The Malbec grape originated in Southwestern France, just below Bordeaux and before the reset caused by phylloxera it was the most planted grape there. Now it is increasingly rare in Bordeaux due to its tendency to produce rustic tannins and barnyard-like aromas in that climate. If you polled wine professionals and aficionados from outside of its original homeland in Cahors, France there would be a consensus that Malbec from its new home in Mendoza, Argentina has achieved unprecedented literal and figurative heights there. Located in central Argentina on a vast, stepped plain descending from the Andes, Mendoza’s dryness, its cool temperatures due to its high elevation, its intense sunlight and its rocky, glacial soils produce a softer, less rustic Malbec than its French ancestors, yet with plenty of structure and intensity to be the standard accompaniment to La Parilla, the grilled meats and sausages that Argentina is known for. Husband and wife team Vicente Johnson and Bernadita Court each have long experience in the world of South American wine and marketing and decided to strike out on their own to found a winery that partners with small farmers to pay them fairly for sustainable, high-quality fruit from regions of character in Chile and Argentina. Their dedication culminated in their becoming a Certified B Corporation.