We took a direct flight from Lima to Mendoza in Argentina with LATAM airlines to visit the Riccitelli wines and try the new edition of natural wines heading to Lima from their cellar.
The classic Argentinian wine industry was shocked by the irreverence of Matías Riccitelli’s style of winemaking and labeling; his products are designed to break the mold. Walking around the small farmhouse that hosts his aging vessels, he explained, “We are not in the business of making coke; our product changes yearly; there’s no standardization but a style”.
His iconic labels like Hey Malbec!, Blanco de la casa, Tinto de la casa, o Riccitelli Malbec represents the spirit of irreverence in which the wine is created; each bottle is an art piece.
The wines are produced in three vineyards, Las Compuertas and Gualtayary in Mendoza and Patagonia. “I’m still missing Salta, but it will come, soon,” says Mathias while sipping some of his V.I.N.O., a new collaborative Brand that will present small producers and independent winemakers products, “this one is a «clarete». Even the name makes a statement’
His winemaking style includes Foudres, Cement pools, clay amphoras, oak barrels, glass bottles on the sun for natural oxidation, and then a masterful blending that creates great wines with personality, from their classic Hey Malbec! to the orange kung fu; there’s something for everyone. While making wine, music is playing to cheer up the ambiance, and when people are happy, wine makes you happy too.
Before leaving for the airport to return to Lima, Matías opened a bottle of his first commercial production of Sauvignon Blanc, a 2018 bottle still bright, fruity, and aromatic. “This wine can take more aging,” he said while the sun was setting on the snow peaks of the Andes.
We enjoyed each wine, and the whole experience so much we almost lost the flight back to Lima.
IN THE KNOW: The Matías Riccitelli will be available in Peru starting September 2023 in specialty stores. It’s now represented by Gastronia, follow their socials for more info.