Ernesto Bajda
Winemaker
Mendoza, Argentina is the perfect home for winemaker Ernesto (Nesti) Bajda: he has an incredible passion for high altitude vineyards. In fact, he was a panelist at the First International High Altitude and Winemaking Symposium in Lake County, California, in 2007, where he presented research on the effect of varying altitudes on Malbec grapes and wines.
A graduate of the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina, Nesti earned his degree in Agricultural Engineering, with specializations in viticulture and oenology. Along with his expertise in research and vineyard management, he has unique knowledge of the infrared aerial photography and GPS positioning equipment used in vineyard mapping and vine homogeneity analysis.
With five vintages behind him, Nesti is emerging as a cutting-edge winemaker. He joined Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón in 2008 to lead the winemaking team at a new, high-tech facility, where Don Miguel Gascón Malbec is crafted. He previously worked two vintages as an assistant to Alejandro Vigil, Catena Zapata’s head winemaker, and two vintages as head winemaker for Bodegas Esmeralda. He also has been working closely with renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs on a Super Malbec that will be released in 2010.
