One of my favorite traditions at Spring Creek Lodge is personally directing the Wine Tasting on arrival day. Many of you have shared this experience and know my passion for Argentine wines, but for those who haven’t yet been a part of it, I’d like to give you a quick introduction to the Argentine wine scene and offer an opinion on some great value wines.
Argentina is a big country, expanding from north to south almost as far as the USA extends from the east to west. The Andes Mountains form the western border, which provide the landscapes and climate perfect for growing a wide variety of grapes that require diverse terrains and altitudes.
The most southern wine region at the foothills of the Andes Mountains is located in central and northern Patagonia, between 40° and 43° south latitude. The further south you go in this hemisphere brings shorter summers and colder average temperatures, ideal for short season grapes that relish cooler climates such as: pinot noir, pinot grigio, merlot, gewürztraminer and sauvignon blanc. These are some of the most popular grapes grown in these vineyards. You might also find a few growing malbec, because after all, this is Argentina, but the southern malbec are different from the more widely known Mendoza variety.
Further north is the province of Mendoza, considered the epicenter of Argentina wine country. Mendoza is a province with 4 separate agricultural regions and represents 70% of the planted vineyards, almost 400,000 acres under vine. Over 900 wineries make Mendoza larger than the Napa and Sonoma regions combined and almost as many wineries as in the entire state of California.
Mendoza produces the largest volume of malbec grapes in the world, and sets the standard for the finest quality malbec wines. It’s interesting to recall that malbec was originally used in France in the Bordeaux blends but was considered less desirable as a distinct wine, until it found its place in the world through the work of Italian and Spanish immigrants who flocked to the Mendoza region.
The Andes Mountains in Mendoza are as impressive as the Rockies or the Italian Alps, with average peaks of 15,000 feet and foothill valleys with considerable altitude between 3,000 to 4,500 feet above sea level. The altitude combined with long warm days, being at 33° south latitude and approximately 600 miles north from the Patagonian wine region, produce ideal conditions for an extended growing season.
The longer season brings grapes to full ripeness with perfect sugar levels to fulfill their potential. The effect of this altitude is a natural phenological adjustment, where the grapes generate thicker skins and larger seeds to assure their survival under the natural temperature gap in the terrain. This is why the Mendoza Malbecs possess rich natural tannins and deep coloration. The higher percentage of glycerin in the grapes’ skin also yields a longer lingering flavor on the palate. All characteristics you expect from a truly great malbec.
While Mendoza is home to the finest malbec in the world and much of the production in this region caters to it, the conditions are also excellent for a variety of other wines such as cabernet franc, merlot, bonarda, and many others. Mendoza is a remarkable area to visit and explore, in addition to great wines and wineries, with an amazing traditional food scene and the stunning vistas of the Andean Range.
North of Mendoza you will find several more provinces, San Juan, La Rioja and Catamarca, all with deep roots and traditions in viniculture. These provinces produce distinct malbecs, syrahs, and cabernet sauvignons.
At the far north of the country is the province of Salta, where near the town of Cafayate and the Calchaqui Valley you reach the 25° south latitude and find yourself in a nearly tropical setting. With some of the highest altitude vineyards in the entire world (above 7000 ft ), these conditions result in wild and exuberant wines that everyone should discover. Salta province is a well known and unique destination of the country to discover with a vibrant culture, traditions, a distinctive food scene, and stunning scenery. You’ll find high altitude plateaus in the Andes, vineyards, magnificent geological wonders, and the mountain rainforests known by the locals as “yungas”.
These higher regions bring us unique malbecs, cabernet sauvignon, tannat, petit verdot and some wonderful wines from the only native Argentine grape, the torrontes.
Here are a few suggestions for wonderful and fair-valued wines I have recently discovered.
- Piatelli Wines, Salta Province – (Try the cabernet sauvignon)
- Marcelo Pelleritti, Mendoza Province
- Ver Sacrum, La Dama del Abrigo Rojo, Uno Valley Mendoza (nebiolo)
- Ben Marco Expresivo, Susna Balbo, Mendoza
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