Location:    South America

Grape variety:    Malbec, Torrentes, Bonarda

Wine produced:    Both white wines and red wines rich in flavor and color

Principal regions:    Mendoza, San Juan

Location and grape growing condition

Argentina is the largest wine producing country in South America. Argentina is also the world’s 5^th biggest wine producer. The first vines were brought some 450 years ago from Chile, Santiago and were taken to Mendoza.

Argentina’s vineyards for the most part lie close to the Andes, in the rain shadow of the Andes meaning rainfall is extremely low. However water is drawn from rivers flowing down from the Andes.  The better vineyards are located at higher altitude between 700 to 1,400 meters, higher altitude result a bigger diurnal range and gives the grape a longer hanging period in such hot conditions, produces wines which are rich in both color and flavor.

Mendoza dominates wine making in Argentina and accounts for over 70% of all wine produced in the country, the vineyards are planted in true desert conditions, protected from rain in the west by huge Andean Mountains. The secret to the quality of Mendozan wines is a constant supply of water from the snow melt at high altitude.

San Juan is two hour drive north of Mendoza, is Argentina’s second most important wine area and accounts for 15% of Argentina’s wine production. Conditions here are hotter and more arid than in Mendoza. The valleys range from 659 to 1400 meters to guarantee a longer ripening process of the grapes.

Grape Varieties:

• Malbec
• Torrentes
• Bonarda