The crisis at Bodegas Bianchi has again brought the labor and financial fragility of part of Mendoza's wine industry to the forefront. The company dismissed 17 workers as part of an internal review aimed at adapting its structure to the conditions facing the sector.
The company stated that severance payments were made available under current labor regulations and that voluntary departure programs were also offered as an alternative within the same process. The measure is part of a restructuring launched during the year to organize liabilities and avoid insolvency proceedings.
The workforce adjustment comes alongside a demanding financial picture. Available records show that the winery had accumulated 205 rejected checks totaling 1.623 billion pesos, with only limited regularization, and bank debt above 17 billion pesos spread across several institutions.
Both private and public banks appear among the financial creditors as the company seeks to rebuild liquidity. As part of that effort, it sold a historic estate in San Rafael during the year in a transaction estimated at around 10 million dollars, with proceeds directed toward immediate obligations.
The reorganization also included specialized financial and legal advice. Southern Cone Partners and Ernst & Young were hired to help design the financial process, while Beccar Varela is involved in the legal restructuring strategy.
The move also comes at a time of internal change. Pablo Glöggler left the executive leadership in May, amid negotiations with banks, suppliers and other creditors. So far, the company has not announced who will permanently take that role.
The Bianchi case is part of a broader picture of pressure on important wineries in Cuyo. Payment difficulties, the need to renegotiate debt and operational adjustments show that the crisis is not reflected only in balance sheets: it also reaches employment, supplier chains and the region's productive structure.
