About
Set up in 1998, Ruca Malen is the brainchild of Jean-Pierre Thibaud and Jacques-Louis de Montalembert. Friends and business partners who shared a love of wine and the wine trade, De Montalembert had worked extensively in Burgundy, while Thibaud was for years chairman of Bodegas Chandon in Argentina. Now retired, they have passed the reins to a long-standing team, who continue to uphold their values, producing high-quality still and sparkling wines from a number of prestigious vineyard sites in and around Mendoza.
The majority of Ruca Malen’s vineyards are located in the Uco Valley’s ‘golden triangle’ and the Luján de Cuyo areas. Planted 800-1,100m above sea level, the vines benefit from high-altitude UV light, held to promote the wines’ unique fruit character, colour and structure. At the same time, cool night-time temperatures and a long, warm season prolong the ripening process, preserving fresh acidities and concentrating flavour.
