About Vines of Mendoza

Founded in 2004 when a wine lover visiting from the United States met a Mendoza lawyer whose family has made great wine for generations, The Vines of Mendoza creates extraordinary Argentine wine experiences in our Mendoza city and the Uco Valley Tasting Rooms, our Private Vineyard Estates, in the production of Recuerdo Wines, and through The Vines Resort & Spa, opening December 2013.

Over the past eight years, we have grown a team of 150 dedicated and highly-trained staff to take great care of you, your vineyard and your wines. We personally handle everything; you bring the passion and we’ll make the wine.

Recent history

2005
2005 The Vines of Mendoza established
2006
2006 We open the doors of our Mendoza tasting room
2007
2007 First Private Vineyard Estates planted
2010
2010 First harvest
2012
2012 Recuerdo Gran Corte receives 92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2013
2013 The Vines Resort & Spa to open

Michael Evans Co-Founder

Eight years ago Michael came to Argentina from Los Angeles for what he thought would be a three-week vacation. Michael fell in love with the people and the place that is Mendoza and decided to embark on this adventure of creating Argentina’s greatest wines.

After a chance introduction to Pablo Gimenez Riili during that visit to Mendoza, Michael and Pablo began an endeavor together to provide the highest quality wine experience to Mendoza travelers and help those who love wine to make their own. The result was The Vines of Mendoza. With Pablo, Michael raised money from friends and family and purchased 650 acres of land in the Uco Valley, and created The Vines of Mendoza’s one-of-a-kind Private Vineyard Estates. They've since sold vines to more than 120 owners from around the globe, and the property has expanded to 1,500 acres.

Prior to The Vines, Evans worked on every Presidential campaign between Clinton and Kerry, and served as Executive Director of CTIA Foundation, the International association for the wireless telecommunications industry Michael is an avid photographer and traveler who enjoys helping vineyard owners document their journeys and sharing stories tales of the best spot to visit next.
Pablo Gimenez Riili Co-Founder

Pablo Gimenez Riili, born and raised in Mendoza Argentina, has spent much of his life involved in wine production, his family’s business for generations. After starting his career in law and real estate, he returned to his roots and opened the family winery with three of his brothers.

Upon meeting Michael Evans in 2004, Pablo discovered an innovative way to combine his real estate and wine expertise to further elevate Mendoza’s status as a premier wine destination. Michael and Pablo started a journey that would lead them to create the highest quality winemaking enterprise in the region.

In 2005, Pablo and Michael purchased 650 acres of land in the Uco Valley, and created the Vines of Mendoza’s one-of-a-kind Private Vineyard Estates. They saw the world-class potential of the region and the opportunity to turn the Wild West into the forefront of International winemaking.

Riili lives in Mendoza, where he enjoys spending time with his family, including his four brothers and their families. He also enjoys playing soccer. Riili earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Mendoza in 1996.
Santiago Achaval Consulting Winemaker

Santiago Achaval fell in love with wines and winemaking after frequently visiting the Napa Valley while receiving his MBA from Stanford. Achaval-Ferrer, his winery in Mendoza, boasts four of the five highest rated wines in Argentine history, as judged by Wine Spectator, and the highest rated Argentine wine to date according to Robert Parker. He recently received 98 points for his 2004 Finca Altamira Malbec from Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, and Wine Spectator named his Finca Bellavista one of the 10 best in the world in 2012.
Pablo Martorell Winemaker

The Vines of Mendoza’s winemaker, Pablo Martorell is young, but already heavily awarded from Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast for The Vines’ Recuerdo Wines. Born and raised in Tunuyán, he has worked at some of the most important wineries in Mendoza, including Bodega Nieto Senetiner, Catena Zapata, Trivento and Bodega Flecha de los Andes, under the esteemed Michel Rolland’s tutelage. He has also worked in wineries internationally. In 2006, he worked with Chateau de Lauret in Pomerol, Bordeaux, and in 2007, for Chateau Peyre Lebade and Chateau Clarke in Medoc, Bordeaux, both part of the Rothschild Group. In 2009, he worked for Napa Wine Company in California.
Mariana Onofri Wine Director

Mariana Onofri has been the Wine Director for The Vines of Mendoza since 2009, overseeing all vineyard owner winemaking plans and customized wine design. This includes overseeing blending sessions and barrel tastings for the company’s 120 Private Vineyard Estate owners, and over 230 fermentations in The Vines' 2012 harvest alone. She oversees all wine selection for the company’s Tasting Room, Vinoteca, and online sales. Prior to The Vines she worked at Chateau La Violette in Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, and has been in Sommelier in La Bourgogne in Punta Del Este Uruguay.
Francisco Evangelista Chief Agronomist

Coming from a Mendoza agronomist family, and working in vineyards since 1994, earth is in Francisco’s blood. Francisco has been a crucial part of The Vines of Mendoza from the start, including the overall vineyard design to personally overseeing the planting and managing of all the vineyards – spending endless hours in the vineyard overseeing development and maintenance of The Vines’ 700 planted acres of vines.
Diego Reina Vineyard Consultant

Diego Reina comes from one of the oldest winemaking families in Argentina. He was the Agricultural Director overseeing La Rural and Rutini's 600 acres of vineyards before his family sold the business in 1999. Since then, he has helped build vineyards for J. & F. Lurton, LaGarde and many other prominent wineries in the Mendoza region.
Bryan Driscoll Vice President of Sales

Bryan Driscoll, Vice President of Sales, has been with The Vines since 2006. As a founding member of the company, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience in sales and vineyard management that he shares with our global clientele. A vineyard owner himself, Bryan takes care of our North American owners from their first sales inquiry through years of wine production – making sure each detail is handled efficiently.
Lucas Abihaggle Business Development Director / Brazil Country Manager

Mendoza native Lucas Abihaggle runs The Vine of Mendoza’s Business Development, focusing a great deal on South America, and Brazil specifically, and possesses an in-depth knowledge of the market, spending a great deal of time in the region. Lucas ensures that every sales detail is handled, and that the owner experience is seamless. Previous to The Vines Lucas worked for Santa Maria De Los Andes.