While our friends in the U.S. are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, Algodon Wine Estates' residents, friends and neighbors are celebrating Algodon's Bonarda wine, with Bonarda-themed events at the estate's Chez Gaston Restaurant!  Our annual celebration of Bonarda Week honors Argentina’s Bonarda varietal, the country's second most widely planted red grape after Malbec, which has captured the attention of wine connoisseurs and consumers around the world.

Algodon Wine Estates Bonarda Week 2020 runs from November 26 to 29, and Chez Gaston restaurant has prepared a special menu of unique dishes that pair perfectly with our award-winning Bonarda.  From Thursday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, and Sunday lunch and sunset, our guests can enjoy the estate's beautiful landscape as they dine outdoors in the warm spring weather.

In an effort to conform to safety standards and honor social distancing protocols, dining can be enjoyed inside the restaurant in limited capacity, as well as on the outdoor patio and barbecue pit, or asador.  Guests seated at our year-round asador (yes, even in the winter) can enjoy watching our chefs prepare the meal right in front of them!

Chez Gaston is also hosting a “Bonarda Sunset” nightly event during Bonarda Week, where patrons can enjoy watching the sun settle down against the backdrop of vineyards and Alamos trees with a glass of Bonarda, served with brusquettas...a perfect pairing.

“Past Bonarda Week celebrations at Algodon have proved to be a hit with Algodon Wine Estates residents and guests, which is why we bring it back every year,” says Scott Mathis, Algodon’s CEO and founder. “We celebrate it annually in order to call attention to this terrific varietal, but also to emphasize Argentina's important role as a leader in world wine production and quality.”

Like Malbec, the Bonarda grape also has its roots in France, and was later “perfected” by Argentine winemakers in Mendoza’s ideal climates. “Bonarda grapes need hot weather, plenty of sunshine over the cluster, low yield and adequate ripening. These ideal conditions are exactly what we have Algodon Wine Estates in San Rafael,” says Algodon’s winemaker, Mauro Nosenzo. 

PIMA represents the best of Algodon wine. Born as a tribute to two very old vineyards of Malbec and Bonarda, it brings a very rich and special fruity flavor as well as the youth of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. We are treated to perfect balance, intensity, aromas and flavors whenever a bottle is uncorked…

The composition of this PIMA varies with each vintage and the combination of barrels provides an interesting profile while maintaining the elegance, character, and style of this wine.

The five varieties are an assemblage of microvinified wines, handcrafted from some of our oldest vineyards planted in 1946.  With nine to ten weeks of fermentation at a controlled temperature, we can attain the desired concentration of all the aromas and flavors.

In San Rafael’s Cuadro Benegas district, where Algodon Wine Estates is located, Bonarda grows particularly well because of the area's ideal soil structure, climate and altitude.  It's argued that Cuadro Benegas is the best place to cultivate grapes in the region, due to the considerable benefits delivered from its mineral-rich loam.

Algodon Fine Wines currently produces two bonarda wines: our estate Bonarda, as well as our Reserva Malbec/Bonarda blend, a field blend planted in 1946 of both malbec and bonarda, harvested together at the same time, and then microvinified.

With PIMA, Algodon achieves the best wine with the best handpicked grapes from our vineyards. The result is a complex combination of aromatic fruits like blackberries and raspberries, with sweet and floral notes.

The concentration of PIMA’s sweet and velvety tannins, acidity and alcohol provides it with great power, balance, character, and style.

No matter what part of the world you are in now, if you happen to have a bottle of Merlot in your wine rack, uncork it and raise your Merlot glass to join us in celebrating Merlot day!  However, if you’re fresh out of Merlot, we've got you covered!  You can order our PIMA right here.  So, there are really no excuses this November 7th, well… not that you needed one anyway, right?  Salud!