Matias Riccitelli Sobre Suelos Calcareos Chardonnay 2023

Region and Vineyards

This Chardonnay is crafted from vineyards located in Gualtallary, within the Uco Valley of Mendoza, Argentina. These vineyards are situated at an altitude of 1,450 meters above sea level, where the cool, continental climate helps to preserve the natural acidity of the grapes. The soils are predominantly calcareous, which imparts a distinct minerality to the wine.

The vines were planted in the late 1960s, and their maturity allows for lower yields and greater concentration of flavor. The vineyards are cultivated using sustainable farming practices, with no herbicides or synthetic products, ensuring a natural and pure expression of the terroir.

Winemaking

The  Sobre Suelos Calcareos Chardonnay is made with hand-harvested grapes, ensuring that only the best fruit is selected. A pre-fermentation maceration lasting five days is conducted to enhance aromatic complexity. The fermentation takes place in concrete eggs at a low temperature of 14-16°C, which helps to preserve the fresh, bright characteristics of the Chardonnay.

The wine is aged for eight months in the same concrete eggs used for fermentation. The winemaking process is minimalist, with no fining or filtration, to retain the purity and texture of the wine. The resulting wine has an alcohol level of 12.5%, an acidity of 6.9 g/L, and a residual sugar content of 1.9 g/L.

Tasting Notes

• Aroma: The Sobre Suelos Calcareos Chardonnay offers a vibrant nose with citrus notes, primarily lemon and lime, alongside hints of mineral and a touch of salinity.
• Palate: On the palate, this wine is fresh and well-balanced, with an impressive mineral-driven depth. It showcases a light carbonation, a saline edge, and a refreshing citrus finish. The wine is bright and quenching, with no excessive creaminess, making it a refreshing and digestible white wine.

Did You Know?

The Sobre Suelos Calcareos Chardonnay is designed in a style similar to Chablis, offering a non-oaked profile that emphasizes freshness and minerality. This approach is relatively rare for Argentina, where richer, oaked Chardonnays are more common. The result is a truly unique wine that stands out in the region for its cold-climate expression and focus on purity.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Oysters on the half shell: The bright acidity and saline notes of the wine complement the briny freshness of oysters.
• Ceviche: The wine’s citrus profile pairs beautifully with the tangy and fresh flavors of ceviche.
• Goat cheese salad: The wine’s minerality and crispness provide a great balance to the creaminess of goat cheese and the freshness of a light salad.

History of Matías Riccitelli

The Riccitelli project was born in 2009, when Matías Riccitelli—son of legendary Argentine winemaker Jorge Riccitelli—decided to create his own path. After gaining experience in some of Argentina’s most prestigious wineries and working harvests abroad in Bordeaux and South Africa, Matías established his eponymous winery in Las Compuertas, one of Luján de Cuyo’s oldest and highest zones.

Driven by a desire to blend tradition with innovation, Matías quickly made a name for himself through minimal intervention winemaking, precise vineyard work, and a deep respect for historical sites and forgotten varieties. His father Jorge joined him on select projects—most notably Riccitelli & Father—symbolising the union of two generations and two philosophies.

From the outset, the estate has focused on small-lot, characterful wines that express both place and personality. Matías has helped revive old-vine Semillón, spotlight single-vineyard Malbecs, and explore cool-climate varietals like Cabernet Franc, Bastardo (Trousseau), and Torrontés in Patagonia and the Uco Valley.

Region and Vineyards

Riccitelli Wines operates from its base in Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo), a high-altitude region known for its old vines and distinctive alluvial soils. The estate cultivates low-yielding plots, including a Malbec vineyard planted in 1927, where organic and sustainable practices are standard.

In addition to Las Compuertas, Riccitelli sources fruit from select parcels in the Uco Valley—including Gualtallary, Altamira, Vista Flores, and Los Chacayes—at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 1,400 metres. These zones offer cooler climates, rocky soils, and precise diurnal temperature variation, which allow for fresh, aromatic, age-worthy wines.

Further south in Río Negro (Patagonia), Riccitelli works with heritage vineyards planted in the 1960s and earlier, reviving rare grapes like Bastardo and Semillón. These old vines thrive in semi-desert conditions with sandy-loam soils, contributing freshness, low alcohol, and natural elegance to the wines.

Wine Range of Matías Riccitelli

The portfolio is structured around several key lines:

• Old Vines from Patagonia: Rare varietals (Bastardeau, Semillón, Pinot Noir) from 50–80-year-old vines in Río Negro.
• Vineyard Selection / Viñedo de Montaña: Focused on single-varietal expressions (Cabernet Franc, Malbec) from high-altitude Mendoza vineyards.
• The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree: A playful yet serious range highlighting varietal typicity - Malbec, Bonarda, Torrontés - crafted with minimal intervention.
• Riccitelli & Father: A multi-generational collaboration, blending Malbec and Cabernet Franc in an elegant, age-worthy style.
• República del Malbec: A tribute to Argentina’s Malbec heritage, sourced from pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1908.
• Hey Malbec!: A vibrant, juicy take on Malbec, intended for early enjoyment and pure fruit expression.

Did you know?

Matías Riccitelli was one of the first winemakers in Mendoza to work extensively with Bastardo (Trousseau), a variety almost extinct in South America. His version from Patagonia has helped revive global interest in the grape, once considered too delicate for Argentine terroir.