San Rafael DOC

The INV recognised the DOC in Resolution C.31/2007, signed on 27 November 2007, at the request of the Consejo de la Denominación de Origen San Rafael. A provincial decree, 1.874/93, came first, so the idea goes back to the early 1990s. The INV found the delimited area made up of terroirs with distinctive ecological qualities suited to superior-quality wine.

In practice it has been dormant. In a 2020 interview Bianchi's winemaker said there were no DOC wines on the market, that Valentín Bianchi had driven the idea and it faded after he left the winery about 15 years before, and that no promotion council was working. He preferred IGs for San Rafael because they can pick out several micro-terroirs.

So I expect most San Rafael wines I review to carry the IG. If a bottle says DOC San Rafael, I'll note it.