Ricardo Santos


About the Winery

Ricardo.Santos_winemakersThe late Ricardo Santos demonstrated a life-long commitment to the Argentine wine tradition, particularly in regards to the country’s great varietal, Malbec. As the former owner of the Norton Winery, Ricardo renounced a career in architecture to pursue his passion for winemaking with the belief that Argentina could produce wines equal to the best in the world. In 1971, he was the first winemaker from Argentina to export Malbec to the U.S. market. Mr. Santos is survived by his wife Estela and his two sons, Patricio and Pedro, who carry on the tradition of excellence in Ricardo Santos winemaking. One son, Patricio, is winemaker; another son, Pedro, is head of marketing.
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The Wines

Santos_Semillon_WPRicardo Santos Semillon / SRP: $17.00
While Ricardo Santos has built a reputation on Malbec, he has always desired to make a crisp, fruity white wine to pair with simple, classic foods. Recently, he was inspired by the Semillon grapes that his friend and neighbor Roberto Azzareto grows on his 70-year-old vineyard. The wine has an intense yellow color with delicate, fruity aromas. The flavor is grassy accompanied by a fruity acidity without the addition of oak.

Ricardo Malbec / SRP: $22.00
This exceptional wine is from the single vineyard La Madras, on the slopes of the Andes Mountains in Argentina at an altitude of 2,800 feet, allowing for a temperate Continental climate. Grapes are harvested and selected by hand, gently pressed, and only the first pressed juice used. The wine is then aged in French and American oak for six months.

The Malbec is a striking deep, brilliant purple color. The nose is ripe and full, reminiscent of dark cherries, plums, and chocolate with undertones of loam and earth. In the mouth, the wine displays a profound core of ripe, blackberry jam fruit, lengthening into a sophisticated weighty finish coupled with an elegant silkiness. This is a rich and complex Malbec with an outstanding elegance and good structure. It is often referred to as “a Malbec for grown-ups.”

Ricardo Santos Gran Reserva Malbec / SRP: $38.00
The Ricardo Santos family is proud to offer what they believe is the finest Malbec from Argentina. After several years of experimenting with different estate plots and individual rows, they believe that they have produced a Malbec that has achieved impeccable balance, structure and longevity without losing any of the trademark elegance inherent in all Ricardo Santos wines.