El Porvenir

Cafayate's flagship winery 

Located in the center of the sunny land, today only a couple of blocks away from the main square, El Porvenir is one of the wineries that set the course for the exponential growth of Salta's high altitude wines.

Together with Tamara Herraiz, as part of her research for her book Al Rojo Vino, we visited the winery, which defines itself as a family one, and had the opportunity to meet the lucid woman in charge of such a great brand. Lucía Romero, educated in England and France, was initially determined to become a wine business expert and today, as the leader of El Porvenir, she is a reference in the international wine big leagues.

We honored her invitation and stayed at Finca El Retiro, the winery's boutique hotel. Among the neat vineyards, a large manor house has three suites, in an environment that highlights the paintings of the archabucero angels -from the Cuzco school- and a favorite of @tripticity_, the masks with physiognomy of native animals made by artisans of the Chané community, in the north of Salta. In addition, the property has a complete independent studio and another house with three rooms, all among immense lavender gardens and lines of vineyards.

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast in their main gallery before setting off on a tour of the plantations south of Cafayate, along Route 40.

Throughout the visit, Lucía did not skimp on information about the different vineyards and each stage of the process of creating their wines.

Thus, she orchestrated a first tour of the different lands owned by El Porvenir. The most attention, certainly, was given to Finca Alto Los Cuises, for its natural beauty and its somewhat remote location: a junction of the mountain range of the Sierra de Quilmes where a very particular microclimate is generated, with vines surrounded by all kinds of cactus, palm and fig trees. This is where the vines of its top quality wines are produced. Irrigation is formalized by means of ancient canals that show the presence of pre-Hispanic civilizations in the place, courses that carry spring water from the heights, which adds other nuances to its already high qualification.

The view of the Calchaquí valley from Alto Los Cuises is magnificent. The appearance of wild goats going down the sharp slopes, the little foxes that cross the rustic roads or the elusive cuises that abound in the area are evidence of the virtues of this environment preserved in its purest state.

After this tour, we got ready to visit the winery, which is located in a renovated downtown building with thick adobe walls. The old quebracho vats and wine barrels are well preserved and are lined up in a beautiful corridor for the visitor's delight. Undoubtedly, a small historical museum of the Salta wine industry. 

We continued with a walk through the tank, labeling and storage rooms, all impeccable and well arranged.

Finally, we entered a stone cellar where the oak barrels and bottles from previous harvests, the first of them 20 years ago, are treasured. In 2022 El Porvenir celebrated its twentieth anniversary, which shows how far its wines and its young alma mater have come.

By the time we sat down in the tasting room, Lucía started training us with her most emblematic bottles, starting with the torrontés. It was then when she told us that at El Porvenir they are fans of this white grape, historical of Cafayate. And that is why they dare to try new, more innovative versions. 

Lucía confidently told us about the challenge of leading the great company created by her father, in an always difficult situation such as the Argentine economy. While we tasted the Naranjo from the Pequeñas Fermentaciones line, audacious and innovative; the Ícono, the winery's emblem, a label that for years has been one of the most prestigious in the region; and, finally, the sublime Parcela de Finca Alto Los Cuises, superb, magnificent.

By then it was already noon, so we quickly headed to the real estate development, also one of the most splendid in northern Argentina La Estancia de Cafayate, to join the family lunch. The feast was an opulent paella with chicken and rabbit, in the traditional Valencian style, prepared by Juan Carlos, Lucia's father, in a large paila. It was quite a scene to contemplate the final cooking, when the stew bubbled evenly forming the "raspadera", that is to say the socarrat. 

By the time we sat down at the table, the only thing left to do was to relax, enjoy the Sunday meal and the affable chat with the hospitable hosts, while we harmonized the experience with the excellent wines of El Porvenir and the delicious olive oil of the same name. To crown the day, we were invited to taste the fabulous grappa, the winery's latest project, which, we have no doubt, will also reach the top with Lucía's leadership.