Trapiche (winery)
Encyclopedia
Trapiche is a winery
in Mendoza, Argentina
. It was founded in 1883 and consists of 1075 hectares between seven Mendoza vineyards
. It is a two-time winner of the International Wine and Spirit Competition
Argentian Wine Producer of the Year award, and is the largest producer of wine in Argentina. Trapiche is owned by investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
and imported into the United States by wine importers Frederick Wildman and Sons.
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners
acquired the Pulenta family's stake in Penaflor and Trapiche in 2002 and arranged to export Trapiche to over 40 countries, including to the United States through American wine importers Frederick Wildman & Sons. In 2002, Daniel Pi was appointed chief winemaker and oenologist, who consolidated all of Trapiche's winemaking and viticulture. Pi also helped establish Trapiche's line of single vineyard malbecs, and established the Tributo winery.
, Sauvignon Blanc
, Cabernet Sauvignon
, Pinot Noir
, Syrah, Chardonnay
, Merlot
, Torrontes
, Rosé
, Viognier
, and a Pinot Grigio.
Trapiche sells a yearly set of single-vineyard Malbec
s, created by Daniel Pi as a way to show an appreciation for smaller, individual Mendoza vineyards, some of which were cited by Wine Spectator
as "the best wines that Trapiche has ever produced." As part of the Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbec series, Pi selects three of the best Malbec grape growers in Mendoza each year.
It was named the "Argentinian wine producer of the year" in 2004 and 2008 by the International Wine and Spirit Competition
. Trapiche wines are also frequently named to Wine and Spirits Magazine
s Value Brands of the Year list, noting, "It's wineries like Trapiche that have given Argentina a name for value. The brand has been a regular among our Value Brands of the Year."
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
in Mendoza, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It was founded in 1883 and consists of 1075 hectares between seven Mendoza vineyards
Mendoza wine
The Mendoza Province is one of Argentina's most important wine regions, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the country's entire wine production. Located in the eastern foothills of the Andes, in the shadow of Mount Aconcagua, vineyards are planted at the some of the highest altitudes in the world...
. It is a two-time winner of the International Wine and Spirit Competition
International Wine and Spirit Competition
The International Wine & Spirit Competition is an annual wine competition founded in 1969 by the [German/British] oenologist Anton Massel.. Each year the competition receives entries from over 80 countries worldwide. The awards given by the competition are considered to be some of the highest...
Argentian Wine Producer of the Year award, and is the largest producer of wine in Argentina. Trapiche is owned by investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette or DLJ is a defunct U.S. investment bank founded by William H. Donaldson, Richard Jenrette and Dan Lufkin in 1959. Its businesses included securities underwriting; sales and trading; investment and merchant banking; financial advisory services; investment research;...
and imported into the United States by wine importers Frederick Wildman and Sons.
History
Trapiche was founded when Tiburcio Benegas bought property in Mendoza in 1883, which contained a small vineyard. Benegas named his property El Trapiche, and grew it to 6,653 hectares. When Benegas died in 1908, his business became Benegas e Hijos S.A., of which his son Pedro Benegas was the chief winemaker. Pedro Benegas created a number of new wines, including Fond de Cave, Broquel, Monitor, Crillon, Puento Viejo, Feudo Viejo, Trapiche Viejo, and Vezely. When Pedro Benegas died in 1943, the company was taken over by his sons and renamed Benegas Hermanos. In 1971, Benegas Hermanos was sold to the Pulenta family, who renamed the company Penaflor S.A. Penaflor continued to produce and modify its existing Trapiche, Broquel, and Puente Viejo wines, while developing new brands and its white wines.DLJ Merchant Banking Partners
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners is a private equity investment firm focused on leveraged buyout transactions. The firm is currently an affiliate of Credit Suisse and traces its roots to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, the investment bank acquired by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000...
acquired the Pulenta family's stake in Penaflor and Trapiche in 2002 and arranged to export Trapiche to over 40 countries, including to the United States through American wine importers Frederick Wildman & Sons. In 2002, Daniel Pi was appointed chief winemaker and oenologist, who consolidated all of Trapiche's winemaking and viticulture. Pi also helped establish Trapiche's line of single vineyard malbecs, and established the Tributo winery.
Wine brands
Trapiche produces many of its varietals under the Trapiche brand name, largely coming from selected vineyards in the "high area of the Mendoza River and in the east region of Mendoza." These include a MalbecMalbec
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
, Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, Syrah, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Torrontes
Torrontes
Torrontés is a white Argentine wine grape variety, producing fresh, aromatic wines with moderate acidity, smooth texture and mouthfeel as well as distinctive peach and apricot aromas on the nose. Three Torrontés varieties exist in Argentina: Torrontés Riojano, the most common, Torrontés Sanjuanino,...
, Rosé
Rosé
A rosé is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.- Production techniques :There are three major ways to produce rosé...
, Viognier
Viognier
Viognier is a white wine grape. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu in the Rhone valley.-History:The origin of the Viognier grape is unknown. Viognier is presumed to be an ancient grape, possibly originating in Dalmatia and then brought to Rhône by the Romans. One legend...
, and a Pinot Grigio.
Trapiche sells a yearly set of single-vineyard Malbec
Malbec
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. The French plantations of Malbec are now found primarily in Cahors in the South West...
s, created by Daniel Pi as a way to show an appreciation for smaller, individual Mendoza vineyards, some of which were cited by Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces...
as "the best wines that Trapiche has ever produced." As part of the Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbec series, Pi selects three of the best Malbec grape growers in Mendoza each year.
Awards
Trapiche was named Impact Magazines 2007, 2008 and 2009 "Hot Brand."It was named the "Argentinian wine producer of the year" in 2004 and 2008 by the International Wine and Spirit Competition
International Wine and Spirit Competition
The International Wine & Spirit Competition is an annual wine competition founded in 1969 by the [German/British] oenologist Anton Massel.. Each year the competition receives entries from over 80 countries worldwide. The awards given by the competition are considered to be some of the highest...
. Trapiche wines are also frequently named to Wine and Spirits Magazine
Wine & Spirits
Wine & Spirits is an American wine magazine. With offices in New York and San Francisco, the magazine publishes eight issues annually.In addition to publisher and editor-in-chief Joshua Greene, among the contributors are Tara Q. Thomas, Patrick Comiskey, Patricio Tapia, Peter Liem, with additional...
s Value Brands of the Year list, noting, "It's wineries like Trapiche that have given Argentina a name for value. The brand has been a regular among our Value Brands of the Year."