Dante Robino, one of Argentina's pioneering wineries, was awarded the prize for Best Malbec in the World with its Gran Dante Malbec 2021 at the International Wine Challenge. This competition, one of the most important worldwide, evaluated more than 6,000 wines in a blind tasting conducted by internationally renowned critics and Masters of Wines. Gran Dante Malbec 2021 obtained 96 points and three medals: Best Malbec from Valle de Uco, Best Argentine Malbec and, most outstandingly, Best Malbec in the World.
In addition, the Global Malbec Master in the UK awarded Gold Medals to both Gran Dante Malbec 2021 and Biografía 2019, a Malbec-based blend that is the winery's icon wine.Bodega Dante Robino was founded in 1920 by an Italian immigrant who brought with him the romance and experience of Piedmont. Throughout the years, the winery has constantly sought to innovate in order to conquer the palate of the Argentinean people and to stand out in the international market. From the beginning, it was based in Luján de Cuyo, where the winery is still located today.
After his death in 1955, the winery remained in the hands of his employees until 1982, when it was acquired by Alejandro Squassini, who, among other things, invested in grape varieties such as Bonarda, the second most planted red variety in Argentina, giving it a prominent place as a premium varietal. In addition, it became one of the few wineries with a champagne cellar in Argentina.
In 2020, Dante Robino was taken over by Cerveceria y Maltería Quilmes. With Gonzalo Funes as the current head winemaker and the great addition of Jorge Riccitelli as a consultant in 2018, the winery has undergone several changes in recent years, looking for fresher and fruitier wines, in line with the trends in Argentina and the world.
A little further afield
The winery's expansion into the Uco Valley focused on the search for the best terroirs for its premium wines. The Gran Dante Malbec 2021 comes from Los Chacayes, at 1150 metres above sea level, where the climatic conditions of the 2020-2021 vintage - warm and dry spring, low humidity and thermal amplitudes - resulted in a Malbec with an intense aromatic palette and impeccable structure.Since the 2021 vintage, the winery implemented an oxygen control system in its vinification processes, which has allowed to better preserve the freshness and purity of aromas, ensuring a controlled evolution of the wine in bottle. This innovation has been key to maintaining the quality and freshness of Malbec over time.
Gran Dante 2021 reflects the terroir and the vintage, but also the collective effort of each member of the winery, from the viticulturists and agronomists to the oenologists and the tasting panel that participates in the selection of the blends, as well as the different work teams. This recognition highlights the collaborative spirit that drives a winery with over a hundred years of history towards new horizons.
