2005 La Linda, Leoncio Arizu

Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina

Color: Red
Name: La Linda
Vineyard: Leoncio Arizu
Type: Malbec
Origin: Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
Year: 2005
Price: $10.00
Rating: 5.2
Pocho's Pick
Review: TASTING NOTES

Distinctive intense deep red color. Cherry and spicy aromas. On the palate, it displays balanced tannins obtained after ageing in French oak for three months. It is a velvety, elegant and modern wine with a sound structure. Wonderful wine.
Comments: CHARACTERISTIC INTENSE RED COLOUR. AROMS OF CHERRIES AND SPICES. THE PALATE DETECTS BALANCED TANNINS PRODUCED BY 3 MONTHS AGEING IN FRENCH OAK. SATINY. GOOD STRUCTURE, FINE, MODERN.

Luján de Cuyo, 15 km south of Mendoza, the capital city of the province of the same name. This vineyard is located on the eastern slope of the mountain range at 960 m asl, and has belonged to Luigi Bosca since 1905. Dry climate, very cold winters, mild springs and cool summers. Large temperature fluctuations between day and night. Average Temperature in summer: 22 ºC (71.6 ºF) Average Temperature in winter: 6 ºC (42.8 ºF) Minimum Temperature in winter: -6º (21.2 ºF) Annual Rainfall: 197 mm (7.76 in)
The Arizu Family
# In the village of Unzue, located in Valdorba, Navarra, Leoncio Arizu is born the son of Saturnino Arizu and Juana Uriz. The meaning of the family name would be a sign of the importance oak wood would have in his life, as Arizu means "oak grove".

In 1890, around the time of the advent of the railroad and electricity, a seven-year-old Leoncio arrives in Argentina and settles in Mendoza, where he is welcomed by his uncle Balbino, who was already involved in the wine business.

The very first vineyards, all with vines of European origin, are inaugurated and the idea of a winery begins to take shape.

Over time, these vines underwent a very slow and lengthy adaptation process to the hard environmental and soil conditions. Many changes and genetic crossings took place which enhanced their personal and unique character.
Leoncio Arizu becomes the manager of the family winery. In 1909, steam-power plowing machinery are purchased -cutting edge technology for that time and highly-trained personnel are brought from England to operate the machines.

The Arizus and the English lived in tents while working from sunrise to sunset. During the day the workers would be covered in mud and grease and, at night, they would change their work apparel for more formal attires and share pleasant evenings in the middle of the country.

Leoncio Arizu gets married to Juana Larrea, a young Spaniard lady. The couple would have 5 children: Ana, Rosa, Juana, Saturnino and Enrique.
Saturnino Arizu, Leoncio's son, becomes involved in the winery. This is like a breath of fresh air to the family business and brings about the creation of its own unique style: their special way of producing “designer wines”.

From this moment on, the knowledge and experience gained would be passed on from generation to generation.

Don Leoncio Arizu passes away, leaving his children his greatest heritage: his passion for wine.

Some years later, Saturnino and his children -Raul, Alberto, Roberto, Estela and Alicia- begin the commercialization of the wines produced by the family: Luigi Bosca, a paradigm in Argentinean wines.

Luigi Bosca's wines enter the international market.

Switzerland was the first country to receive exports from the winery, and the wines had a great impact throughout the European market. This was just the beginning of a period of major worldwide expansion.
The premises of the original Luigi Bosca Winery, located in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, are renovated and enlarged and the wine making equipment is upgraded.
This initiative accompanies the dramatic growth stimulated by the positioning of the brand in the domestic market and its wide expansion to all five continents.

Luigi Bosca leads the creation of the Controlled Denomination of Origin.

After a successful process that had the Luigi Bosca Winery as a main protagonist, Luján de Cuyo becomes the first official DOC of Argentina and all South America, comparing itself with pride to other Origin Denominations of the world, obtaining international recognition.
The Arizus take pride in a tradition that was born more than a hundred years ago; years in which the family worked towards improving their technique and the observation and understanding of nature, thus giving rise to their approach to wine-making. This is also where their commitment to improving vintage after vintage and to better understand those who choose their wines takes root.

Luigi Bosca Winery’s future is challenging and always thinking ahead, its present is focused on the combination of daily work with the creation of new ideas.

This is Bodega Luigi Bosca, this is how the Arizu family was created and this is how their history begins everyday, because their past is always a prologue to their future.

The Nillni's Great Wine Tasting Adventure

2005 La Linda, Leoncio Arizu