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Argentina’s wines are among the best in the world and its reputation is gathering pace as quickly as Maradona running at the English back four. As the eighth largest country in the world, it encompasses a multitude of different climates and varying landscapes. Thanks to its bountiful terrain – meandering its way towards the Andes – Argentina is one of the top six wine producers in the world by volume and has been producing juice for more than 400 years.
The four major regions of wine production in Argentina are: Salta, Lujan de Cuyo, Uco Valley, and Patagonia – each region’s terroir imparting distinct character to the wines. Let’s dive into the rich history of Argentine wine and each of Argentina’s top wine regions.
Salta lies at the north of the country and comprises the San Juan and La Rioja regions, which are becoming more recognised areas for wine production globally. Cafayate, El Arenal, and Los Molinos are key sub-regions of the province and well worth keeping an eye out for on bottle labels.
Set against the arid Andes, Salta is home to some of the highest-altitude vineyards in the world, where elevation levels can reach as high as 3,111 metres, giving a unique, earthy character to the grapes. Also known as the capital of the Northwest, the northern province is steeped in history, witnessed in the faces of the indigenous people who are of mostly Incan origin.
Salta has much to offer with its incredible scenery, rich culture, and award-winning wines. It has a subtropical highland climate, temperate year-round, which lends well to creating intense, rich, and powerful wine flavour profiles. Hotter temperatures allow the grapes to ripen at a faster rate, and this in turn leads to fuller bodied wines with softer and sweeter flavours and less acidity.
The Malbec grape, originating from Cahors in southwest France, is the most planted varietal in Argentina, and the grapes react well to each of the region’s micro-climates. The Malbecs from this region hold the complex characteristics you would expect but will be more intense and fruitier than wines from the south.
Gaucho features many incredible wines from this region on our wine list such as: the Piatelli Tannat (Bodega El Esteco), Laborum Torrentes, (El Porvenir de Cafayate), and La Linterna Malbec (Bemberg Estate Wines).
Slightly further south from Salta is the Mendoza region, arguably the most renowned wine-production province of Argentina, and one of the most well-equipped landscapes in the world for a vintner. One of the notable wine regions here is Lujan de Cuyo.
Lujan de Cuyo, a valley just south of Mendoza City, was the first region to be recognised for an appellation. Stretching over 30km between the Andes in the west and the Lunlunta hills in the east with altitudes of 1,000m above sea levels, the positioning of Lujan de Cuyo has an intriguing terroir.
The drastically cooler temperatures of the night contrast with the intense heat of the day to slow the ripening process and prolong the growing season. There is little rainfall due to the Andes blocking the clouds, which contributes to creating deliberately stressed vines that grow smaller grapes with more concentrated flavour.
Lujan de Cuyo is known for producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Torrontes, as well as Malbec. Gaucho lists many delicious wines from Lujan de Cuyo such as DV Catena ‘Histórico’ (Bodega Catena Zapata), Viña Patricia (Lunlunta), and The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree (Bonarda).
Just below Lujan de Cuyo, Uco Valley is another key viticulture in Mendoza.
Vineyard altitudes range from 1,100 to 2,000m above sea and while sunny for most of the year, the climate is cool compared to the north. This terroir allows for a longer growing season, which wine producers simply adore.
Important sub-regions to the valley include Tupungato, Tunuyan, and San Carlos, where Syrah and Malbec grape varietals are grown for red wines as well as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Torrontes for white wines.
Uco Valley is a relative newcomer to the wine production scene, having only started producing wines from the 1990s; before that the valley was predominantly used for fruit and vegetable cultivation. Sitting in the foothills of the Andes, the soil in this area is a mix of clay and sand, which is great for retaining water and allowing the roots of the grapevines to absorb nutrients.
White wines are especially good from this region for their freshness, purity, and elegant flavour profiles. Some popular and truly excellent white wines Gaucho offers include: Terrazas De Los Andes Chardonnay (Gualtallary), Susana Balbo Barrel Fermented ‘Signature’ (Paraje Altamira), and What About Me? Sauvignon Blanc (Bodega Alpasion).
Patagonia is the southernmost province of Argentina with two main wine-growing regions: Rio Negro and Neuquen.
This desert region, covering an area of roughly 300km, provides an unexpectedly great terroir for producing wines in a much lighter style compared to the rest of the country. The cool, moderate climate of the vineyards here extends the length of the growing season and in turn makes the whole ripening process for the grapes slower, allowing the fruits to develop rich character while retaining acidity.
For those who favour more tart and bright flavours and aromas, the wines of this region are the perfect pour. Expect more acidity, less sweetness, lighter body, lower alcohol percentage, and a grippier overall tannin profile.
As Patagonia is officially classified as a desert due to its lack of rainfall, viticulture is only possible near the rivers, where run-off from the Andes is used for irrigation. Out of the two wine producing areas, Rio Negro is established, however both follow more traditional European styles of winemaking due to the starkly different climate in comparison to the rest of the country.
Malbec is popular all over Argentina, but here Pinot Noir is a widely used varietal and many white wine grape varieties are grown as they are well-suited to the terroir.
A few excellent wines worth trying from the Gaucho selection include: Chacra Chardonnay (Bodega Chacra & Jean Marc Roulot), Black River Sauvignon Blanc (Humberto Canale), and Soul N Pinot Noir (Bodegas Verum).
Argentina’s flagship varietal is Malbec – it is well-known for producing award-winning Malbec red wines and is often regarded as the signature wine of Argentina. Malbec originates from France but has adapted well to the climate of Argentina and offers a richness of fruity and floral aromas with well-developed complexity and soft tannins that create a dry wine.
The region of Mendoza is home to Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo, which are both huge producers of wine in Argentina. Mendoza makes up about 70% of the country’s total wine production with its 800 wineries.
Argentina is known for a great variety of wines such as Malbec, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Torrentes, and Pinot Noir, among many more.
Argentina is one of the largest producers of red wine in the world and is highly regarded and well-known by wine connoisseurs for its variety of red wines.
