Mendoza

Argentina’s winegrowing heartland Mendoza is famous for its world-class Malbec – a grape that benefits from optimum growing conditions at the foot of the Andes to produce some of the world’s most popular red wines.

The Mendoza wine region in western Argentina is located on a high-altitude plateau at the base of the Andes, comprising a remarkable 150,000 hectares of vineyard. This is the country’s biggest and most important wine region, accounting for around 70% of all Argentinian wine. Characterful red wines – and Malbec in particular – have brought Mendoza renown as one of the New World’s viticultural sweet spots.

Ideal conditions for growing wine

Mendoza is almost the perfect place to make quality wine. A dry and sunny continental climate and big shifts between day and night temperatures help to intensify aromas and flavours while preserving natural acidity. Most of Mendoza’s area under vine lies 500 to 800 metres above sea level, within reach of rivers and streams. The Uco Valley in the western part of Mendoza is even higher, with vineyards reaching elevations of up to 1,700 metres. The region’s soils are mainly sandy and calcareous, providing excellent drainage. Mendoza is quite arid with very low rainfall, which is why irrigation is so important. Melted snow and ice from the Andes is the primary source of water, which is conveyed into the vineyards through an ancient network of irrigation channels.

Mendoza and Malbec – a match made in heaven

Winegrowing in Mendoza dates as far back as the 16th century, when Spanish missionaries brought the first vines to the region. But it was another wave of European settlers in the 19th century that heralded the rise of Mendoza’s wine industry. The introduction of Malbec was a key moment. Malbec originally came from Cahors in the south-west of France, where it was used as little more than a blending partner. Malbec thrived in its new setting, shedding its inferiority complex to become Argentina’s stand-out wine.

Deeply coloured with velvety tannins and an intense fruit character, Argentinian Malbec is now famous the world over. Whereas Malbec in France used to be regarded as quite a tannic wine that often needed a lot of time to open up, its Mendoza idiom is fruit-forward and approachable. Malbec is Mendoza’s flagship wine as well as one of Argentina’s most successful exports, putting the country well and truly on the viticultural map. The region is home to other international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay – but Malbec will always be king.