The Pescarmona Hand & the 1897 Cellar
Bodega Lagarde is one of Argentina's oldest and most celebrated wineries, founded in 1897 by Artillery Captain Don José Angel Pereira in the heart of Luján de Cuyo — the cradle of Argentine Malbec. When the founder's great-grandchild found himself without heirs, he passed the estate to his close friend Luis Menotti Pescarmona in 1969, and today the winery is led by the third generation — sisters Sofía and Lucila Pescarmona — alongside winemaker Juan Roby Stordeur, who has overseen production since 2002. Ranked #5 Best Winery in the World by Forbes in 2025 and awarded a Michelin Star and Green Star for sustainability at Zonda Cocina de Paisaje in 2024 and 2025, Lagarde spans five distinct vineyards across Luján de Cuyo, Perdriel, Gualtallary, Agrelo and the Uco Valley, including pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1906 that still produce the estate's most iconic wines. Certified B Corp and driven by a philosophy of "being the best for the world, not just the best in the world", Lagarde produces a four-tier portfolio — from the youthful Altas Cumbres to the centennial Primeras Viñas — while pioneering Viognier and Moscato Bianco in Argentina and operating three restaurants that have redefined Mendozan gastronomy. The result is a winery that is simultaneously a living museum of Argentine wine history and a beacon of sustainable innovation — where 19th-century manor houses, 128-year-old cellars, and Michelin-starred cuisine coexist with organic viticulture and global ambition.
An Artillery Captain & the Pescarmona Hand
The story of Bodega Lagarde begins with war and wine. In 1897, Artillery Captain Don José Angel Pereira — a military man who had campaigned in the Mendoza region — founded the winery in the heart of Luján de Cuyo, one of the first viticultural enterprises in what would become Argentina's most famous wine region. He planted Malbec and Cabernet Franc — varieties that would define the estate's identity for more than a century — and built a winery that has retained its original 19th-century physical structures to this day. Some of those original vines still produce grapes for Lagarde's most iconic wines, a living thread connecting the present to the Victorian era.
For seven decades, the estate passed through the founder's family. But when Pereira's great-grandchild found himself without heirs to continue the legacy, he made a decision that would prove fateful: in 1969, he passed the vineyard to his close friend, Luis Menotti Pescarmona. Under Pescarmona ownership, the winery acquired four additional vineyards across Mendoza's most prestigious terroirs and introduced multiple new varieties — including the audacious planting of Viognier and Moscato Bianco during the 1980s and 1990s, a bold choice for Latin America at a time when Argentina was still defining its international wine identity. The focus shifted from volume to quality, and Lagarde began its transformation from a historic estate into a global benchmark.
Today, the winery is led by the third generation of the Pescarmona family — sisters Sofía and Lucila Pescarmona, both MBA graduates of the prestigious IAE Business School. Sofía has managed the vineyard since 2001, guiding the transformation of the old estate into a modern, sustainable facility while preserving its historic soul. Lucila oversees exports and sits on the board of Wines of Argentina, championing the country's wines on the global stage. Together with winemaker Juan Roby Stordeur — who has overseen production and oenology since 2002 — they have shaped a winery that is simultaneously deeply traditional and radically forward-looking — rooted in 1897 but ranked among the world's best in 2025.
"We don't want to be the best in the world — we want to be the best for the world."
— Sofía Pescarmona
Luján de Cuyo, Gualtallary & the Five-Vineyard Hand
The estate comprises five distinct vineyards strategically located across Mendoza's most emblematic wine regions — a geographic diversity that allows each variety to thrive in its ideal terroir. The historic home vineyard in Luján de Cuyo is the spiritual heart of Lagarde: here, the original 1897 structures still house the winery, and the restaurant is set in a 19th-century manor house that whispers of Mendoza's colonial past. The soils are alluvial loam, sand and gravel, deposited by the Mendoza River over millennia, with excellent drainage and mineral complexity. It is here that the 1906 pre-phylloxera Malbec vineyard survives — gnarled, own-rooted, and organically managed — producing the fruit for the estate's most profound expressions.
Beyond Luján de Cuyo, Lagarde has assembled a remarkable collection of terroirs. Perdriel provides additional old-vine depth and warmth. Agrelo contributes structure and power. The Uco Valley — including Gualtallary at approximately 1,380 metres — supplies high-altitude fruit for the Primeras Viñas and Guarda ranges, where the calcareous soils and intense UV light produce wines of vibrant colour, natural acidity, and fine chalk-textured tannins. Across all five properties, the focus is on sustainable land practices: organic management of the historic vineyards, water conservation, biodiversity preservation, and soil health. The estate is certified B Corp — a formal recognition that its commitment extends beyond the bottle to the community, the workers, and the environment.
The 1906 vineyard is not merely old; it is pre-phylloxera and own-rooted — a rarity in a world where most vines are grafted onto American rootstock. These centennial plants produce tiny yields of extraordinarily concentrated fruit, with thick skins, small berries, and a depth of flavour that younger vines cannot approach. The vineyard is now managed organically, with no synthetic chemicals, and provides the backbone for both the Guarda DOC Malbec and the Primeras Viñas range. Alongside it, a second centennial vineyard planted in 1937 (or 1930, depending on the parcel) contributes additional complexity and volume to the Primeras Viñas blend. Together, these old vines form a living archive of Argentine viticultural history — a testament to the resilience of Malbec on Mendozan soil.
The spiritual heart of Bodega Lagarde is the original estate in Luján de Cuyo, where the 1897 winery structures still stand and the restaurant occupies a 19th-century manor house. The soils are alluvial loam, sand and gravel with excellent drainage. But the true treasure is the pre-phylloxera Malbec vineyard planted in 1906 — own-rooted, organically managed, and still producing fruit of extraordinary concentration. These gnarled survivors yield tiny quantities of small-berried, thick-skinned grapes that provide the backbone for the Guarda DOC and Primeras Viñas ranges. It is one of the oldest commercially productive vineyards in Argentina.
Lagarde's Gualtallary vineyard in the Uco Valley sits at approximately 1,380 metres on calcareous, stony soils — a terroir that produces wines of vibrant colour, lifted aromatics, and fine chalk-textured tannins. The intense UV light and sharp diurnal temperature swings preserve natural acidity and aromatic complexity, distinguishing Gualtallary fruit from the warmer, lower-elevation zones of Mendoza. This vineyard provides fruit for the Primeras Viñas range and contributes high-altitude precision to the estate's blends. It represents Lagarde's commitment to terroir diversity and altitude-driven freshness.
Beyond Luján de Cuyo and Gualtallary, Lagarde farms additional vineyards in Perdriel and Agrelo — two of Mendoza's most historic and respected districts. Perdriel provides old-vine depth and warmth, with alluvial soils that produce structured, age-worthy reds. Agrelo contributes power and richness, with clay-loam soils that give body and dark fruit concentration. Together, the five vineyards create a mosaic of Mendozan terroir that allows Lagarde to craft wines of extraordinary complexity and balance — from the youthful freshness of Altas Cumbres to the profound depth of Primeras Viñas.
Bodega Lagarde is certified B Corp — a rigorous standard that measures social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. The historic 1906 vineyard is managed organically, with no synthetic chemicals. Water is conserved through efficient irrigation. Biodiversity is preserved through native plantings and habitat corridors. The estate's Green Michelin Star recognises not merely the restaurant's cuisine but its commitment to sustainable sourcing and zero-waste practices. For the Pescarmona sisters, these are not marketing badges but moral obligations — a fulfillment of Sofía's declaration that Lagarde aims to be "the best for the world, not just the best in the world."
Centennial Vines, French Oak & the Stordeur Hand
The cellar philosophy of Bodega Lagarde is shaped by winemaker Juan Roby Stordeur — an agricultural engineer and oenologist who has overseen production since 2002, providing the technical continuity that allows a 128-year-old estate to remain innovative without losing its identity. The guiding principle is terroir transparency: each wine must reflect the specific vineyard, soil, and altitude from which it comes, rather than a homogenised house style. For the Primeras Viñas range — the estate's most historically rooted expression — this means hand-selection from the 1906 and 1937 centennial vineyards, gentle extraction, and ageing for 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels that provide structure and spice without overwhelming the fruit.
For the Guarda range — the single-vineyard tier — the approach is site-specific precision. The Guarda DOC Malbec is sourced exclusively from the 1906 pre-phylloxera vineyard, now managed organically, and aged for approximately 12 months in French oak to produce a wine of profound depth, dark fruit, and savoury complexity. The Guarda Cabernet Franc and Guarda Blend explore the potential of other varieties and vineyard parcels, each handled according to the needs of the fruit rather than a predetermined recipe. And for the Altas Cumbres range — the youthful, expressive entry point — the focus is on primary fruit, freshness, and immediate pleasure, with minimal oak and early bottling to preserve vibrancy.
The estate's pioneering spirit is perhaps most evident in its white wines. Lagarde was one of the first Argentine wineries to plant Viognier and Moscato Bianco — varieties that were considered audacious, even eccentric, in Latin America during the 1980s and 1990s. Today, these wines are celebrated for their aromatic complexity and food-pairing versatility, and they remain a distinctive part of the Lagarde portfolio. Across all wines, the guiding thread is respect for the land and the vine — a belief that 128 years of history confers not merely prestige but responsibility.
Hand Selection, French Oak & the Centennial Ethos
The guiding principle of Bodega Lagarde is that the best wine comes from the best fruit, and the best fruit comes from healthy, respected vineyards. The organic management of the 1906 vineyard provides grapes of extraordinary concentration and purity. The hand-selection ensures that only the finest berries enter the cellar. The native yeast fermentation captures the microbial soul of the historic estate. The 16 to 18 months of French oak ageing for Primeras Viñas provides structure, elegance, and ageing potential without masking the vineyard's voice. The site-specific approach of Guarda ensures that each wine is a faithful reflection of its terroir. And the youthful immediacy of Altas Cumbres proves that serious winemaking can also be approachable. The cellar is not a factory but a continuation of 128 years of stewardship — where an artillery captain's legacy meets a B Corp future.
Primeras Viñas, Guarda & the Altas Cumbres Hand
Bodega Lagarde produces a comprehensive, four-tiered portfolio that spans from youthful, expressive entry-level wines to profound, centennial-vine expressions of historic terroir. The Altas Cumbres range — "High Peaks" — is the young, vibrant face of the estate: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier and Torrontés that capture the freshness and immediacy of Mendoza's high-altitude vineyards. The Lagarde range — known as Henry Lagarde in the United States — is the core Reserve line: 100% varietal wines of structure and elegance, including Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Viognier and Chardonnay. The Guarda range — "Keep" or "Guard" — is the single-vineyard tier: DOC Malbec from the 1906 pre-phylloxera vineyard, Cabernet Franc, and a premium Blend, each a transparent snapshot of its specific site. And the Primeras Viñas range — "First Vines" — is the centennial crown jewel: Malbec sourced from the 1906 and 1937 vineyards, aged 16 to 18 months in French oak, and produced in quantities so limited that each bottle is a piece of Argentine wine history. Special projects like Teia — a Malbec-Petit Verdot blend named for Sofía's son's pronunciation of "estrellas" (stars) — and Proyecto Hermanas — celebrating the bond between Sofía and Lucila — add personal, familial dimensions to the portfolio. All are united by Juan Roby Stordeur's steady hand, the Pescarmona sisters' vision, and 128 years of Luján de Cuyo heritage.
The Forbes #5 & the Pescarmona Hand
Bodega Lagarde is not merely a winery; it is a proof that an artillery captain's 1897 estate, passed through friendship to a family without viticultural pedigree, can become the #5 Best Winery in the World while remaining deeply rooted in the soil of Luján de Cuyo. In an era when Argentine wine is dominated by corporate consolidation and the homogenising pressure of export markets, the Pescarmona sisters have demonstrated that 128 years of stewardship is a viable viticultural philosophy — that the same 1906 vineyard can produce both a youthful Altas Cumbres and a profound Primeras Viñas, that the same Luján de Cuyo cellar can yield both a Michelin-starred meal and a B Corp certification, and that a single family can speak the language of history and innovation without contradiction.
The legacy of Lagarde is the legacy of the caring hand in viticulture. The 1906 vines are not a nostalgic monument but a living responsibility — a reminder that the best way to honour history is to farm organically for the future. The Viognier and Moscato Bianco plantings are not eccentric experiments but pioneering acts of faith — a refusal to let Argentina's wine identity be defined by a single red grape. The Michelin Star and Green Star are not gastronomic trophies but expressions of a holistic vision — a belief that wine, food, and sustainability are inseparable. And the B Corp certification is not a marketing badge but a moral compass — a formal recognition that the Pescarmona sisters' ambition extends beyond the bottle to the world around it.
The future of the estate is tied to the future of the 1906 vines as they accumulate another year of wisdom, and to the growing global community of drinkers who seek wines that are not only delicious but rooted in place, history and human connection. As Primeras Viñas continues to earn recognition among collectors, as Guarda DOC Malbec proves that pre-phylloxera Argentine vines can produce wines of world-class depth, as Altas Cumbres introduces a new generation to the freshness of high-altitude Mendoza, and as Zonda Cocina de Paisaje demonstrates that a winery restaurant can achieve both a Michelin Star and a Green Star, Lagarde remains what it has always intended to be: a humble caretaker of a Mendoza jewel — structured, innovative, and deeply tied to the alluvial soils of Luján de Cuyo, the calcareous terraces of Gualtallary, and the 128-year-old legacy of an artillery captain who believed that wine was worth fighting for. The story of Lagarde is the story of a family who looked at a 19th-century estate and saw not a museum but a mission — and who proved that the best bottle from Argentina is the one that needs no pretension, only a glass, a meal, and the patience to let a 1906 vine speak its truth.
"We consider ourselves humble caretakers of this jewel of Mendoza. We believe in Mendoza and its people. Our wines are an invitation to share genuine moments and connections."
— Sofía & Lucila Pescarmona