If you’ve never heard of him, Santiago Mayorga is one of the loveliest gentlemen you could ever meet. But besides being a super nice bloke with a ridiculously infectious laugh, he’s also an incredibly talented winemaker oozing with knowledge, drive and and thirst for innovation and exploration. 

After leaving the boutique producer Mendel in 2013 to become head winemaker at Cadus Wines, Santi has definitely been making his mark on the Argentine wine circuit.  This year, his talent was recognised by Tim Atkin when he named him ‘Young Winemaker of the Year 2017’. 

Cadus is a small winery near Tupungato, where Santi is focusing on crafting wines from the best sites in the Valley including Gualtallary, Vista Flores and Agrelo in Lujan de Cuyo. At a recent press lunch held at Gaucho Piccadilly, Santi explained his latest exploit – a clone project he’s been working on in association with the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA). The following piece from Harpers explains exactly what he’s been up to… Worth a read, his wines are definitely worth a taste, and the name ‘Santiago Mayorga’ is one to watch out for as he uncovers even more Argentinian wonders.

Behind the scenes: Varietal clones at one of Argentina’s biggest producers