grown Grapes

•  High altitude and low humidity for nearly zero pests

•  Pure Andes snowmelt irrigates the vines

•  Huge thermal amplitude swings create highly-concentrated flavor in the grapes

Natural & Organic Growing Methods

•  Piattelli’s Mendoza grapes are USDA certified organic •  Avoid chemical fertilization by using composted

grape byproduct to improve soil •  Use natural alternatives to chemical pesticides •  Conserve water through drip system and surface

irrigation; treat water onsite

Cared for By Hand

•  Spring pruning is done by hand-dropping buds

•  Natural grass is left to grow between rows

•  Irrigation channels from reservoir are maintained by hand, using nearly zero electricity



Harvest & Winemaking

No corners cut during the labor-intensive process of harvesting the

grapes and making the wine.

Choosing the Best Grapes

•  Grapes picked in the cool of the morning by hand & quickly transported to the winery

•  Grapes are hand-sorted then put into cold maceration for optimal flavor & quality

Both Cutting-‐Edge & Ultra Traditional

•  Many different techniques are used for maceration and aging: –  Concrete Eggs –  Small Stainless Tanks –  Oak Barrels for

Fermentation –  Oak Barrels for Aging

•  New & old methods all seek better integration of juice & lees for concentrated flavor & tannins



Bottling

From the barrel and into the bottle, it’s a monumental annual effort

where everyone pitches in.

Bottling

•  Bottling the previous year’s vintage to make way for new wine is one of the most intense processes at the winery each year.

•  Sanitized bottles are pre-filled with nitrogen or carbon dioxide to displace all oxygen.

•  The wine team samples wine every 30 min. •  The work must be done quickly to protect the

wine from heat, light and air – with 20 people working non-stop, it can take up to 15 hours to empty a 25,000 L tank.

Malbec and Torrontés Bottling, 2014

What’s Going into the Bottles

•  As a newer pair of wineries, Piattelli is still ramping up to full production capacity, which ultimately will be 450,000 L in Mendoza & 960,000 L in Salta, by 2016.

•  Mendoza produces Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay

•  Salta produces Malbec, Cabernet, Tannat, Torrontés and Chardonnay

Testing Winemakers Valeria Antolin and Alejandro Nesman meticulously test, taste and document each varietal of each vintage.



Import & International Sales

Taking its place among the great wines gaining enthusiastic fans

around the world.

Reasons to Buy

•  Piattelli offers incredible quality-to-price relationship

•  Bottles are very attractive and elegant on the shelf

•  Wines fit into a variety of lifestyles and generations

World Market Growth

•  In the US, Piattelli’s national distribution is growing rapidly

•  Piattelli is available in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and other South American regions

•  On track to expand to additional markets within 2-3 years

Piattelli Premium Malbec •  Elevation: Grown at 3,200 feet in Lujàn de

Cuyo, Agrelo, Mendoza. •  Water: Irrigated from the Andes •  Harvest: Hand-picked and sorted grapes •  Aging: 8 months in small, second-use French

and American oak barrels •  Production: 15,500 Cases; 100% Malbec •  Tasting Note: A striking, slightly smoky wine

with deep burgundy hue, the fruity bouquet delights the senses and warms the palate with notes of blackberries, blueberries and lavender, lingers with a gentle tannin pull and finishes with subtle flavors of toasted hazelnuts.

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Piattelli Vineyards Training Presentation