Bodega Aniello, An Innovative Female-led Winery In Patagonia

White Pinot Noir—have you heard of it? I have previously mentioned how delicious Pinot Noir from Patagonia is. The terroir of Argentina’s Southernmost region is perfect for this sensitive grape. However, finding a bottle of white Pinot Noir is not easy. I managed to acquire a bottle of Bodega Aniello White Pinot Noir from a charming local wine shop in Brooklyn. My delight with this wine led me to reach out to the winery. During an interview with CEO Maria Cruz De Angelis, I discovered that Bodega Aniello is an innovative winery led by women. They not only make exquisite reds and whites, but also promote gender equality.

BODEGA ANIELLO PINOT NOIR WINES

Bodega Aniello was founded in 2013 and currently owns 135 acres of land with Malbec, Trousseau, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay vines on the banks of the Rio Negro River.

The winery specialize in Pinot Noir because the characteristics of the terroir allow them to focus on this grape variety. “Patagonia climate favors the slow ripening of Pinot Noir grapes. Well-drained sandy, loamy, and silty soils result in complex and elegant wines with lower alcohol per volume, and good acidity,” explains De Angelis.

Considering the quality and potential of the Pinot Noir grapes in this region, they opted to produce four types of Pinot Noir wines: white, rosé, and two reds.

Bodega Aniello White Pinot Noir is very aromatic and refreshing. It’s made by lightly pressing the grapes and allowing minimal skin contact before fermentation. Then, 10% of the wine is aged up to five months in French oak barrels.

It is intense on the nose, offering chalk, lemon, peach, and apple aromas. On the palate, citrus, honey and wet stones flavors. The wine is light to medium bodied, with medium plus acidity, and medium finish. It pairs wonderfully with pulled pork tacos or octopus and beans salad.

TROUSSEAU FROM PATAGONIA

Patagonia’s unique climate, in addition to being ideal for Pinot Noir, also supports the cultivation of various other grape varieties, such as Trousseau, a varietal that originated in Jura, France. Bodega Aniello was one of the first to produce a 100% Trousseau wine. The grapes were sourced from vines planted in 1932, proving the long winemaking history of the Upper Rio Negro Valley. According to De Angelis, most of the Trousseau vines in Argentina are located in this region.

When asked about how this wine differs from French Trousseau. She explained that the climate in the Arbois AOC of Jura is quite distinct from that of Patagonia and highlighted Patagonia’s desert climate, significant day-to-night temperature variations, and strong winds that contribute to the grapes developing a thicker skin. “All these factors result in full-bodied elegant wine, with intense color, silky mouthfeel, and refreshing finish.”

De Angelis, along with winemaker Maria Eugenia Herrera, exemplify the excellent work being done by women in leadership roles at top Argentine wineries.

TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY

I would like to highlight the efforts De Angelis is making to support women in the organization, particularly by hiring employees based on their qualifications and expertise, regardless of gender. “Women can be as good or better than men in performing their job. However, many companies prefer to hire men.” She understands how difficult it is to be a woman in this business because she herself had to deal with the consequences of inequality. “At a former job, I was informed that the company would seek a replacement for me due to my pregnancy. It’s unbelievable and sad that things like this continue to happen.”

In physically demanding jobs like harvesting, women can often be at a disadvantage compared to men because they usually can’t carry as much weight or move it as quickly as their male coworkers. That’s why the winery pays women extra for each basket of grapes.

“We keep these things in mind because as women we have gone through similar experiences. That’s the reason we’ve initiated these minor actions to promote gender fairness. We hope other wineries will follow suit.”