Source: juxtapost.com via Wines of Argentina on Pinterest
All of this got me thinking about travelling to South America., and when I speak to people about travelling it seems to be either about Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia etc or South America; so there must be something good about these places. What I have learnt about Argentina (in particular the regions outlined) is they offer amazing organic growing conditions. The idea of irrigating the vineyard with pure snow-melt water, readily available from the Andes is beautifully natural. They also speak with an amazing Italian sounding Spanish accent, which can be attributed to immigrants arriving in the 1800's. Sexual!
A couple of years a go I went to Thailand with the intention of seeing stunning sites and getting smashed, and somehow I think that would be the case if I went to Argentina, however I'd be expecting to drink alcohol from a glass rather than a bucket.
My Fact File for Argentinian Wines:
Fact File : Argentina- the 5th biggest wine producer in the world!
Grapes:
- Red: Malbec and Bonarda as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot.
- White: Torrontés as well as Viognier and Chardonnay
Red: Elegant Malbecs with floral aromas made in premium high altitude vineyards as well as fuller, fruitier examples grown in lower altitudes.
White: Aromatic Viogniers with peachy fruit on the palate. Moderate Acidity.
Regions:
- Mendoza (at the heart)
- San Juan, La Rioja and Catamarca (going north of Mendoza)
- Salta Province (the far north, and home to the highest commercial vineyard in the world)
- Patagonia and Rio Negro (south of Mendoza relatively new areas with lots of potential)
Geography: The Andes play as massive part in wine growing across Argentina, with vines growing at different altitudes in different regions. The growing conditions allows for good acidity and slow ripening.
Climate: An organic growing haven with desert like conditions. Pure snow-melt water from the Andes provides excellent natural irrigation.
Big Names: Catena Wines ( Dr Nicolas Catena spent many years researching techniques and technologies to improve wine in the 1980’s and 1990’s. )
Alamos (part of Catena Wines)
Viñalba:Set up in 2008 by a Bordeaux Wine maker, this company has vineyards across Mendoza and Patagonia.
Viticulture: (grape growing) Viticulture in Mendoza is almost organic, and like Chile, they don’t need to spray plants with pesticides or worry about disease. The Pergola System is a way to train vines from growing away from the ground, thus protecting them from the heat of the soil. Modern vineyards also use the Cordon Training system
Random Facts: Malbec was brought to Argentina in 1850 and is mainly used as a single variety in wine, however it is often blended with other grapes to create premium blends.
- The planting of traditional low-yielding grapes like Criolla and Cereza have dwindled, with the domestic market and international markets enjoying the same, good quality wines.