29. Argentina

Question 1

Describe the location and climate of Argentina’s wine regions

Answer 1

Location

• Very long region . different climates –
• Most vineyards 600m+, foothills of Andes, west. (except Patagonia)
• In Salta often to 2000m – allows suitable sites near to Equator
• Alt: with lat means not too hot
  
  • alone gives high diurnal range >cool nights, ripening, acidity, flav conc
  • intense sunlight, rel high unltra violet radiation >> hi tannin+anthocyanins

Climate

Continental clim

• In rain shadow of Andes
  
  • Low rain some <200mm
• Irrigation – snowcap melt> rivers, or quifers >
  
  • Drip irrigation in newer vineyards
  • 70% vy - Flood irrigation timed to mimic winter rain, lo qtx in grow seas
  • • Spring frost sign prob (flat/bottom of slopes)
• Summer hail regular hazard - netting
  
  • Spread risk – several locations (hail is localised
• Dry
  
  • Low Sprays little rot or mildew >> organic & biodyn vitc./low spray
  • Zonda wind, hot, dry, powerful lowers humidity, induces water stress, may affect fl&fr set
• El Nino 10yr cycle high rain/storms reduces crops

Question 2

Describe the soils, vineyard management and harvesting in Argentina

Answer 2

Soil

• Lower - most alluvial, fertile
• Higher poor, good for low yield, hi Q
• Calcareous in Uco Valley, San Juan >> hi Q wines

Training / Vines

• Malbec, Bonarda, Semillon – old vines – hi Q
• Trad - Pergola planting.
  
  • Torrontes to provide shade (flav/acid)
  • Also hi vigour var Pedro Gimenez, Criolla Grande
• Recently VSP for black >> protect from intense heat/ sun
• Most vines ungrafted,
  
  • Rstock tol of drought (110R, 140R) become pop
  • Clonal selection for soil-vine compat (smaller berry, and softer tannin than the French)

Harvest: mostly mech

Different timing for blending options (more/less ripe)

Question 3

Describe ARgentina’s

wine law

market structure

business metrics

Answer 3

Law

IP > Wine from large aras

IG > Wine meets certain quality, from a specific area

DOC > Wine from a geog area, legislated wine making – only 2 exist

• Lujan de Cuyo, San Rafael in Mendoza
• Only small no prod use the category

Rules

• Vintage – 85% fruit from that vintage
• Varietal – 85%
• Blend – named varieties on label =85%

Business

• 5th largest prod in the world, 22% exp US, UK, ES, CA
• Export Latin America >> MERCOSUR free trade agmt
• Prev boom, dropped because:
  
  • Economic policy – cost of prod went up
  • Frost, El Nino 2016/7 reduced crop
  • Restrict foreign ownership slowed investment – now lifted
• COVIAR (assoc of gov-grow-prod-prof bodies) oversees strategy to promote Ar wine.
• 80% dom cons means local market ver nb, infl results in dec of cons, but switch to higher Q.
• Ave vy <5ha, many fam owned. some sell grapes to large prod.
• FeCoViTa (29 co-op consort. amng worlds highest vol prods.
• Last decades sign inv in Ar wine and new VY FR, ES, IT and CL.

Question 4

Describe Ar’s black varieties

Answer 4

Malbec

• Vig, mid ripe
• Full-bodied , deeply colour wines
• Ripe blackberry, plum
  
  • light/fruity for drinking young; (inexp -mid)
  • Hi,smooth tannin, matured in new oak – subtle spice
  • Recently extracted more gently for elegance
• Micro-climates have distinct influence
  
  • Low alt/lat (warmer) – fuller body, riper black fruit, softer tann, lower acid.
  • Hi alt/high lat – lower abv, m+ acid, firm, m tann, fresh fruit both red and black, floral or herbal
  • Above offers blend opp, but many choose single VY for expressions of terroir
• Mostly single var
  
  • Also blends with Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and /or Petit Verdot
  • Blends inexp to prem
  • Also into Rose

Bonarda

• Late ripe, high yields (warmer areas – Mend, San Juan)
  
  • good for inexp. / conc fruit if yields cont.
• Deep colour grapes, high acidity, high tannin > pop for blend
• Wine
  
  • Easy drinking wine, med to deep colour, fruity raspberry and blackberry aroma
  • Large oak if any – otherwise overwhelmed

Cab Sauv – susc to temp and fungal disease – site selection NB

• most blended with Mal for some of Ar top wines
• Increasingly single var with high ripe tann, black fruit, spice without herbaceousl character

Syrah

• hotter sites (Mendoza, San Juan)
• Full body, high alc, ripe black fruit.
• Cooler yrs – more elegant, fresher fruit, firmer tann

Also

• Tempranillo
• PN increasing in Patagonia, & Uco Valley (alt)
• CF > single var / blend with Mal
• Merlot – declining
• Petit Verdot / Tannat

Question 5

Describe Ar’s white varieties

Answer 5

Torrontes – 3 Var

• T Riojano (most planted, best, used for this txt)
• T Sanjuanino, T Mendocino.
• X Muscat Alex/Criolla Chica >> strong floral rem of Muscat
• Hi yield, early ripe > planted in warm Mend, S Juan, La Rioja means often over ripe & too alc./low acid / bitter finish
  
  • imp by
    
    • red yld,
    • early harv,
    • protective winemaking for fruitier wines (rather than only floral), fresher, lower alc
• mostly early drinking
  
  • some prod ferm a prop in large oak for to blend with unoaked, to create a more ageworthy wine
• single var, sometimes blended with SB
• Fragrant sweet late harvest also made
• Good examples from Salta and VY at alt e.g. Uco Valley

Chardonnay

• Full range of styles
• prem from cool Uco Valley
• m+/h acid, ripe stone/trop fruit
• subtle spice from oak (norm only small prop new or all old)

Also

• Pedro Giminez, neutral grape, inexp wine local cons
• Semillon /CB > inexp for dom cons
• SB and Viognier showing promise

Question 6

Describe the Region and Sub Regions of Mendoza

Answer 6

MENDOZA PROVINCE

• 75% of area, 2/3 of prod​

North & East Mendoza

• low 500m, irrig water from Mend River/Tunuyan River
• warm & water avail >> hi vol inexp wine
• Low-yield vy prod some hiQ

Central Mendoza ~ “Primera Zone”

• 600 – 1100, many leading prod, Malbec dom
• (LdC and Maipu are departments of Central Mendoza)
• Lujan de Cuyo DOC
  
  • 900m – 1100m, foothills of Andes
  • old Mal vines (lo yield)> soft, round sweet spice in Malbec blends
  • Las Compuertas (highest> diurnal range)
    
    • fruity, full body Mal, m+acid, firm tann > pot for ageing > Pprice
• Maipu
  
  • Lower, warmer, old vines
    
    • Int fruity, f body, high alc and softer tann than elsewhere in Mend
    • Also Bonarda, Tempranillo, Syrah, Cab Sauv perform well
• ​Uco Valley GI
  
  • Hi lat,+ 900–1500m > hi diurnal range > slow ripe, ret acid, fr fruit.
  • Intense sun > deep colour, ripe tannin
  • Hi prop drip irrig
  • Wines sometimes display floral notes
  • Hi Q wines (all) More red – Mal dom & prem q whites
  • 3 departments with own GI
  • Tupungato – highest 1100-1600m
    
    • Limestone soils > Hiq and complex R & W
  • Also Tunuyan**, **San Carlos

Southern Mendoza

• San Rafael DOC
  
  • VY at 450-850m but latitude brings cooler summer, slow ripe, sugar/acid ret.
  • Prone to hail
  • Grapes often sent away for blends
  • Signature grape CB
  • The only DOC, the GI covering the whole department is more commonly used

Question 7

Describt the two regions

San Juan

La Rioja

Answer 7

SAN JUAN PROVINCE

• 600 – 1500m
• Lower sites
  
  • Hotter, lower diurnal, > hi yield pinks > inexp wines
• Higher sites
  
  • Foothills of Andes, Syrah dom.
  • Pedernal Valley
    
    • 1250-1500m >alt>diurnal>acid> fresh fruit > etc

LA RIOJA PROVINCE

• Hi vol, inex, grapes fm Famatina Valley esp Torrontes, CS, Mal, Syrah
• La Riojana Co-op

Question 8

Describe the Patagonia Region and provinces

Answer 8

PATAGONIA REGION

• Low lat -38S > diff to foothills of Andes
• 400m > lower than north
• Temps here lower, sunlight less int, grow seas longer
• Rain low <200mm >> irrig essential
• HiQ: PN, CF, Mer, Sem, CH, Ries,
• Mal most planted – floral char

Rio Negro Province

• Old Vine: Sem, PN, Mal > 180 – 270m
• Elegant well balanced PN, Mal, Mer, SB, Ries

Neuquen Province

• Small no VY, close to Neuquen River
• Lack of water > VY area cannot grow.
• Warmer, more arid than Rio Nego > riper wine from
• Mal, PN, Mer, SB

Question 9

Describe Salta Province

Answer 9

SALTA PROVINCE

• Tiny qty, sign inv from foreign prod
• Along Calchaqui River – irrig (desert condition)
• 24 S close to the Equator; ALT 1500 – 3000m
• Intens sun & UV > hi anthoc, tann
• Mntns shade for part of the day
• Zonda > thick skins > low yields but flo/fr set risk
• Wind, heat, diurnal range > ripe/conc/acid/flav etc
  
  • Wines fragrant, fresh
  • Malbec – m+ acid, floral & herbal lift
  • CS, Bonarda, Syrah, Tannat & esp Torrontes
• Gi Cafayate
  
  • 1700m > aromatic, usually unoaked wine.

Question 10

What best describes a wine made from the Torrontés grape?

Answer 10

• Medium body/ Medium acidity
• Intense fruity, floral perfume
• Stone fruit and melon flavors

Question 11

What are the better wines, from Maipu department, made with?

Answer 11

Higher sites - intensely fruity Malbec

Lower, warmer sites - hi Q Syrah, CS, Tempranilla; also lots of Hi vol, inexp