argentina wine project

7/30/2019 Argentina Wine Project

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The Geographyof Wine Project:

Argentina

Larry Folz

The Geography of Wine

Dr. Antonio Bellisario

Summer 2013



Argentina is located in the southern / south eastern region of South America, with the

Andes Mountains to the west and the South Atlantic Ocean to the south. Argentina consists of

roughly forty one million people and is fifth in the nation in wine production, with eighty percent

of the wines being produced in Mendoza. The country has about twice the number of vineyards

as Chile and wine is the national beverage, with home consumption accounting for about eighty

five per cent of wine sales. This paper will examine and discuss this unique wine region,

examine Argentina’s rising star, the Malbec grape, and give some insight to how Argentina is

impacting the wine industry.

Environmental Characteristics

The physical layout of

Argentina is one that spans a vast

amount of space and runs north to

south. Since the country covers

such a large amount space,

longitude-wise, the climate ranges

from subtropical in the north to

sub polar in the south. The north

is typically very hot with humid

summers and mild and drier

winters. Generally speaking, the

climates are quite ideal for grape

growing with hot summers, little



rainfall, and there is an endless supply of water from rivers and artesian wells.1 This allows for

different types of grapes to thrive in the region, such as torrontes, chardonnay, merlot, syrah, and

bonarda, but the single most successful growing grape that thrives in Argentina is the malbec

grape.

Malbec

Malbec today is Argentina's pride and joy. Wineries throughout Mendoza province make

and export Malbec-labeled wines that generally have deep color and an exuberant fruitiness of

aroma and flavor. Argentine Malbec is no longer uniform. Most have enough tannin

accompanying their fresh fruity flavors that they qualify as spicy reds that energize the mouth

rather than seduce it. But lately, some seem to be pushing the limits of ripeness. These wines

have fuller body from high alcohol levels along with somewhat jam-like flavors, and very soft

grape tannins. They are generous and powerful in the mouth, conforming to a taste profile that

some critics favor.2

Vineyards

Argentina has primarily seven regions that are best suited for wine production, which all

border Chile and the Andes Mountains. They include (from north to south): Salta, Catamarca,

La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza, Neuquen, and Rio Negro.

1 Christopher Felden, The Wines of Argentina, Chile, and Latin America (London: Faber andFaber Inc, 2001), 18.

2 Maria Goldner, “Sensory Characterization of Vitis Vinifera CV: Malbec Wines from Seven

Viticulture Regions of Argentina,” Journal of Sensory Studies vol. 22, no. 5. (Sept 2007):521.



Salta is tucked away in the northeast corner of Argentina and is one of the highest

elevation vineyards in the world with some ranging over 9,000 feet. The rocky terroir, high

desert climate, and high day-to-night temperature fluctuations create an ideal environment for the

torrontes grape. The center of all wine production is in Cafayate and hosts over two dozen

wineries.

Catamarca borders Chile and is defined by high plateaus and fertile valleys with around

7,500 acres of vineyards. This region has both stony and sandy soils with the best viticultural

areas being located in the east: Tinogasta, Santa Maria and Fiambala. Varietals that stand out in

this region are Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Bonarda, and Torrontes.

La Rioja has been growing grapes since 1591, thus making it the oldest wine-producing

regions in Argentina. La Rioja has very little rain, high temperatures, and low humidity. This

area is thought to be responsible for the well known Riojano strain of the Torrentes grape.

Bonarda and Syrah grow extremely well with the given climate of this region.

San Juan is the second largest growing region with approximately 125,000 acres

dedicated to growing grapes. The region consists of a set of valleys ranging in elevation from

1,950 – 4,450 feet above sea level. San Juan enjoys a very hot and dry climate that is optimal for

grapes such as Syrah, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot and Bonarda also do well here,

as well as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier for whites.

Mendoza consists of over 1,000 wineries which accounts for 80% of Argentina’s wine,

thus making it the largest producing wine region in Argentina. Vineyard altitudes range from

2,000 – 4,700 feet above sea level. At these high elevations the air temperature stays relatively

cool, yet the vines receive significantly higher amounts of solar radiation than vines at sea level.

Rapes here have the longest “hang-time” in the world, which creates balanced wines with ripe



fruit flavors and smooth tannins. According to Jos Alberto Zuccardi of the Mendoza winery

Familia Zuccardi “In France the grape stays on the vine for around 100 days, while in Argentina

it is 150 days, meaning that it is riper, softer and less tannic.”3

The vineyards of Neuquen are relatively new with the first vines being planted in 1999.

In Neuquen, the Andes begin to fade away and the vineyards only peak around 900 feet above

sea level. The successes of this region pertain directly to the latitude, not the altitude. The

southern boundaries of its vineyards extend to the 42 parallel and this Patagonian province

makes wine in the cool climate tradition. Despite the cooler climate about 85% of the vines here

are dedicated to red grapes, specifically Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Malbec. For whites, Sauvignon

Blanc and Chardonnay also do quite well in this semi-arid province.

Rio Negro is located in the southern region of Argentina in the vast, arid and wild

Patagonian plateau. This area provides the vineyards with a dry climate with very little rain.

The summers boast warm days and very cool nights. With lower vineyard elevations than some

of its sister regions, only about 800 feet above sea level, many Rio Negro wines are typically of

cooler climates like Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Argentina’s Place in the Wine Industry

The Argentine Wine Industry has undergone quite the transformation in the past twenty

years. In 2005, the Argentine Wine industry exported a record amount, over $300 million dollars

of wine, to more than 50 countries.4 While this amount does not surpass large wine producers,

such as the United States or France, it is a remarkable achievement considering the obstacles that

3 Jonathon Ray, “Aiming High: The Fruity, Complex Flavours of Argentinian Wines Are AboutAltitude and Attitude,” The Daily Telegraph, 2005.4 Sam Lovett, “The Rise of the Argentine Wine Industry” (PhD diss, Northwestern University

School of Law, 2006), 10.



the industry has overcome. While the history of the Wine industry in Argentina dates back more

than 300 years, it has only recently been able to compete in the global market. Sam Lovett

describes the future of Argentina’s wine industry as follows:

Today, Argentina is poised to continue increasing its share of the global market. TheInstituto de Vitivinicultura (INV), which is a government agency established to regulatethe Argentine wine industry, has made strides to improve the quality and reputation of Argentine wine. In addition, the INV and the Argentine government adopted the Strategy2020 plan in 2003, which is an attempt to develop the Argentine wine industry into aglobal presence. The 2020 plan designates $15 million for improved marketing andexport promotion, and hopes to increase Argentina’s global market share to 10%. The

Argentine wine industry has overcome many difficult obstacles to find itself in an ideal position to take the world by storm.5

The steady decline of the domestic market in the 1980s forced the Argentine wine

industry to seem revenue through foreign markets, which demanded the adjustment in the quality

of their product. Following the devaluation of the peso in 2001, the wine industry took

advantage of its cheap currency to greatly expand exports. Though Argentina may not have the

capacity realistically to become one of the largest wine producers in the industry, one thing is for

certain, Argentina has the ability to produce a quality product that is less expensive, has

character, and can compete with numerous fine wines on the market.

5 Sam Lovett, “The Rise of the Argentine Wine Industry” (PhD diss, Northwestern University

School of Law, 2006), 32.



Bibliography

Felden, Christopher. The Wines of Argentina, Chile and Latin America. London: Faber and Faber Inc, 2001.

Goldner, Maria. “Sensory Characterization of Vitis Vinifera Cv.Malbec Wines from SevenViticulture Regions of Argentina.” Journal of Sensory Studies vol 22, no. 5. (Sept 2007):521.

Lovett, Sam. “The Rise of the Argentine Wine Industry.” PhD diss, Northwestern UniversitySchool of Law, 2006.

Ray, Jonathon. “Aiming High: The Fruity, Complex Flavours of Argentinian Wines Are About

Altitude and Attitude.” The Daily Telegraph (October 15 2005): 9.

Tempero, Suzelle. “Argentina’s Wines Find New Success,” Wall Street Journal (10 November

2004): B. 3C.

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