Pablo Gimenez Riili (35) is a lawyer. He is married to Eliana Martín and they have two children. This young businessman belongs to a family of Spanish immigrants on his father’s side and a family of Italian immigrants on his mother’s side. The latter has been involved in agriculture, grape-growing and winemaking activities from the 1940s.

“I always had ties to the activity, which is not just a business but part of the family’s culture. When I was young we used to spend the summer in the estates, helping out there, driving tractors and vans since I was 10 years old. My father’s childhood house, where his family still lives, is located next to the old family winery in Rodeo de la Cruz, so the winery was the backyard where I spent entire days playing and learning, without even noticing,” he recounts.

After his University experience and several trips and international exchanges linked to his degree, and following a couple of years of professional practice, he got involved once again in business and trade activities. “My cousins and I developed two real-estate projects - gated neighborhoods- in old family estates that had become part of urban areas in Maipú and Guaymallén. In 2002, after the crisis, two of my brothers (Federico and Juan Manuel), my father Eduardo and I started the project of Bodega Giménez Riili, a new company, independent from the old family structure. Today, the winery is managed by my brothers; it exports to 10 countries and markets its products throughout Argentina,” the young businessman remarks.

In 2004, Pablo met Michael Evans and David Garrett, and they all began conceiveing the idea of what was to become The Vines of Mendoza Private Vineyard Estates, a private 200-hectare vineyard divided into parcels of 1 to 4 hectares per owner, with plans for a winery, so that each owner can make his own wine. The three of them also materialized a Tasting Room, located in Mendoza city and Acequia Wine Club, which has export experience.