CHAYEE BOURRAS
San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Chayee Bourras is a partnership between Canadian wine-lovers Katrina O'Reilly-Ryan and Gordon Ryan of Mill Bay, Vancouver Island, and the Gomez family. The vineyards in the Cuadro Benegas district of Mendoza feature 50+ year old vines of some of the best Bonarda in all of Argentina. Together, the two families built a state-of-the-art winery with the aim of making a uniquely Argentine wine of superior quality. Opened in 2010, the winery focuses exclusively on Bonarda and has very limited production. Jose Gomez, who studied with famed oenologist Pablo Profili, is the winemaker.
San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Region & Vineyard Notes
Cuadro Benegas is located on a mountainous elevation near the town of San Rafael in the heart of Mendoza. The vineyards are planted in mineral-rich sandy loam soil, in the foothills of Sierra Pintada, 800 meters above sea level. Irrigated by the famous Diamante River, the vineyards are exposed to harsh weather, extreme temperatures, snowfalls, high thermal fluctuations in summer -- all ideal conditions for the cultivation of Bonarda, which benefits from lower yields.