Stepping into the Bodega of Carmelo Patti is like finding yourself in another place in time… just see the time passage in these photos. Underground, castle lighting, concrete fermentation tanks build into the walls of the building, wooden vise doors to hold back the wine, wine dripped stained walls, layers of paint colors showing the passage of time like dendrochronology… you can feel the ghosts of wines past vintages in this historic site for making wine, today.
Thirty-five vintages later, Patti continues to make his wine the old-fashioned way. No modernization here! Carmelo will tell you: “some people build architectural masterpieces, and some people will make magnificent wine.” This is a very small winery, a one-man show, where Patti runs every corner of his quirky operation. And there is no formal procedure, he makes great wine like he wants to make great wine, and until it is perfectly ready to drink, he won’t sell it to you. Nor will he get on the phone and look for a sale. You want his great stuff, you will find him.
Here, Carmelo Patti and Michael Higgins toast to drinking great wine… atBodega Carmelo Patti in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.