The Incisa della Rocchetta family knows a thing or two about good wine. And so they should. Purveyors and planters of the Italian stallion Sassicaia, a ground-breaking Cabernet blend that proved that greatness could be achieved wherever your terroir was (in this case it was on the Tuscan coast, a region previously thought inappropriate for vineyards). So it comes as little surprise that when Piero Incisa della Rocchetta found himself in the flat, dry Rio Negro Valley in Argentina’s north Patagonia he thought “I can make some damn buono fine wine here”.

The non-conformist gene seemed to be hereditary chez the della Rochettas, as Piero did not decide to plant Malbec, Argentina's flagship grape. Instead, he opted for Pinot Noir, a grape whose flexibility is in fact perfectly suited to the soils of Mainqué, where della Rocchetta set up shop. This came as a shock to many, who believed that della Rochetta was just another rich kid with big ideas. Yet there was method in his madness; as late as the mid-1950s, there were over 4,000 acres of Pinot Noir plantations in Patagonia. Giants such as Moët & Chandon have even been making has sparkling wines in Argentina for more than 65 years. Yet, as the new wine revolution took hold, Pinot Noir vines were ripped out in favour of Malbec.

However, della Rocchetta has struck gold. On his 24-hectare terroir stood some vintage 1932 Pinot vines, which, despite being in a serious state of neglect, were still bearing fruit and is bottled under the label Chacra Treinta y Dos. He supplemented the old vines with newer ones and in another maverick move chose not to graft the roots to rootstock (to counter phylloxera, an aphid that devastates grapevines).“We know it’s sort of a gamble,” he said, “but if at 85 years old the vines are doing well, we figure we don’t need to change.”

Over the years, della Rocchetta has blossomed into a confident and able winemaker, as seen in his range of seven wines. Critical acclaim is growing; the Treinta y Dos 2014 was awarded 95 at the Decanter Wine World awards. This same vintage gained €32 in 24-months from June 2017-June 2019, an overall rise of 30%. However, had you been lucky enough to purchase it in May 2018 when it was at its all-time low of €60, you would have doubled your money in 12 short months.