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Patagonian wine taking steps into the multiples with Buckingham Schenk

Published:  14 December, 2016

Patagonaian wines from southern Argentina are taking steps into the UK off-trade with a new listing at Waitrose.

Viñalba Patagonia Reserve Malbec 2014 will be reaching Waitrose online and at selected stores via Buckingham Schenk later this month.

Viñalba is a joint venture between Buckingham Schenk and Mendoza-based Bodegas Fabre, which is owned by Hervé and Diane Joyaux Fabre.

Its wines are from the Patagonian region, which covers the southern half of Argentina, below Argentina's winemaking heartland in Mendoza.

Viñalba has been making a name for itself in the UK off-trade in recent years, with sales at one million bottles a year and a significant number retailing at over £10.

The winery and estate is based in Alto Valle, Río Negro, at the northern tip of Patagonia, where the vines sit at 220m above sea level.

Influences from the Antarctic keep the temperatures low but the winds prevent diseases in the vineyards.

Viñalba Patagonia Reserve Malbec comes from vines that are on average 25 years old.

Harvest took place at the end April and the grapes were hand-picked.

The brand's core focus is a number of Malbec-dominant blends with a range of different varieties from Mendoza and Patagonia and has 14 listings across the major off-trade retailers including Asda, Majestic Wine, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, The Co-operative and now Waitrose.

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