In November 2025, Forbes named Finca Sophenia one of the 50 best wineries in the world. Here is the story of the family estate high in the Andes, why its wines taste the way they do, and which bottles you can find in Nairobi.
No. 23 in the world, according to Forbes
Forbes’ “The World’s 50 Best Wineries 2025”, compiled with wine experts at Virgin Wines, placed Finca Sophenia at No. 23. It shares the list with names such as Penfolds, Château Smith Haut Lafitte and M. Chapoutier, and it is one of only five Argentine wineries in the top 50. The judges looked at five things: family tradition across generations, independent ownership, sustainability, consistent quality, and the visitor experience. Sophenia scores on all five, which is why this relatively young winery sits among houses that are centuries old.
A family story that began in 1998
Finca Sophenia was founded in 1998 by Roberto Luka, a leading figure in Argentine wine who later served as president of Wines of Argentina. The name joins those of two family members, Sophia and Eugenia. Today Eugenia Luka, Roberto’s daughter, leads the new generation, focusing on organic farming and sustainability, while winemaker Joaquín Martín runs the cellar. It is still a family-owned, independent estate, and every wine it makes comes from its own vineyards.
Gualtallary: pioneers on a mountain slope
When the Lukas planted their vines, Gualtallary was empty, wild land at around 1,200 metres in Tupungato, in the northern Uco Valley of Mendoza. Sophenia was one of the first wineries to plant there. Today Gualtallary is one of the most sought-after addresses in South American wine, and its wines regularly earn the country’s highest scores.
What makes it special:
- Altitude: strong sunlight by day and cold Andean nights. Grapes ripen fully but keep their fresh, natural acidity.
- Stony, chalky soils: rocky, calcareous ground drains fast and keeps the vines’ yields low, giving concentrated wines with a mineral, almost chalky finish.
- Very little rain: just 300 to 350 mm a year, so the grapes stay healthy and the estate can farm with very little intervention.
The result is a mountain style of Argentine wine: deep fruit, but also freshness, firm structure and elegance, rather than the heavy, jammy style many people expect from Malbec.
Farming with care
The estate covers 130 hectares, and since 2020 it has become the largest certified-organic vineyard in Gualtallary, with sustainability certification across the winery. The philosophy is simple: honest farming, wines from a single estate, and as little intervention in the cellar as possible, so that the place speaks through the glass. Sophenia’s wines are now sold in more than 25 countries.
The Sophenia wines at The Wine Shop
We stock twelve Sophenia wines, from easy everyday bottles to the estate’s icon wine.
Altosur: everyday mountain wines
Altosur means “high south”. These are bright, fruit-led wines that show the Gualtallary freshness at a great price.
- Altosur Malbec 2021 (KES 2,895): 97 points and Best in Show, Decanter World Wine Awards 2022, one of only 50 wines out of 18,244 to win the title. Read its story.
- Altosur Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 (KES 2,895): a fresh, structured Cabernet from the high slopes.
- Altosur Red Blend 2022 (KES 2,895): 91 points, James Suckling, for this vintage.
- Altosur Malbec Rosé 2023 (KES 2,895): a pale, dry rosé for sunny Nairobi afternoons.
- Altosur Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (KES 2,895): crisp and citrusy, with mountain freshness.
- Altosur Chardonnay 2023 (KES 2,895): a fresh, elegant mountain Chardonnay.
Karma and Estate Reserve: a step up
- Karma Malbec 2021 (KES 3,495): a modern, juicy Malbec; recent vintages have scored 92 to 94 points with James Suckling.
- Sophenia Estate Reserve Malbec (KES 4,495): the 2021 vintage was No. 46 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2023, with 92 points.
Synthesis: the best plots of the estate
- Synthesis Malbec 2019 (KES 7,295): 94 points, Descorchados. Deep, layered and age-worthy.
- Synthesis Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (KES 7,295): a structured, elegant mountain Cabernet.
- Synthesis The Blend 2019 (KES 11,095): the estate’s flagship blend, from its finest plots.
Roberto Luka: the icon
- Roberto Luka 2021 (KES 18,295): 96 points, Tim Atkin MW (Argentina Report 2024). Named after the founder, this is Sophenia’s top wine.
Enjoying Sophenia in Nairobi
- Temperature: serve the reds at 16 to 18°C. In Nairobi, 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge before opening helps. Whites and rosé are best well chilled, at 8 to 10°C.
- Decanting: give Synthesis and Roberto Luka 30 to 60 minutes in a decanter.
- Food: Malbec and nyama choma are a natural match. Try the reds with grilled beef, lamb, mbuzi, burgers or mushroom dishes. The Altosur Sauvignon Blanc loves tilapia and seafood, and the rosé is lovely with salads and light Swahili dishes.
- Gifting: a bottle of Roberto Luka or Synthesis, from one of the world’s top 50 wineries, makes a memorable gift for a wine lover.
Discover Sophenia
These wines are rare finds in Kenya, and we stock twelve of them. Start with the award-winning Altosur Malbec, or treat yourself to Roberto Luka. Order online for same-day Nairobi delivery on orders placed before 2pm, ship anywhere in Kenya, or visit us at 291 Loresho Ridge, next to Tribal Gallery, and enjoy a glass on our terrace. Questions? WhatsApp us on 0718 003 302.