Winemaker

Santiago Achaval is the hands-on winemaker of The Farm Winery.  Santiago has received global acclaim, including:

  • Wine Spectator in October 2020 Insider Weekly newsletter named 3 Matervini wines.  It's highly unusual to have more than one named.  Moreeover, Matervini Malbec, Piedras Viejas, scored at 96 - the highest rated wine from Argentina this year and equals the highest Argentine score ever awarded by the publication.
  • Top 100 Wines of 2018 includes his Matervini wine which is the only Malbec in the world to be named amongst the top 100.
  • Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2018 includes his Matervini wine which is the only Malbec in the world to be named amongst the top 100.
  • Having produced 4 of the 5 highest rated Malbecs in the history of Argentina.
  • Santiago's new Mendoza winery, called MaterVini (Mother of Wine in Latin), received 95, 96, 97 and 98 points for the wines in its first vintage (2014).  Contact us if you'd be interested in these Malbecs.
  • Tim Atkin Argentine Special Report in March 2015 recognized Santiago's Altamira wine with 98 points.
  • Wine Spectator in December 2013 rated more than 460 Argentine wines.  The top 3 were all made by Santiago.
  • Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2012 named his wine to the top 10 in the world.
  • Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) has rated six of Santiago's wines at 98 and 99 points;
  • Wine Spectator Insider August 2012 naming 2 wines as "Hot" scoring 95 & 96;
  • Six times since 2005 being on Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines of the world list;
  • Wine Advocate rating his wines 95 or higher at least 18 times;
  • Decanter tasting 255 Malbecs with his in first place;
  • Wine & Spirits naming his eponymous property "Winery of the Year" based on blind tastings of more than 9,000 wines globally;
  • Wall St. Journal declaring, "arguably Argentina's first 'cult' winery" and Santiago as "one of Argentina's most revered winemakers."
     
  • Since the inaugural 2009 vintage, the wines of The Farm Winery have been rated more than 195 times with scores of 92+
  • In 2020, the inaugural release of Old Union received its first ever rating:  95 points by Vinous.
  • In 2017, at Paso Cab Collective led by Master Sommelier Fred Dame, The Farm Winery's Cardinal was blind tasted from 35 entrants and selected as the top Paso Cabernet.
  • In 2016, The Farm Winery's, LPF, was chosen out of more than 40 Cabernets from Napa, Bordeaux and Paso Robles in back-to-back double blind tastings by renowned West Coast sommeliers at the Judgment of Paso.  Vinous awarded its highest Paso Cabernet rating to Cardinal.  Wine Advocate awarded two of its three highest Paso Cabernet scores to The Farm Winery.
  • In 2015, The Farm Winery's, Cardinal, was rated 96 points by Tasting Panel, and Touchy-Feely, matched the highest score from Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine for any vintage 2011 Grenache-based wine.
  • In 2014, The Farm Winery's, Touchy-Feely, matched the highest score from Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine for a Grenache-based wine in the last decade.
  • In 2013, The Farm Winery's, Cardinal, was the highest rated Paso Cabernet by both Wine Advocate (Robert Parker) and Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
  • In 2012, Cardinal was the highest rated Paso Cabernet by Wine Spectator, as well as WS's highest rated Paso Cab in 8 years.

 

Hear Santiago in his own words as well as here.