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Wine Industry Advisor

Source

2021.06.09

TILIA was the first wine brand to carry the Bodegas de Argentina official certification of sustainability seal on its label for its compliance to Argentina’s Sustainability Protocol.

TILIA Wines are made in Junín, Argentina by Winemaker Gonzalo Llensa, whose love for the vineyards was engrained in his youth, as he cultivated crops in his grandmother’s orchard and learned the importance of resourcefulness from his father, a local electrician. Gonzalo is accompanied by Sustainability Specialist, Guillermina Van Houten, the granddaughter of Dutch immigrants whose family practices the utmost respect for nature. Together, they honor deep-rooted Argentine farming traditions and protect the natural ecosystems that thrive in the dry sunny weather in Mendoza, by the Andes mountains. 

It is with this same passion that Van Houten cares for the vineyards, studies the ecosystem, and shares her learnings beyond the local community. She reflects, “We the people are part of the ecosystem, and we are committed to preserving our nature and our traditions for the generations to come. Through this new label, which visually represents all the work that we do toward sustainability, we hope to inspire action, helping people all over the world to better understand sustainable practices and to adopt them in their own lives.”

The TILIA range consists of Malbec, Malbec-Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bonarda, Chardonnay, and Torrontés – all 2020 vintage – with grapes sourced from the Eastern region of Mendoza, the Uco Valley region, and the Central region of Mendoza.  

Each symbol on the new TILIA label represents one aspect of its sustainability commitment.

  • Social Sustainability – Provide educational and social programs for the local community to thrive.
  • Deeply Rooted – Uphold ancestral irrigation traditions to preserve water as a precious resource.
  • Thriving on Biodiversity – Respect ecosystems so vineyards can adapt to the changing environment.
  • Natural Resilience – Maintain traditional farming to sustain the land for generations to come.
  • Stronger Together – Affirm core values: honor tradition, support the community, and respect nature.

At the core of TILIA’s ethos is its dedication to the community and ensuring that the people who enrich the land prosper. TILIA offers the children of harvest workers summer school programs that include sports and artistic activities. This benefit has enabled 20% more women to work during harvest. The winery collaborates closely with a local high school to encourage students to consider viticulture as a viable career option, helping to stem the exodus of potential local workers to the cities by offering secure, well-paying jobs close to home.

With respect to environmental preservation, interventions are kept to a minimum to encourage biodiversity. Mendoza’s dry climate facilitates low-intervention farming, while traditional irrigation systems access pure Andean spring water through ancestral canals developed by the Huarpe native people hundreds of years ago; this strict system of drip irrigation maximizes water efficiency. Knowledge of the local terroir and respect for the natural ecosystem of insects, plants, and animals generate resilient vineyards that are not reliant on interventions to maintain their productivity. TILIA vines are ungrafted, which many suggest are more intense and flavorful, with better aging potential. 

The new label and packaging were designed by Stranger & Stranger. The suggested retail price for all TILIA wines is $11.