In the late 1990s, the Uco Valley was still an unfamiliar wine-making area in Argentina. Just a few pioneers were taking interest in this extraordinary location at the base of the Tupungato volcano at over 1,000 metres above sea level. One of them was oenologist Michel Rolland, who found a large group of plots near the village of Vista Flores with properties that were ideally suited to growing grapes. A firm believer in the project’s potential, he started looking for partners to bring this new estate to life. Benjamin de Rothschild and Laurent Dassault were won over by the site and by the challenge to create a vineyard from scratch and to produce great wines in this new region. They had to do everything. Each partner bought 100 hectares, which they combined to create a vast, coherent property. Construction work was required to deliver electricity and irrigation to the site. The vines were planted gradually from 1999 onward. A cellar was built in 2003 and has been in operation since the 2004 harvest, which marked the birth of Flechas de los Andes.

Building the winery was an ambitious undertaking. Its decor and layout were dreamed up by science fiction artist Philippe Druillet and its architecture is one of a kind. Arrows feature heavily in the design, echoing the visual trademark of the Rothschild family, while also honouring the style of traditional Argentine estancias. The structures and architectural details (patio, gallery, gates, etc.) were all made by local masons, woodworkers, metalworkers and craftsmen with an emphasis on regional materials.

Today, the winery at Flechas de los Andes is well known throughout the Mendoza province. The Uco Valley is now a major wine-making region of national and international renown. It is home to some of the country’s best malbecs. Today Alta Vista, Bodega Rolland, Cuvelier de los Andes, Diamandes, Monteviejo and Flechas de los Andes are all major players in Argentine grape growing.