President of Fincas Patagónicas is recognized in the 24th annual wine beverage industry awards
NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2023 — Wine Enthusiast has nominated Patricia Ortiz as “Wine Executive of The Year” in the 24th edition of the Wine Stars Awards, selected by the prestigious international magazine to the leading wineries and industry professionals across the world.
Patricia is the owner and president of Fincas Patagónicas, made of three wineries (Tapiz, Zolo, and Wapisa) and nine sustainably-farmed vineyards in different parts of Argentina. She is the first female president of Bodegas de Argentina and a celebrated leader in Argentine wine with several awards throughout her career. In 2022 La Nación, Argentina’s most renowned newspaper, nominated Patricia for her groundbreaking work as a successful and acclaimed woman leader of the wine industry.
“I am beyond honored to be recognized as one of the top wine executives of the year among several peers and talented experts within the industry,” says Patricia Ortiz. “I want to thank the Wine Enthusiast team for this incredible nomination that inspires me to continue following my vision of innovation in the industry, especially when it comes to sustainability”.
Patricia is a founding member of the Argentine Wine in Moderation program and was the president of Bodegas de Argentina, the industry trade group. She is also the owner of Mendoza’s top lodging and spa destination: Club Tapiz. Located in Maipu, Mendoza, Argentina, Club Tapiz Hotel is a residence built in 1890 surrounded by 22 acres of vineyards and olive groves that was declared a historical heritage, architectural masterpiece and tourist destination by the provincial authorities in 2006.
As a woman of many talents, Patricia is an MD and social psychologist, art collector and former nephrologist. She has imparted the need to strive for both artistic and scientific excellence in winemaking and has incorporated the most state-of-the-art technology across her wineries. At Zolo winery (Agrelo, Mendoza) and Tapiz winery (San Pablo, Uco Valley) she has cultivated an incredible technical team with some of Argentina’s most passionate and successful wine professionals, including one of Argentina’s top winemakers, Fabian Valenzuela, and vineyard managers, Carlos Correas. Patricia also brought on Jean Claude Berrouet, former winemaker at Petrus, as a consulting winemaker.
Patricia is a leader in innovation, Wapisa is the first and only winery in the unique terroir of Patagonia’s Atlantic Coast and in 2019, she co-founded Osmosis, a premium “better-for-you” wine brand in Mendoza, Argentina. Sustainability is a key pillar at all of Patricia’s wineries, which have been awarded the Gold Medal at BRIT’s 2017 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing. The teams across Patricia’s wineries are committed to regenerative farming, utilizing high-quality bio compost, and sourcing pure water from the Andes where no drop is wasted. Llamas graze the vineyards and provide wool for weaving brought by the Bolivian immigrants that settled around Mendoza wine country. All of the materials are recycled and donated to the Mendoza Children’s Hospital.
The dedicated beverage professionals who have been recognized for their achievements in the industry will be featured in the Wine Enthusiast’s Best of Year issue and celebrated in an annual black-tie gala in February 2024.
About Fincas Patagónicas
A company made up of three wineries including Tapiz, Zolo, and Wapisa and nine sustainably-farmed vineyards across different parts of Argentina. The wineries are located in Lujan de Cuyo(Tapiz) and Uco Valley (Zolo), both in Mendoza, and Wapisa in Rio Negro, being the only winery on the Atlantic coast in Patagonia.
