About Jelu

Jelu Estate Wines was founded in 2002 by New Zealand winemaker Duncan Killiner and Rosaura Etcheverry in the San Juan region of Argentina. Jelu, meaning "Sun" in the Huarpe Indian language, pays homage to the first inhabitants of the Cuyo region, who were hunter-gatherers that worshipped mother earth and introduced the first sustainable irrigation system to the Andes for crop cultivation.

Today, remnants of the Huarpe Indians' stone "pirques" (aqua ducts) can still be seen in the Zonda Valley vineyards. Duncan sources organically grown grapes from the Patagonia and San Juan regions, including the Zonda Valley (900 msm), Pedernal Valley (1250 msm), and Calingasta Valley (1690 msm). The Zonda Valley is characterized by its dry, hot climate and unique soil composition, which consists of riverbed shingles and pudding stones that run two meters deep and radiate heat throughout the valley. The terroir is further impacted by dramatic temperature variations that can span up to 50 degrees over a single summer day.

Duncan harvests the grapes in January, earlier than many other producers in the region, to ensure that the wines ferment completely dry with balanced acidity and alcohol levels. The high-elevation glacial valley produces distinctive, bright, and lively wines that express both Duncan's passion and the essence of the San Juan region itself.