Extreme winemaking with Patagonia’s Otronia and superstar winemaker Alberto Antonini – Monday 13th October

‘Extreme winemaking’ has become something of a beacon for those looking for characterful wines from offbeat regions. And it doesn’t get much more extreme – or offbeat – than the wines of Otronia, made in the world’s most southerly vineyard.

In Chubut, at parallel 45’33, Otronia’s vineyards are 500 miles further south than those of that other famous Patagonian outpost – Piero Incisa della Rocchetta and Jean-Marc Roulot’s Bodega Chacra. Here, in 2010, Argentinian energy tycoon Alejandro Bulgheroni planted 50 hectares of vines with the initial goal of making only sparkling wine (it was felt there would be insufficient warmth to ripen grapes for still wines). But the cool climate, which lends a high natural acidity to the grapes along with a remarkable aromatic intensity, is compensated by long, sunny days that yield a purity of sunlight, while the inherently dry, disease-free conditions allow organic practices to be followed.

Even so, making wine in the middle of a cold desert, with no rain, extreme winds and temperature variations, stretches the limits of viticulture. The environment is incredibly hostile, with very little rainfall, bitterly cold temperatures, year-round frost-risk and winds of up to 110km/hr. But fortune favours the brave, and these merciless conditions have given rise to elegant wines of freshness and purity, precision and tension.

They are overseen by world-renowned Alberto Antonini, the consultant winemaker who has made wines all around the world for clients such as Antinori, Biondi-Santi, Robert Mondavi, Au Bon Climat and Zuccardi. ‘Otronia is an amazing and challenging project I started from scratch back in 2011,’ he says. ‘I’m so happy with the results…’

And we are very happy to welcome Alberto to the Club. We invite you to join him for an evening exploring some of the world’s most extreme wines with one of the world’s most acclaimed winemakers as we taste Otronia’s flagship Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs alongside other wines from this astonishing location.

The wines we will be tasting:
NV Brut Chardonnay, Otronia, Patagonia
2021 45 Rugientes Corte de Blancas, Otronia, Patagonia
2021 Pinot Noir, 45 Rugientes, Otronia, Patagonia
2022 Merlot, 45 Rugientes, Otronia, Patagonia
2018 Pinot Noir, Otronia, Patagonia
2020 Pinot Noir, Otronia, Patagonia
2020 Malbec, Otronia, Patagonia
2019 Chardonnay, Otronia, Patagonia
2021 Chardonnay, Otronia, Patagonia

Monday 13th October
St James’s Room
18:30 – Welcome reception
19:00 – Masterclass starts
20:30 – Masterclass ends

Please note, tickets are refundable for cancellations up to 5 days before the event. Cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected]. Any cancellations within 5 days of the event are non-refundable unless 67 Pall Mall resells the ticket to another Member. This is only possible when the event is sold out and there is a waiting list.

Please note that once your order is placed, your ticket status will display as “processing” until after the event, when your member account is then charged. You will receive an email confirmation after ordering your tickets, stating that your order is being processed – please take this as full confirmation that your booking has been finalised. For any questions, please reach out to [email protected].