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Beverage Media
November 2012
W
ith Malbecs-Come-Lately
sprouting up on American
shelves like mushrooms
after rain, here is a brain
teaser: What is the best-selling Malbec
in its modern homeland of Argentina?
The answer is Rutini. The brand—im-
ported to the U.S. along with its second
label, Trumpeter, by Pasternak—may
still qualify as a well-kept secret. But
that is on the verge of changing now
that Rutini has completed a major
overhaul of its winery and is prepar-
ing to release revamped versions of its
upper-tier Malbecs.
Deep Roots, Big Plans
Rutini’s relative low profile in the U.S.
is due, in part, to the brand’s strength in
its own backyard; they produce 1.3 mil-
lion cases of wine annually, but 1 mil-
lion cases never leave Argentina. Ital-
ian immigrant Felipe Rutini planted his
first vines in 1885, at what remains the
site of the present-day winery in Maipú.
The family’s name is also embraced for
the La Rural Rutini Wine Museum, ar-
guably the most important wine muse-
um in the Americas, welcoming 60,000
visitors per year.
Rutini today is poised to take full ad-
vantage of a decade-long renovation that
doubled production capacity at the win-
ery. Highlights of the makeover included
stainless steel tank capacity of 3 million
liters; 600,000 liters worth of French and
American oak barrels; and state-of-the-
art technology including optical scan-
ners for sorting just-harvested grapes
and conical fermenters that maximize
extraction and phenolic concentration.
Raw Materials + Savoir Faire
In addition to being among the most
physically impressive wineries in South
America, Rutini is bolstered by prime
vineyards and savvy winemaking. Rutini
currently owns estates in five different
areas of Mendoza—Maipú, Rivadavia,
La Consulta, Altamira and Tupunga-
to—with a total of 255 hectares under
vine. The diverse sites allow for strate-
gic cultivation of varied grapes. (Besides
Malbec, the winery produces Merlot,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
under the Rutini label; Trumpeter in-
cludes Chardonnay, Torrontes, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec
and Malbec-Syrah.) Of particular note:
Rutini has significant parcels in La Con-
sulta, believed by many to be Mendoza’s
best source of Malbec, with some vines
upwards of 60 years old.
The Rutini family has long been
committed to top-flight winemaking.
Founder Don Felipe sent his six chil-
dren to study in Italy; that generation
brought back the European concept of
terroir, which has guided their philoso-
phy for decades. A recent turning point
came in 1995 when Nicolás Catena be-
came a partner with Rodolfo Reina Ru-
tini, the grandson of Don Felipe.
Reinvention at the Top
Winemaking today is under the watch
of Mariano Di Paola, whose 30+ years
of experience include stints alongside
Nicolás Catena and several vintages in
California. One of the key figures in the
modern Argentine wine industry, from
1984
to 2007 Mariano was a professor
of enology at the prestigious Don Bosco
University. His current challenge: the
reintroduction of Rutini’s ultra-premi-
um wines—Apartado and Encuentro—
with the 2009s debuting this month.
Fittingly, the high-end Rutini reds
are both Malbec-driven, and to for this
relaunch, Di Paola collaborated with
his friend, well-known consultant Paul
Hobbs. Apartado (SRP $149) is “set
apart,” a 100% Malbec hand-harvested
from the winery’s best parcels in
Altamira, La Consulta and Tupungato
and given 18 months in new French
oak. Encuentro Barrel Blend ($50) is a
“
perfect meeting” of Bordeaux varieties
(30%
Malbec) from seven Mendoza
vineyards. Like its sibling, the wine sees
18
months in oak, providing structure
beneath the wine’s intense fruit and
layered complexity.
Pasternak Wine Imports is natu-
rally eager to translate Rutini’s success
in Argentina to the U.S. Gary Clayton,
director of sales and marketing, sees Ru-
tini as a brand that is “connected to the
past, but positioned for the future,” with
authentic wines that fit well in our mar-
ket. The fresh, un-oaked Trumpeter is
an ideal “weekday wine,” at $9.99. The
Rutini varietals, about $10 more, are a
jump up in quality while still delivering
value. And with the reboot of Apartado
and Encuentro, Pasternak sees Rutini
establishing itself here as a leader in the
thriving Malbec category.
■
BRAND
PROFILE
Rutini: Powered by Malbec
One of Argentina’s Oldest Wineries
Gears Up for Expansion
BY W. R. TISH
Mariano Di Paola
