I.G. LOS
CHACAYES
FORMATION
T
he soils of Chacayes are composed of the elements carried along by the Arroyo Grande river which begins with the melting of the snow on the top of the front part of the mountain range (Cordón del Portillo).
The river mainly transports rhyolites, granite and a few metamorphic rocks. These alluviums and colluviums are deposited to the east, thus forming a sort of fan. The biggest rocks will form the soils of the highest part of the valley, to the west, while the finest particles will finish their journey on the plains, thus enriching its soils. The soils of Chacayes are therefore mainly made up of coarse alluviums and colluviums.
In Chacayes there are different types of soils and terroirs depending on the position in the fan and the altitude. Our Malbec Petit Voyage (link) comes from a relatively new estate in the high part of Los Chacayes at 1,300 masl. These vineyards were planted 20 years ago and are the last ones before reaching the cordillera. EIn this region, poorer, extreme, alluvial and colluvial gravel soils are usually found (profile photo).
In the most distal part of the fan, between 900 and 1,000 m above sea level, we harvest our Tockaij, Criolla and Torrontés. This region of the G.I. is the oldest with richer and deeper soils, and the plants are traditionally grown in pergolas.
Aluvial fans of the Uco Valley
