Argentina  |  Uco Valley

Purity of light, clean air, high elevation and the back drop of the Andes set Argentine wine apart from every other wine producing nation.

At an average elevation of 900m Argentina is home to the highest vineyards in the world. Vines grown at high altitude enjoy unique and ideal growing conditions with considerable temperature variation between day and night. The warm days encourage the development of rich varietal flavours while the cool nights serve to preserve natural acidity, intensifying varietal aromas.

Grapes grown here also benefit from the longest ripening season of any wine region in the world. This means that the grapes can mature gradually which, for the winemaker is ideal, because a gradual ripening means smoother tannins and the development of more flavour compounds. No region in the world can match Mendoza when it comes to the quantity of these handy little compounds per grape.

The clean air and fresh snowmelt from the Andes Mountains in this pristine environment also explains the distinctive clarity and vibrancy of wines grown in Argentina. The dryness of the mountain air results in very low levels of vine disease which means less vineyard spraying, while low rainfall allows vintners to control vigour and stress in their vineyard through irrigation from the pure and plentiful Andes snowmelt.

No other wine growing region in the world has such a confluence of positive and unique conditions.

While Mendoza is famous for producing the worlds’ finest Malbec, mid 19th century immigrants have also blessed Argentina with a wide range of other European red grape varieties. Cabernet, Merlot and Shiraz/Syrah can all be found but others such as Bonarda, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Tannat are also showing huge promise internationally.

Just as Malbec has evolved from its French parent to perfectly adapt to its new Andean home, these other varietals produce vibrant and elegant wines that are distinctively Argentinean.

Modernisation of the wine industry in Argentina has allowed cooler regions like Patagonia and the Uco Valley to now produce with great success, aromatic white varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Pinot Gris. The long growing season and cold nights that benefit the Malbec grape so much, allow these white grapes to develop incredibly nuanced and delicate aromatic compounds while again retaining their natural acidities.