History

History of an alliance 

The idea of forming a partnership between Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite and the Catena
family was first mooted in 1988. Initial enthusiasm quickly became a concrete plan to produce a
single wine that would combine French and Argentine cultures and the two signature grapes of each producer, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Both partners brought much to the party. The Catena family has produced wine for three
generations. Consequently, it was able to draw on its vast knowledge of the high altitude terroirs of
the Mendoza region as well as its passion for Malbec. DBR-Lafite contributed its centuries-old skills
in growing, vinifying and ageing great Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as its know-how in blending
different grape varieties to produce one wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The first exchanges and selections took place in 1999 and the first vintage was produced in 2000.
Quantities were very limited and the wine that was released in 2002 was something of an “outline
sketch” of what the two partners wanted to achieve in their finished “work of art”.
The success of the first vintages of Caro (2000, 2001, 2002) encouraged DBR-Lafite and the Catena
family to create another premium wine, this time a Malbec-dominated cuvée, that would nevertheless be a balance between the Bordeaux and the Argentine styles. To celebrate its Andean origin, the wine was named Amancaya, after the mountain flower which grows in the Andes. 2003 was the first vintage.
Located in the heart of the Mendoza region, the winery at Bodegas Caro is also at the centre of the Caro project. The wines have been made here since the 2002 vintage and work is still in progress in the cellar to further improve facilities.