Guindado Porta is one of those drinks that enjoyed enormous popularity in Argentina’s past, and even today it continues to stir memories
These days, many Argentine friends have been writing to me. One of them suggested: “Why don’t you write about Guindado Porta liqueur? It’s my favourite.” And, of course, I went looking for it. What I found was a reissue of “Guindado Vicente Porta” released as part of the company’s 130th anniversary.
For this edition, the century-old family recipe was preserved, along with its almost artisanal production, presented in an exclusive bottle specially designed to pay tribute to one of the founders. 
The packaging for Guindado Porta was commissioned from Estudio Fontana, one of Argentina’s leading design studios. The aim was to express the respect, age and noble character of this liqueur, while adding a contemporary design touch.
The gift case is intended to complete the pleasure of discovering it. Guindado Porta brings tradition together with a distinctly modern touch. The product is a sweet cherry liqueur, with the fruit’s characteristic notes of acidity, enjoyable on its own after dinner and, if all goes well, likely to find an interesting place behind the bars of Buenos Aires.
A historical perspective
The first liqueur factory in Argentina’s interior, Porta Hermanos, was founded in 1882 in Córdoba by Vicente Porta’s uncle, an apothecary from his native Lombardy in Italy. “Don Vicente” arrived in Argentina in 1921 to help his uncle and brother, after serving as a lieutenant in the First World War, where he was awarded a medal of merit. 
During the 1920s and 1930s, guindado was a fashionable liqueur at gatherings of well-to-do society.
Porta dusted off the old family recipe, which adapted perfectly to the wild sour cherries growing around La Cumbre and Ascochinga, in the Córdoba hills. 
Guindado Porta is sweet, with the fruit’s natural touch of acidity, and delicious served neat after dinner.
In many homes, it used to be made by hand. My friend tells me that his grandmother from Mendoza made a delicious version using sour cherries from the La Cumbre and Ascochinga area, in the Córdoba hills.
The production process of Guindado Porta
The sour cherries were carefully picked by hand and cleaned one by one. Then the whole process began, under the guidance of the “master liqueur maker”: crushing, fermentation and maceration in alcohol before ageing in oak vats for approximately six months.
The bottles and labels changed over time, but the almost artisanal production process remained unchanged.
About Porta Hermanos
- The history of Porta Hermanos represents a passion for making and improving things, along with respect and trust in work, even during the most critical periods in Argentine history.
- They began with the production and processing of high-quality alcohols. Later came the production of vinegars and balsamic acetos. They also design and build ethanol plants.
- They provide industrial engineering solutions to other companies, as well as technological innovations that add value to primary agricultural production.
- They make full use of raw materials; everything is reused and transformed into by-products. They are committed to respecting and caring for the environment, and to the safety and quality of life of their employees, their families and the wider community.
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