Winemaker Notes
"Mosquita Muerta" is an expression in Spanish which is used to describe a person with apparently little potential for success who ends up accomplishing a remarkable feat. Jose Millán chose this name for his project to mock those in the region who doubted of his potential as a wine business entrepreneur.
“I started in 2009 with the main idea of creating Premium Blends, and not only Malbec. To accomplish this, we do a careful selection of the different varietal, from different vineyards at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in the most important wine regions from Mendoza, Argentina.“ – José Millan
Their philosophy is to use multiples fermentation and aging techniques at the winery with all their wines in order to deliver stunning hand-crafted wines.
This is a very personal project because José is the one who named and defined each wine. Behind every Mosquita Muerta wine there’s a story from José that he wants to tell us…
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.