Alpamanta

Alpamanta means "love for the Earth" in the indigenous Quechua language of Argentina—and that simple philosophy flows through everything the estate does. Certified organic, biodynamic, and vegan, Alpamanta Estate is a leader in Argentine natural winemaking. From high elevation vineyards in Mendoza, they craft a diverse range of grape varieties.

The label is a joint venture between three friends—Andre Hoffman, who also owns wineries in Switzerland and Burgundy, along with his cousin Andrej Razumovsky and Jeremie Delecourt, whose family makes rosé in the Côtes de Provence.

The trio purchased and planted 92 acres of uncultivated property in the Ugarteche area of Lujan de Cuyo in 2006, and the winery has been a pioneer ever since. By 2010, they were the first biodynamic-certified vineyard in Mendoza. By 2015, the first Argentine winery to launch a line of natural wines. And by 2020, one of the first in the country to make a pétillant naturel wine.

At 3,117 feet above sea level with very little rainfall and drastic diurnal temperature swings, Alpamanta’s vineyards reside in excellent grape-growing territory, and the team treats this special land with the utmost care. Their vineyards have received organic certification from NOP and ECocert, plus biodynamic certification from DEMETER—a feat for which they implemented solar energy, water recycling, composting, LEED practices, drip irrigation, carbon footprint measurements, and chemical-free farming. Alpamanta’s agronomist, Ricardo Garcia, keeps a close eye on the ripening process, and he drew up a map outlining soil, yield, and rootstock details of individual vineyard blocks, so the team can develop ideal harvest and winemaking strategies for each one.

Victoria Brond has helmed the estate’s winemaking since 2019, applying expertise earned at a few of Argentina’s prominent wineries. She makes the call to harvest early to allow for healthy development during the wines’ spontaneous fermentations. In the new winery Alpamanta opened in 2022, she employs various winemaking techniques and small-format aging vessels—including clay eggs, amphorae, and jars—to produce layered, textured interpretations of their high elevation terroir.