Bulgheroni’s first wine project; Bodega Garzón, remains at the forefront of all
his wine projects as it is much bigger than just wine. Yes, the wines are enjoying
critical acclaim; the Tannat Uruguay Reserva 2015 was ranked 41st on Wine
Spectator’s top 100 wines in 2017. But Garzón is not just about wine. Besides
the 500 acres of estate vineyards, the Garzón project also includes a golf
course designed by Argentina’s number one ranked golfer, Angel Cabrera. It
also boasts a 120 seat restaurant overseen by Francis Mallmann, Argentina’s
most celebrated chef as well as a luxury club where members can make and
bottle their own wine. Colinas de Garzón is the second largest producer of
olives. Overall, Bodega Garzón is an $85 million dollar agro-land operation.
Yes, quite impressive. And that’s just in Uruguay. And much like with his oil and
energy business, his wine business, is a business. He has become synonymous
with his wine projects. He walks his vineyards with his winemakers to test and
understand the terroir. He devotes a lot of time to learning and understanding
the process of grape growing, wine making and what consumers are looking
for. Just as he knows each well by number, he knows each vineyard by name
and characteristic. He has learned the wine industry from the inside out. And
now at age 75, Alejandro Bulgheroni is hitting the streets to sell his wine. In
early 2016, Bulgheroni hired Christian Wylie, a significant player in the South
American wine industry, to run Garzón. This was a huge step in demonstrating
Bulgheroni’s commitment to the wine industry and the kind of player he wants
to be. Wine production at Garzón reached 120,000 cases in 2017. And it’s
growing fast. The decision to partner with Pacific Highway Wines and Spirits,
who also import Giesen from New Zealand and Robert Oatley from Australia
was a big step. Spreading the word about Garzón wines like the Tannat,
Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc ($15-$20) in the U.S. as well as recently adding
a Cabernet Franc, a rosé of Pinot Noir and a Marselan (a Cab Sauvignon/
Grenache hybrid). The Garzón portfolio is making waves. Much like the famed
surf region this Alejandro Bulgheroni project calls home.
Check out The Mark Wine Camp adventure to Garzón in this issue’s The Wine
Life.
Clockwise from top left: Bulgheroni’s family;
The Wine Cave; Garzón Albariño Reserva;
Egg Fermenters; Lithology, Napa Valley.
Alejandro Bulgheroni