Topografia - A Love for Food & Wine....
It all started with a love for food and wine…..
Growing up in Ecuador, Carlos Garcia was surrounded by the Spanish influence of food and wine culture. He always had a fascination, curiosity about the story behind the bottle, how it’s made, ever evolving and learning which continued through his adulthood and career in USA. An adventurer by nature and in business, he set out to realize what most dream of, to make stunningly elegant wines meant to be shared and a legacy for his two daughters.
Timing in life is everything. He was given the opportunity to purchase a few acres of land at the Vines of Mendoza project, which set the wheels in motion. His journey sounds as if its straight out of a movie ( I have visions of Tom Cruise in Ron Howards film Far and Away) - riding on horseback through the Mendoza terrain, view of the Andes mountains in the distance, he came upon a specific area and knew instinctively this was it, this is where it will all happen. His vision of creating wines that are meant to be enjoyed with family and friends whilst enjoying flavorful meals and camaraderie. In 2007 the first vines were planted. It takes at least three years to produce the first vintage. Its a project of patience, passion and understanding. As part of the Vines of Mendoza, they share the winemaking and facility resources amongst the other wineries. Of note, they are likely the largest fermentation winery in the world, currently close to 500 fermentations happening all at once.
Topografia is a artisanal winery making very small production wines, as few as 300 bottles per release which provides a greater flexibility to experiment and create new, exciting wines. Topografia’s label and name represents the “the configuration of a surface including its relief and the position of its natural and man-made features” The logo depicts the lunar sun in its cycle of nature yet is not a perfect circle because as we know nothing is perfect. All of the symbols represent the link, the adventure and connection to nature and its people. As Carlos said, “What’s in the bottle is a liquid representation of the land.” The back label contains all of the necessary information that you would find on a tech sheet which as a wine geek is a big plus. There was no question from the beginning of the winery’s long term responsibility to the environment and community - organic, sustainable and limited footprint. All of the Mendoza vines are planted at 1,050 meters altitude, hand harvested which imparts a very elegant character to the wines as well as higher quality grapes. Pablo Martorell, the highly regarded (as well as highly experienced and awarded) local third generation passionate to the nth degree winemaker. He treats each and every release like an individual, his baby. Carlos had very specific ideas in mind for his wines - elegant quality wines meant to be shared which Pablo understood immediately and crafted his wines with the same vision.
The first two vintages, 2010 and 2011 (especially the Barrel Fermentation Malbec and Reserva Blend) are the closest and dearest to his heart. Of note the 2011 Barrel Fermentation Malbec was only made that year and I had the great fortune to taste this beauty. Drinking beautifully now they both have the structure to further age. In addition a Torrentes, Malbec, Reserva Cabernet Franc, Reserva Petit Verdot are amongst the current releases. Following the success of their limited releases, he decided to travel to different regions to collaborate and build long lasting winemaking relationships. “It had to have an intangible fit, an ethos, synergy if you will” says Carlos. The first collaboration was a 2018 Super Tuscan collaboration in Montalcino, Italy with Roberto Cirpesso of Wine Circus, followed by a 2020 Blue Slate Trocken Riesling with Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen Estate in the Mosel, Germany, . For the next wine adventure he headed to Champagne where, with Champagne Drappier, he began with a Non-Vintage Blanc de Noir blend (release date: 2024), followed by a 2021 Vintage Pinot Noir-Chardonnay blend (release date: 2026). A spectacular 2021 Priorat (Spain) red blend of Grenache and Carignan to join the lineup, along with a few others in the pipeline (stay tuned). All small lots, limited releases.
The color of each label has meaning - the tan label for example is a true fruit expression while the black Reserva is about the maximum expression of the terroir and extended influence.
I cannot thank Carlos of welcoming me into the Topografia journey and the personal wines that he helped create. Follow along this journey of his wines with additional posts to follow on the Mendoza and other collaborations.
1 Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition
