Susana Balbo is widely known as one of the leading winemakers in Argentina and one of the top female winemakers from anywhere in the world. But in the late 80s, she was making wine in the Argentina high country of Salta not unlike the Cabernets and Malbecs of her neighbors. The wines were green and hard, infused with vegetal and bell pepper aromas and flavors. While her compadres were satisfied with their wines, she was not. In 1988, she did what few in Argentina even considered doing. She landed an internship with Warren Winiarski at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars on the Silverado Trail, and took off for Napa Valley.
She learned her lessons well but eventually realized that Mendoza was not Napa Valley and she had to tackle the local problems locally to achieve greater success in the wine world. Canopy management, restricting yields and other (then) new wave ideas were implemented both in the vineyard and in the winery.
Today she is known as the "Queen of Torrontes" (after Argentina's most famous white wine grape) as well as the "Evita of Wine" (after Eva Peron, of course). But this much is true: she is now well established throughout Argentina and the world for her incredible winemaking skill, experience, and passion.
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