Historia bodega colome- inglés

Bodega and Estancia Colomé
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Bodega Colomé wines were born 178 years ago in the highest vineyards in the world, which are located in the Province of Salta. Today, those who enjoy of their exclusive Colomé Reserva, Colomé Estate Malbec, Colomé Torrontés and Amalaya, may find in them the real flavour of top quality wine elaborated from grapes grown in the highest vineyards in theworld, at 2,200 - 3,111 m / 7,218 -10,207 ft above the sea level. Colomé Winery & Estancia are sheltered in the Calchaquí Valley, at an altitude of 2’200 m, in the North West of Argentina, where the climate becomes an especially propitious component for growing deep-coloured, concentrated grapes of unique quality. Colomé vineyards are biodynamically cultivated.

Felix Schweizer –Marketing & PRManager Mail: fschweizer@colomeargentina.com www.bodegaColomé.com www.estanciaColomé.com

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Index History Location Vineyards Biodynamic Farming Wines Winemakers Estancia/ Hotel James Turrell Museum at the Bodega Colomé - The Hess Art Collection Interest Data 3 5 6 11 13 18 19 22 23

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History

Colomé was farmed for thousands of years by the native population who were excellent stewardsof the land. The original Indio language in the Calchaquí Valley was „Kakan“, but at the end of the 15th century the Incas entered the valley. Since then, the dialect spoken in the valley has been „Quechua“. In 1549, the Calchaquí Valley was first occupied by the Spanish conquistadores but they encountered stiff resistance from the native population. Ninety years later, the Spanish succeeded intaking possession of the land which used to belong to the native people, allowing them to go on working there. As the tale goes, the native tribe chief Colomin received vines from the Spanish conquistadores in the late 16th century for good services rendered. The old Colomé winery was founded in 1831, probably by the Spanish Governor of Salta, Nicolás Severo de Isasmendi y Echalar. His daughterAscención, who married José Benjamin Dávalos, introduced pre-phylloxera Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines to Colomé in 1854 from France. Three vineyards of 10 acr / 4 ha dating from this time still produce grapes. Colomé is considered the oldest existing winery in Argentina. The Colomé holding was owned by the Isasmendi-Dávalos families continuously for 138 years. In 1969, the Rodó family boughtColomé and it remained in their possession for 13 years. Raul Dávalos, a direct descendant of the Isasmendi-Dávalos family, bought back the old family farm in 1982 and kept it in his possession for 19 years until Hess Family Estates (until December 31st 2008 Hess Group) bought the farm on June 1st 2001. Whilst traveling with his wife in 1997, Hess discovered the beauty of Argentina’s Calchaquí Valleyand was very impressed by the powerful red Malbec wines. In 1999 Hess Family Estates bought the El Arenal farm in Payogasta (1,112 acr / 450 ha) on which 74 acr / 30 ha of Malbec at 8,200 ft / 2,500 m above sea level are planted. These began to bear fruit in 2003. In June 2001, Hess Family Estates bought the Colomé Estate with 96'000 acr / 39'000 ha of land and with 10 acr / 4 ha of pre-phylloxeravineyards, and 20 acr / 8 ha of vineyard of 60 – 90 years old. Furthermore, Donald Hess planted an experimental vineyard in 2003 in the neighboring estate of El Arenal in ALTURA MAXIMA. This is the world’s highest vineyard at 10,207 ft / 3,111 m above sea level with Pinot Noir, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Torrontés.

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Hess Family Estates, name given to the Groupsince late 2008, was founded by Johann Heinrich Hess (Donald M. Hess's great-grandfather). In 1957, Donald M. Hess took the Group over, holding the position of Chairman and CEO for 45 years. Today he remains the Chairman of Bodega Colomé S.A., of the Hess Art Collection in Bern, Switzerland and on July 6th 2007 he was elected Chairman of the newly founded Hess Holding S.A., Luxembourg, which...