Argentina

History--red

Spanish missionaries were responsible for bringing the first grape vines to Argentina in the 16th century, on ships carrying conquistadors looking for gold.

The majority of the vines were a variety called Criolla, a variant of which (Criolla Chica aka Pais) is commonly seen in Chile these days. In the early days, these wines were rustic at best and the best was yet to come.

The wines of today’s Argentina are a far cry from the crude wines of the past. What happened? It was a focus on export markets that led to the quality upturn for Argentina. Like neighbouring Chile, the appreciation for wine in Argentina was limited. There was a strong demand for quality wines from overseas however, and so this became the aim. As with everything in life, timing is key: this decision by Argentine winemakers to craft wines for export happened at a time when Argentina–plagued with political unrest and military dictatorship, and thus local consumption was suffering.

From there, the only way was up! European and American companies began investing, resulting in better wine-making and grape-growing technology, and eventually, higher-quality wines. Awards were won and people began recognising Argentine wines as quality productions. Consumption increased, sales soared, and we all drank happily ever after!

Main regions--aromatic

Mendoza - whilst Argentina certainly has more to offer than it's famous central region of Mendoza, this is definitely where all the action is! Easily the largest region in the country, it is centred around the city of Mendoza in the central western part of the country, quite close to the Andes mountain range.

Main grapes--racy

Malbec - considered the national drink of Argentina, the red wines made from Malbec (a grape originally from the south west of France) have established Argentina as a world wine powerhouse in the past 30 years. Rich red fruit, plenty of floral violets, some dark savoury tones and a charry edge exemplify these wines.

Torrontes - a white variety that is indigenous to Argentina, most commonly found in the northern regions. Most easily relatable to Gewurztraminer, it is floral, fruity and a little spicy.

Specific wine styles--strawberry

High altitude Malbec - the majority of the Argentina vineyards are in the far west of the country, up against the Andes Mountains. The altitude of many of the vineyards is quite incredible, with the highest recorded in the northern region of Salta at over ten thousand feet above sea level! More common is around three or four thousand feet, which is impressive in its own right... for comparison, the average in Australia is about 600 feet above sea level.