Welcome To Felton Family Farms

Welcome To Felton Family Farms

Felton Family Farms

At The Foot of the Andes

The Felton Family Farms vineyard is nestled in at the foot of the Andes Mountains, in the famed Uco Valley, 53 miles southwest of the city of Mendoza. The Uco Valley, with more than 64,000 acres (26,000 hectares) of vineyards, is widely considered to be the best location for wine production in Argentina.

The Uco Valley is crossed by the Tunuyán and Las Tunas Rivers, which originate in the Andes and merge near the town of Tunuyán. The valley consists of three sub-regions from north to south – Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos.

Felton Family Farms is sited at an altitude of about 3900 feet. Grape vines planted in the Uco Valley are generally located between 2,300 feet and 4,600 feet above sea level. Elevation and location provide the wide daily temperature range (thermal amplitude) and diverse soil types for which the region is famous. The Uco Valley soil ranges from deep and stony to clay with boulders, depending on altitude, location within the valley, and proximity to the major rivers.

Alluvial Soil from the Tunuyán River

The soil in Uco Valley is of alluvial origin, and is the result of two major factors: water flowing from ancient rivers and glaciers; and volcanic activity in the Andes. The soil contains a considerable amount of pebbles and rocks of various sizes and comes from an ancient alluvial foundation covered by younger alluvial deposits.

Due to the flow of the Tunuyán River, these alluvial deposits are moving ”downstream” along the entire basin. The valley is shaped like a fan, with alluvial deposits from the Tunuyán River, starting at about 16,500 feet above sea level.

There are differences in the composition of soil from different layers of the soil profile. The topsoil ranges in depth from 2” (5 cm) to 40” (100 cm), which presents a varied retention capacity for water and nutrients, leading to differences in vine and root development, and, consequently… wine characteristics.  Soils formed from sedimentary alluvium are brown to yellowish in color, medium-textured, and extend to the bedrock layer. Alluvial soils may contain river cobble, depending on the distance from the current or ancient riverbed.

Perfectly Picked

The topsoil in the Felton Family Farms vineyard ranges from 20” to 35” deep and is comprised of 70-80% pebbles and rocks of various size and coarse particles of sand. A low level of organic material in the soil, combined with its physical characteristics, naturally favor water drainage and limit the development of thin and absorbent roots. In this region, thick-skinned grapes develop high brix (potential alcohol) levels, and need to be picked at the right time to avoid heavy fruit-forward, overripe aromas.

The soil type at Felton Family Farms is perfect for obtaining powerful & intense wines, and can be managed to produce a wide variety of styles. Wines produced from these soils have a tendency to be highly aromatic with medium acidity, and have high levels of polyphenols that provide the strength needed to handle a long aging process in oak barrels.

C-CUBED

A malbec-led red blend from the high-altitude vineyard lands of the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina.

Contact Us

For purchase inquiries or for more information, send us a message here with your name, email, and phone number. We will reach out to you as soon as possible.

Email Dave

dave@feltonfamilyfarms.com

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