Casa Umbra Valle de Uco
High vine rows in the Valle de Uco with the Andes immediately west.
Valle de Uco High vines, Andes to the west

The vineyards

The vines stand high in the Valle de Uco, on the western side of the valley, with the Andes behind the last row. Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon each keep a part of the slope.

Close view of rounded gravel, coarse sand, and a vine trunk.
Gravel Under the vines

Gravel

Under the vines the ground is Andean gravel: rounded stones, coarse sand, and clay deeper in the profile. Irrigation water sinks through the stones instead of sitting on the surface.

Clear water in an open canal at the edge of a vine row.
Snowmelt canals Along the rows

Snowmelt canals

Snowmelt from the cordillera feeds open canals along the rows. A block is watered when the gravel has dried. Between irrigations the ditch runs low.

Mountain shadow moving across a vine row and the gravel beneath it.
The umbra hour Late afternoon

The umbra hour

In the late afternoon the mountain shadow reaches the rows. The leaves are out of the direct sun, and the stones are still warm. The house takes its name from that hour.

On the slope

  1. Pinot Noir Highest rows, where the shade arrives first.
  2. Merlot Mid-slope gravel.
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon Warmer benches, still high in the valley.