The chief winemaker and viticulturalist at Bodegas Bianchi tells db about inspiration from teachers, understanding the consumer and the vital importance of water in Mendoza.
With experience built up from his previous roles at leading Argentinian wineries such as Catena, Diamandes from the Clos de los Siete group and Achaval Ferrer, Silvio Alberto arrived at Bodegas Bianchi in 2017. Here he has overseen a new phase for this 95-year-old family winery, developing its portfolio of high-value wine from two sites in the Uco Valley. In addition to his winery responsibilities, Alberto regularly visits many of the producer’s export markets to communicate the potential of Argentina, and especially the Uco Valley, and acts as an ambassador for the Bianchi brand.
What job did you imagine yourself doing when you were seven years old?
From an early age I was always very interested in everything related to plants, gardens, vineyards, etc. Towards the end of my primary school, I decided to continue my education at a secondary school with an agricultural and oenological orientation. I graduated as an agricultural and oenological technician, and this school awoke the vocation to study Agronomic Engineering but, thanks to a great oenology professor, I decided to focus on a degree in Oenology.
Who first led you down the winemaking career path, and how?
My future was marked by Julio Wiederhold, a professor like no other at my secondary school, who imbued me with the passion for wine and for research. During my last two years at school, I spent a lot of time with him in the laboratory, and he taught me everything from the analysis of wine to manufacturing techniques used at that time. He was a professor akin to none who awoke in me the passion necessary to go forward with this career, and to give it the scientific and professional outlook it deserves.
We should remember that in Argentina in the 1980s, oenology was mostly curative, designed mainly for the manufacture of table wines, but he had that special spark that could envisage a great future for Argentina. It was he who transmitted to me the enthusiasm and the insight which led me to study oenology, because the passion, the science and the art would all come together to carry Argentina to a great position in the world of winemaking. Thank God I listened to him, and today he is continually in my thoughts.
What’s the most recent lesson this job has taught you?
More than a recent lesson, I would say that this is something I work with every day. I believe I am learning all the time. There is always something to discover from every daily challenge, and in the winemaking world this is always evident: never believe you know it all, because reality will prove otherwise.
If you were a wine, what would your back label say?
A wine designed with passion, art and scientific principles. Designed to be drunk and enjoyed in such a way that you will feel all your sensations and pleasures fulfilled, and which will lead you to live unique experiences.
What is the last book you read?
Steve Jobs: The Life, Lessons and Rules for Success, part of the Influential Individuals series.
What’s the last live music performance you saw?
The Sparkling Big Band in Mendoza, an incredible jazz and swing group. They’re a spectacular band from Mendoza of international significance.
What frustrates you most about the world of wine?
Disappointing the consumer. I work to permanently satisfy the consumer, and not achieving that goal frustrates me.
Which sustainability initiative are you most proud of, and why?
Mendoza is a desert and, as such, all sustainable practices which we can access must be fully developed. My permanent concern is managing the use of water. We must preserve this scarce resource in every way possible, as we depend on the snowfall of the winter season. This sustainable management should allow us to have an ever-increasing number of hectares cultivated with drip irrigation, intelligent consumption in homes, and fundamentally adapt agricultural practices to a technology which will allow us to preserve this resource, especially in horticultural areas.
If you could change one thing about your wine region, what would it be?
That the whole region become more conscious of climate change, and of the practices that we should continue to apply in order to preserve our planet. In our case, this would be the management of water, an extraordinary but very scarce resource in a desert.
Which winemaker do you most admire, and why?
Mariano Di Paola, firstly because he is my oenology father, the person who gave me the possibility to begin my career. He was my professor at university and selected me to do an internship at Rutini (Bodega La Rural). He later chose me for the post of second oenologist. He is a great person, an incredible professional, a natural creator of unequalled passion. He makes amazing wines that reflect both art and professionalism in a bottle. An example to us all!
Which missing skill do you most wish you possessed?
In my case, I would seek to grow in the ability to comprehend wine consumers, and where they are heading. I would also like to achieve a greater connection with the vineyard in order to come to the perfect symbiosis, which would translate into further detail and exquisiteness in the manufacturing of a wine.
What’s your idea of a perfect holiday?
The place is not important, just the fact of sharing beautiful moments with my wife and son, surrounded by that family love, and obviously toasting it with a very good Cabernet Franc.
What is the most pressing personal or professional ambition you’d like to fulfil?
The search for new creations, the ability to innovate, being able to always surprise our consumers with wines of particular and unique characteristics. To permanently challenge present-day oenology.
What would your final meal be? And what would you drink with it?
My final meal would be an excellent pasta, such as an Italian-style lasagne Bolognese, perfectly paired with a Cabernet Franc.
