Argentine Wine – 10 Things You Didn’t Know.

Argentina is one of the most popular wine producing regions in South America and is famous for its world class Malbecs, which is produced throughout the region.

The wine making regions in Argentina is located either on the slanting plains or across the wide valleys. The region also offers a conducive climate for wine production.

The Argentine vineyards are situated quite far from the cities and away from the pollutions, where the vines are planted in the young and infrequently tilled soils. Argentina offers distinct flavors in its wide variety of authentic wines that come in deep colors and intense aroma. It has the most suitable terroir for the production of Malbecs, Argentina’s most celebrated wine variety.

A striking aspect of Argentine wines is that they thrive in a land characterized by dryness and aridity. Viticulture in Argentina is concentrated at the foothills of Andes. The dreary desert region of Mendoza is highly popular for wine production in Argentina. The high altitudes and dry landscapes create the ideal conditions for high quality red wines with a strong aroma and intense flavor.

The Argentine wines have received international recognition for their uniqueness and quality. The country also welcomes wine lovers to its vineyards and wineries for a taste of its wines.

If you are planning to take an Argentine wine tour sometime soon, the following facts will help you understand its wines better.

#1. Malbecs: Argentina’s Star Wine Variety

Malbecs are the most widely produced variety of wine in Argentina. It traveled to Argentina from France, through Chile in 1852. But strangely it adapted to Argentina’s unique climate and went on to become its flagship variety. Today Argentine Malbecs are exported all over the world and is also one of the most consumed varieties of wine.

In the latter half of 1990s Argentine winemakers rediscovered Malbecs. The Malbec World Day is observed on 17th April. Malbecs comprise 35% of Argentina’s grapes and make for 51% of its international sales.

#2. Torrontes: Argentina’s Native Wine Variety

It is a white varietal wine with a fresh aroma, medium acidic level, and even texture. The wine offers distinctive apricot and peach aromas. It is produced across all the major wine producing regions in Argentina. Torrontes also refers to a particular Spanish varietal grape. It is only grown in Argentina and is a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Negra.

#3. Local Study of Wines

There arose a need for foreign advisors when the country decided to take its wines to the international market. However, it was not something that was done on an impulse. Argentina had a considerable number of individuals who had the insight on agronomy and winemaking required for the task. Many of those winemakers today are on the edge of 40, like Mauricio Lorca, Marcelo Pelleriti, and Alejandro Vigil.

#4. Trained Argentine Sommeliers

The Argentine School of Sommeliers has produced graduates who are now placed at key positions in top restaurants around the world, and the number is still on the rise. Professionals who received training at the Gato Dumas culinary school and Argentina School of Wines are also spread across top restaurants in Latin America.

#5. The Enigmatic Bonarda

In Argentina, Bonarda is second only to Malbecs in the volume of production. Initially, Bonarda came across as a strange variety for the researchers who were carrying out a thorough research of the country’s wines. Although it had an Italian name, it did not match with its varieties or any other variety for that matter. It was only in 2009 that a genetic study determined that Bonarda is naturally occurring cross between Douce Noir or Charbono and Corbeau, all three of which are southeastern French varietals.

#6. Wine Cultivation is Quite Old in Argentina

Wine cultivation in Argentina is not a new thing as it was actually started by the Spanish Missionaries in 1551. However, wine was primarily produced for religious purposes and of very poor quality. Criolla was the most widespread wine variety back then and it was produced in a very crude form. Nonetheless, this particular grape variety laid the foundation of the wine industry of South America.

#7. Argentine Vines Are Disease Free

One outstanding quality of Argentine soils is that it has effectively resisted a dangerous pest called phylloxera, which devastated French vineyards in the 1870s leading to the downfall of the Bordeaux Malbecs, from spoiling its vines. Because of this, it is now home to the world’s finest Malbecs.

#8. Argentina Exports Malbecs to France

Being the world’s leading producer of Malbecs, Argentina now ironically exports the wine variety to its homeland France. Meanwhile, wine growers in Bordeaux and Cahors are actively producing Argentine varietal wines.

#9. Mendoza- An Oasis

It might seem lush green with acres of lands under vineyards, but Mendoza is actually an oasis located in the middle of an arid, dry desert. The land has been made fertile by the water channels dug by the early settlers of the region. The channels carry the melted ice from the snow-capped Andes to the fields. Today, farmers use modern techniques to draw water from underground.

#10. The Lesser Known Wine Producing Giant

Not many people know that Argentina occupies the fifth position in the world in respect to wine productions. It produces a wide variety of wines from its stunning Malbecs to the piquant Torrontes. It also offers its tourist enlightening wine tours through its vineyards, so that more people learn about its wines and wine producing culture.

Argentina is a vast land with a lot of attractions on offer for every tourist. Wine is a special part of Argentina, which represents it before the world. Needless to say, the country has been excelling in wine productions. The above mentioned facts underlined the most intriguing aspects of the ultimate wine destination of Argentina and for the basic understanding of any wine lover intending to visit the country in the near future.

Author Bio: Mark Davis is the managing partner of Tango Tours and Tango Food and Wine Company, a business he has been running since 2014. It extremely important to Mark that his guests have the ultimate food and wine experience as well as experiencing the local culture.