Alicia Arizu established Viña Alicia in 1996. with 25 years of research in both viticulture and wine making, she dedicated herself to creating Mendoza’s most elegant wines from vineyards that have been in her family for 3 generations in Mendoza’s Lujan de Cuyo. Paso de Piedra means “stone path” refering to teh stony roads in our vineyards. The vineyard has more than 15 hectares and is located in Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo), at 3.500 feet, in a lateral terrace at 30 mts. over the bed of the Mendoza River. It is supposed to be one of the first vineyards planted in Mendoza. The soil is loamy clay calcareous and is 40 centimeters high, over a rocky subsoil with a considerable drainage that stimulates the strength and growth of the roots. Summers are temperate and warm during the day, but very cool during the night. The air coming from the mountain gives the grapes a long lasting color and smell. Average temperature in summer: 21°C (70° F); in winter 6°C (42° F). Average annual rain: no more than 200 mm. The cultivation density of the vineyard is of 5.500 plants per hectare and as the soil is quite poor, the vines produce no more than 2-3 bunches per plant which represents almost 30-35 hectoliters per hectare. Pruning is done manually with the double Guyot system during winter, between May and July. Then, during summer, leaf plucking takes place and buds without grapes and with no air are removed. Alter the setting a first selection is made, eliminating bunches which have not been exposed to sun or which are defective. The second selection is made during the winter season; this time, colorless bunches are removed.