The same Malbec, a different destination
The story of Malbec in the Uco Valley starts with an almost legendary anecdote: Eugenio Bustos, a local pioneer, traded one of his best horses for Malbec vines, which he planted, giving rise to what would later become the Finca La Celia winery. Today, of the more than 28,000 hectares planted across the Tunuyán, Tupungato, and San Carlos departments, over half is Malbec — but not all of that Malbec ends up as red wine. A growing share is harvested for rosé, through a different vinification process that prioritizes preserving pale color and freshness over tannin extraction.
The soil is sandy alluvial, the same base profile as the rest of Mendoza, and harvest arrives between February and April — somewhat earlier than for the red, specifically to preserve the acidity a good rosé needs. Irrigation remains mostly traditional flood irrigation, with growing adoption of drip systems, same as the rest of the province.
The result is a rosé of strawberry and watermelon, fuller-bodied than the Provençal style — Mendoza's take on rosé, made with the same grape that defines the country, but built for a completely different profile.
Wineries that define Uco Valley rosé
Rutini Wines
Its Colección Rosé de Malbec, made from high-altitude Uco Valley grapes, is considered one of the top-rated Argentine rosés — proof that Malbec rosé can compete in the premium segment.
Bodega Salentein
With estates in the Uco Valley and its own well-known art museum, it produces a Rosé Malbec of pale color, pronounced acidity, and a persistent finish.
Zuccardi
Named the world's best winery according to The World's Best Vineyards ranking, based in the Uco Valley — the same region now redefining what a Malbec rosé can be.
Why rosé is picked earlier: unlike red Malbec, where the goal is maximum tannin and color ripeness, rosé prioritizes acidity — picking a few days earlier avoids losing the freshness that defines the style, even using the exact same grape.
How this plays out in LagarLab
Mendoza · Malbec Rosé is available on LagarLab Plus (not on the free plan). When you pick this estate, the Uco Valley's sandy alluvial soil and a somewhat earlier harvest are already loaded into the starting Brix, TA and pH values of your rosé must — the real foundation behind a fuller-bodied profile than the Provençal style.
What if you made wine from this terroir yourself?
In LagarLab you pick Mendoza Rosé as your estate and make the same decisions a real winemaker would on that soil, with that Malbec.
Enter the laboratoryFrequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Malbec rosé and red Malbec?
The same grape, but a different vinification process: rosé prioritizes preserving pale color and acidity, while the red aims for maximum color and tannin extraction.
How did Malbec start in the Uco Valley?
With an almost legendary anecdote: pioneer Eugenio Bustos traded one of his best horses for Malbec vines, which he planted, giving rise to what would later become the Finca La Celia winery.
Why is rosé harvested earlier?
To preserve acidity. Picking a few days before the red harvest avoids losing the freshness a good rosé needs, even starting from the same variety.
Is this estate on LagarLab's free plan?
No — it's available on LagarLab Plus. The two free-plan estates are Agrelo and Chablis.
How does this rosé differ from Provence's?
In body: Mendoza's Malbec rosé is fuller-bodied, with strawberry and watermelon notes, versus the paler, more delicate Provençal style of peach and grapefruit.