Juan Pablo Murgia joins Argentina's Rutini

Winemaker of the Year Juan Pablo Murgia departs Grupo Avinea to join Rutini in a high-profile reshuffle. He will work alongside legendary winemaker Mariano di Paola and rising star Martina Galeano.

In one of the boldest winemaker moves in Argentina in recent years, Juan Pablo Murgia (pictured) has stepped down from his role as head winemaker of Grupo Avinea to become head of winemaking at Rutini, where he will work alongside long-standing director of winemaking Mariano di Paola and newly appointed head winemaker Martina Galeano.

Juan Pablo Murgia has become one of the most talked-about figures in Argentine wine in recent years, following the critical acclaim of the wines he made with Avinea — most notably at Otronia, the southernmost vineyard and winery in the world. For his work in Chubut at Otronia and in Mendoza at Argento, he received numerous awards, including several recognitions as Winemaker of the Year.

Transforming Argento and developing key vineyards

“My experience at Argento was a very rewarding one, as I had the opportunity to transform a very successful project that was, at the same time, focused on large-scale production and mid-range varietal wines,” Murgia reflects. “Over the course of ten years, we carried out a powerful transformation with a focus on terroir-driven work. We developed three vineyards: Altamira, Alto Agrelo (for which we established a new GI), and Monasterio in Gualtallary.”

During Murgia’s tenure, the team transitioned Argento’s vineyards to certified organic — making it one of Argentina’s largest organic producers, with over 300 hectares of organic vineyards. He worked closely with the group’s consultant, Alberto Antonini, on both development of viticulture and winemaking strategy.

Otronia: a revolutionary project at the end of the world

Perhaps most remarkable, however, has been the rise of Otronia — which began as an experimental vineyard on the 45°33′ South parallel and has since become one of Argentina’s most acclaimed wineries.

“Otronia is perhaps the most important project I’ve had the opportunity to develop, for several reasons,” reflects Murgia. “The first is that I was able to design it from the ground up — planting the vineyard and, above all, making its first wines. I think of Otronia as an exploratory challenge that ended up being a revolution, showcasing a new dimension of wines in South America, particularly in Pinot Noir.”

Murgia says his decision to move to Rutini was driven by a desire to seek new challenges: “[My career at Avinea] was 20 years of great intensity, dedication, major accomplishments, and recognition. I believe I was at my professional peak, and that became the catalyst to think that it was time for a change. That’s when Rutini appeared as the ideal project to make that transition. I always say that since I began studying oenology, Rutini was an aspirational project that I greatly admired.”

Joining forces with Mariano di Paola

He also expresses deep admiration for his new colleague, Mariano di Paola, one of Argentina’s most revered winemakers, whose career spans over four decades: “I have the amazing opportunity to work alongside Mariano Di Paola — someone who needs no introduction — and whose presence is a huge support as part of this great project,” Murgia adds. “Today, I feel it’s the ideal place to continue my career for many years, with the tremendous challenge of working on one of Argentina’s great wine ventures.”

Murgia’s appointment is not the only news coming from Rutini. The addition of Martina Galeano as Head Winemaker marks another significant step. Galeano joins from her most recent post as a Research Associate at UC Davis, where she previously earned her Master’s degree. She gained prominence in Argentina as Head Winemaker at Casarena between 2021 and 2024, with a prior stint at Tapiz between her appointments in California.

Grupo Avinea has yet to announce Murgia’s successor — no doubt a coveted position in Argentina’s increasingly competitive and dynamic wine industry.

Amanda Barnes MW is the drinks business‘ regular South America correspondent and author of The South America Wine Guide.