Alumni Club – Susana Balbo, Argentina

In April we enjoyed another Alumni Wine Club tasting, this time welcoming celebrated winemaker Susana Balbo, Argentina’s first female oenologist. Susana’s creative winemaking methods have been at the forefront of the formation of distinctive, delicate, and elegant wines that have gained global acclaim and defined both their category and the international market for Argentine wines as a whole.

Susana Balbo

Susana’s first love wasn’t winemaking, despite the fact that her family had a small winery in Mendoza. Her initial intention was to become a nuclear physicist but due to the university being a long distance from home a decision was made to follow a different path. She then enrolled to study oenology, graduating in in 1981 as Argentina’s first female oenologist and spent some time overseeing the winemaking processes at the Sucesión Michel Torino winery. She is known as The Queen of Torrontes, and rightly so, as it was under her leadership that Argentinian Torrontés was redefined as a wine of the highest calibre. Susana established her professional credibility as a consultant both in Argentina and internationally before launching her own winery project in her native Mendoza in 1999, making her a trailblazer in an Argentine industry that is almost entirely run by men. In the 2010s, after ten years of sustained growth of the Susana Balbo winery and estate vineyards, Susana’s children José and Ana joined the family business to work side-by-side with their mother and renowned head viticulturist Edy Del Pópolo to continue their family’s winemaking legacy.

Uco Valley (Mendoza Province)

Susana Balbo Wines collaborates with a small group of growers in various parts of Argentina, however, Uco Valley accounts for the majority of their production. The Valley lays to the west of the Mendoza Province, in the foothills of the Andes mountains that offer protection against westerly winds and rain. Vineyards are at 850 to over 1450 metres above sea level making them the highest in Mendoza. Chardonnay, Torrontes, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo are all successful here. The high-altitude cooling effect, wide diurnal range, and increased sunlight intensity, cause the sugars in the grapes to develop slowly, the acidity to be better retained and the development of deep colour and ripe tannins in black varieties. The resulting wines display concentrated flavours and freshness. Although the area is famed for its red wines, the cool high-altitude sites can produce premium white wines, something we witnessed in Susana’s transformed Torrontes. Given the quality on display, Uco Valley has become a huge investment hub and its vineyards are considered Argentina’s most technologically advanced wine subregion.

Susana Balbo Work Philosophy

The Susana Balbo vineyards are located in some of the finest terroirs of Argentina with constant work to reflect their essence in the wines. The winery’s guiding philosophy is to emphasize sustainability, with a strong commitment to the environment and local community, by seeking out and understanding some of Argentina’s best wine terroirs and reflecting these in their wines by utilizing the team’s extensive experience.

The large amount of planted grape varieties allows for a wine palette of aromas and flavours with unique profiles and characteristics which is exactly what we witnessed in the wines we tasted on our Alumni Wine Club evening. Please read below our tasting notes for the wines of the evening.

1. 2021 Susana Balbo Signature Barrel Fermented Torrontés Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza 5%

A transformation of Torrontes shows what the variety can do if grown in high altitude and in the hands of the famous Susana Balbo this showed pronounced aromas of citrus lemon zest, orange, lime, but also white blossom (geranium), white peach, apricot, and, as Susana mentioned, subtle hints of gun powder. Dry on the palate with medium acidity, light body but with a rich silky mouthfeel that carries a substantial weight of fruit. Pronounced flavour intensity with the fruit showing such concentration of flavour and freshness that gives a lifted perception of acidity and elegance. The finish is long with all the flavours harmoniously following through.

2. 2022 Susana Balbo Signature, White Blend, Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza, 0%

A Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Torrontes aromatic blend with mixed wine making techniques. The Sauvignon fermented in barrels while the Sémillon in concrete eggs, both with natural yeasts. The Torrontes fermented in barrels with selected yeasts and some time spent on lees. The final blend aged in a mix of old and new oak barrels for five months.  The resulting wine displayed pronounced aromas of lime, peach, apricot and white blossom intermingled with hints of asparagus and herbal notes. Dry on the palate, with medium+ acidity, medium body, silky mouthfeel and pronounced aromatic intensity. Exceptional wine with a long finish with the nervy citrus fruit and dill herb flavours.

3. 2021 Susana Balbo Signature Rosé del Valle de Uco, Uco Valley, Mendoza, 12.0%

60% Malbec and 40% Pinot Noir with whole-bunch pressing at low pressure. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts at low temperature gave a pale pink rose wine with medium intensity delicate aromas of blood peach, freshly cut strawberries, raspberries and red cherries. On the palate it is dry with medium+ acidity, medium body, a silky mouthfeel with medium+ flavour intensity and a long finish with freshly cut red fruits. An elegant rosé.

4. 2019 Susana Balbo Signature, Malbec Valle de Uco Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza5%

Classic red wine fermentation here with prolonged skin contact, then time spent on lees with frequent battonage. Aging in French oak for 13 months the majority of with second use. This wine displayed pronounced flavour intensity with black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, with hints of violet and rock rose blossom and notes of spice and earth. Dry with medium+ acidity medium+ round tannins, full bodied, with pronounced jammy black fruit, plum and black olive flavours. The finish is long with all the flavours following through.

5. 2021 Susana Balbo Signature, Cabernet Sauvignon Valle de Uco Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza 14.5%

Intense blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry, tobacco with violet blossom notes, meaty aromas and dried thyme herb. On the palate it is dry, with high acidity, high fine-grained tannins, full bodied, with pronounced flavour intensity and a long finish. There is some ripe raspberry fruit on the palate alongside the black fruit. The intense fruit shows freshness and supports the high acidity and tannins very well, rendering a balanced and elegant wine.

6. 2020 Susana Balbo Signature Brioso Single Vineyard Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza 14.5%

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Malbec, 19% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot made in a classic red wine making process with extensive maceration and frequent pump overs and punch downs. The final blend aged in French oak for 15 months the majority of with second use.  Pronounced intensity ripe blackcurrant, blackberry and black cherry, cassis, prune, coffee beans, dark chocolate, tobacco and violet blossom. Dry on the palate with high acidity, high grippy tannins and a full body. Pronounced flavour intensity with liquorice, prunes and hints of earth revealing a complex wine. The finish is long with layers upon layers of flavours following through harmoniously. An outstanding example of the single vineyard Agrelo and its terroir driven wines, this can age for up to 20 years+.

We are in awe of the wonderful wines Susana selected for us to try but most of all her personality, filled with humbleness and approachability especially given the multiple awards she holds under her belt.

Susana’s dedication and excellence granted her Woman of the Year award in 2015, then listed amongst the 10 most influential women in the wine world, awarded the Winemaking Legend by Tim Atkin, and, more recently, in 2022 was granted the IWC Lifetime Achievement award. Since their release, the Susana Balbo wines have gathered numerous honours. It is important to note, that apart from an established winemaker, Susana is the first Argentinian woman to have presided the W20, the official engagement group representing the interests of women across the world’s 20 largest economies.  She serves as a role model for all women pursuing their goals and tackling challenges and obstacles.  

If you have a minimum of WSET Level 2 wine qualification, you are welcome to join the Enjoy Discovering Wine Alumni Club, which meets online 10 times annually. For more details: Alumni Club.