Key takeaways:

• Domaine Bousquet’s organic vineyard combines history, climate, soil, and teamwork to produce wine of exceptional quality. 
• The climate of Uco Valley in Mendoza provides idyllic wine-growing conditions. It can be difficult to produce wines at a higher elevation, but Domaine Bousquet has mastered the art of it, and the benefits outweigh the challenges.
• Our vineyard team takes great pride in producing stellar products with a focus on simplicity, taste, and sustainability.

What goes into making exceptional organic wine? Wine lovers often peruse a store’s aisle for their favorite bottle of vino without giving much thought to the processes and artistry that go into making distinguished organic wines. 

Great organic wines are an end product of great organic vineyards. One such vineyard is Domaine Bousquet’s, which is meticulously cared for by the Bousquet Family. These fourth-generation winemakers cultivate the best grapes from their vines and manipulate them as little as possible, to nurture organically-grown wines. The unique elements of the Domaine Bousquet organic vineyard come together to produce beautiful wines worth enjoying with family and friends. 

History of the Domaine Bousquet vineyard

The Bousquet family originally hails from the city of Carcassonne in the south of France. They count four generations of history in the winemaking tradition. With a passion to produce wines of superior quality, the family relocated to Argentina to begin a new chapter in their business.

In 1990, Jean Bousquet and his family went to Mendoza on vacation and discovered that its soil and altitude made it the ideal location for a winery. In 1997, a parcel of land was purchased and the family began their Argentinean winemaking journey. The 240-hectare parcel is located in the Gualtallary Valley in Tupungato, Mendoza. 

Their organic vineyard sits at an altitude of 4,000 feet in a region with idyllic conditions to produce ripe grapes and extraordinary wines. The Bousquet family unites the tradition of European winemaking with the ideal vineyard conditions in Mendoza. Some of the unique characteristics of the vineyard’s location that contribute to outstanding wine include: 

• Low rainfall 

Average rainfall of just 20 cm per year allows a well-controlled water delivery to the vines via a drip irrigation system. The excellent quality of the water and the ability to control the watering regimen helps to produce grapes with a lower pH, which in turn results in wonderfully balanced wines with great color.

At first, this lack of rainfall in the region presented a huge challenge for the Bousquet family. Jean realized he would need a water source; in 1998, they began digging a 495 foot well, which took two years to complete. The source of water was no longer an issue. Domaine Bousquet’s first vintage was released in 2005. 

• Sandy soil

Rich, healthy soil produces high-quality grapes. Soil type and drainage are fundamental to producing great wine. The sandy soil terrain at Domaine Bousquet drains well, retains heat, and produces highly aromatic wines.  Also, sandy soil is particularly adept at resisting pests; this helps Domaine Bousquet avoid the use of pesticides and enhances their natural, organic winemaking efforts. 

• Higher elevation 

Higher elevations can bring environmental challenges and limitations to winemaking.  With knowledge and hard work, however, successful vineyards can use higher elevations to their advantage to produce more complex, elegant, and age-worthy wines. Domaine Bousquet’s vineyards are wonderful examples of meeting operational challenges and using these elements to their advantage in the winemaking industry. 

• Increased solar rays

Great wines are often made at vineyards with high exposure to the sun. High elevation mountain and hillside vineyards receive more direct and concentrated sunlight than conventional vineyards. On average, for every 1,000 foot gain in elevation, the level of UV rays increases 10-12%. These intense solar rays force grapes to naturally develop thicker skins and result in wine with greater color concentrations and stronger tannins. 

• Temperature increase and shift in nighttime temperature

As a vineyard’s elevation increases, the temperature increases exponentially. This results in a more concentrated flavor profile in grapes produced at higher elevations. Vineyards at higher elevations benefit from fresh air and continual breezes. Also, they experience drastic temperature shifts between nighttime and daytime. Cooler nights allow grapes to conserve their acidity. Also, lower temperatures at night help lengthen the grape growing season and allow grapes more time to develop on the vine. 

• Detail-oriented

To achieve great wine at a higher elevation, Domaine Bousquet assembled a great farming and winemaking team. Their gentle grape picking approach leads to a minimal carbon footprint and higher quality grapes and wine. The team at Domaine Bousquet understands the importance of paying attention to every detail of the winemaking process and picking by taste, not by numbers. 

Grapes are picked and carefully placed into small boxes and then sent to receiving, where they are hand sorted and gently de-stemmed. Next, the precious grapes are sent to the tanks for maceration and a 30-day fermentation. During this entire process, the winemaking team at Domaine Bousquet controls and regularly supervises to ensure exceptional quality. 

• Combines traditional and modern methods

The team at Domaine Bousquet handles 4.5 million liters of premium organic wine annually. To produce these high-quality, polished wines, the team combines traditional and modern methods. Their cellar includes stainless and cement vats, as well as oak barrels. 

To produce their exceptional wines, Domaine Bousquet recognizes that a great palate is a key element to winemaking success. They focus on producing great grapes and let nature make the organic wine rather than trying to manipulate it into shape. 

From our organic vineyard to your bottle

Domaine Bousquet understands that high-quality wine is made at the vineyard, where an amazing location combines with detailed processes and natural influences. For winemaking success, careful attention needs to be paid in the field as well as in the cellar. 

The Bousquet family started with a distinctive site for their vineyard, employed conscientious farmers, and realized the complete potential of their high elevation location. To maintain long-term success, they make careful picking decisions and keep their organic winemaking simple. The Domaine Bousquet team let their incredible organic wines speak for the vineyard. Contact us to learn more.