Alfa Crux (O. Fournier)

O. Fournier was founded in 2000 by Spanish banker José Manuel Ortega of the Ortega Gil-Fournier family, who purchased 263 hectares in the Uco Valley and invested more than €20 million in building a state-of-the-art facility. The architecturally celebrated winery, designed by Bórmida Yanzón Studio, was completed around 2005 and became one of the most recognizable estates in Argentine wine. In March 2018, the Mendoza operation was sold to the Agostino family (Finca Agostino) and rebranded as Alfa Crux. Winemaker José Spisso remained at the helm of production, providing continuity of style and quality through the ownership change.

• Founded 2000 by Spanish banker José Manuel Ortega of the Ortega Gil-Fournier family
• Winery designed by Bórmida Yanzón Studio, completed around 2005
• Sold to Finca Agostino (Agostino family) in March 2018 and rebranded Alfa Crux
• Winemaker José Spisso continued managing production under new ownership

The Alfa Crux estate sits at 1,200 meters elevation in the El Cepillo area at the southern end of the Uco Valley, roughly 100 kilometers south of Mendoza city. Soils are alluvial, sandy, and claystone with significant limestone, rock, and mineral content. The continental climate delivers hot, long summers and cold winters, with approximately 250 sunny days per year and diurnal temperature swings of up to 20°C. Rainfall is low and irrigation is sourced from the Tunuyán River. This combination of intense sunlight, cool nights, and well-drained mineral soils defines the estate's signature fruit concentration and fresh acidity.

• Elevation: 1,200 meters in El Cepillo, southern Uco Valley
• Soils: alluvial, sandy, and claystone with limestone, rock, and minerals
• Continental climate with up to 20°C diurnal temperature variation
• Low rainfall supplemented by irrigation from the Tunuyán River

Alfa Crux grows eight varieties across its 263 hectares: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc. The estate's wines are characterized by intensity, minerality, and fresh acidity, the direct result of high-altitude viticulture. Key labels include the flagship Alfa Crux red blend, Alfa Crux Malbec, B Crux, and the more approachable Urban Uco lines. The style is modern and expressive, with powerful reds and elegant whites that reflect the cool-night growing conditions of the southern Uco Valley.

• Eight varieties grown: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc
• Key labels: Alfa Crux red blend, Alfa Crux Malbec, B Crux, and Urban Uco
• Style defined by intensity, minerality, and fresh acidity
• High altitude and cool nights produce concentrated fruit with natural freshness

The Alfa Crux winery spans 12,000 square meters and is built across multiple autonomous spaces for different stages of winemaking. The facility uses a gravity-fed production process, with interconnected buildings at different elevations allowing wine to move without pumping, reducing mechanical stress on the juice and skins. Total production capacity is 1.2 million liters. Under current ownership, the estate has pursued sustainability certifications and made investments in renewable energy, building on the pioneering modern winemaking practices established during the O. Fournier era.

• 12,000 square meter facility across multiple autonomous production spaces
• Gravity-fed winemaking through interconnected buildings at different elevations
• Production capacity of 1.2 million liters
• Current ownership has pursued sustainability certifications and renewable energy investments