The joy of terroir El Monte, Tarija, Bolivia
The El Monte vineyard stretches across 85ha of the Santa Ana Valley in southern Bolivia’s Tarija region. It is primarily planted with 10-year-old Tannat vines, plus some Petit Verdot and Muscat of Alexandria, which grow in heavy clay soils, located 1,900m above sea level. El Monte’s lofty altitude provides high UV exposure and wide-ranging diurnal temperatures, giving deep-coloured but fresh wines, with ripe tannins and high acidity. The climate is defined by two converging influences: the cold, arid Sama Mountain Range and the warm, low-lying Gran Chaco plain. To the left of the vineyard a line of carob trees leads to the Cordillera de Sama, a protected area of Inca trails and flamingo lagoons. Since 1975 El Monte has been part of…