ARGENTINA

Question 1

ARGENTINA-IN GENERAL

Answer 1

• MOST VINS LIE CLOSE TO THE ANDES, IN A SERIES OF IRRIGATED OASES IN WHAT IS OTHERWISE DESERT
• VINS: SPREAD OVER 1500KM FROM THE PROVINCE OF SALTA IN THE NORTH TO RIO NEGRO & NEUQUEN IN PATAGONIA

EXCEPTION OF RIO NEGRO & NEUQUEN: MOST VINS LIE 600MT OR MORE ABOVE SEA LEVEL

• IN SALTA, CLOSE TO TOWN OF LAFAYETTE VINS EXTEND TO 2000MT OR MORE=ALLOWING COOL SITES TO BE FOUND CLOSE TO EQUATOR
• HISTORICALLY CUZ OF THE HEAT: MOST VINS WERE P IN PERGOLA SYSTEM KNOW AS PARRAL
• PERGOLA/PARRAL: LIFTED GRAPES AWAY FROM THE SEARING HEAT CLOSE TO THE GROUND & W GR HANGING DOWN BELOW THE LEAF CANOPY, ALSO PROV SOME SHADE FROM INTENSE SUNSHINE
• PARRAL:COMMONLY USED FOR TORRONTES GR/ MANY VINS GROW BLACK VAR ARE NOW PLANT W/ VERTICAL TRELLISES
• THE CANOPIES STILL NEED TO BE ARRANGED=GR SHADED FROM INTENSE SUNSHINE
• IN THE RAIN SHADOW OF ANDES: RAINFALL EXTREMELY LOW/ BUT WATER DRAWN FROM RIVER FLOWING DOWN FROM MOUNT. OR FROM SUBTERRENEAN AQUIFERS
• FLOOD IRRIGATION: WAS WIDESPREAD/ DRIP IRRIGATION MORE COMMON IN NEWER VINEYARD (USES SCARCE WATER MORE EFFICIENTLY)
• SPRING FROSTS: OCCASIONAL PROB
• SUMMER HAIL: REGULAR HAZARD/ PART IN MENDOZA
• NETTING: DESPITE EXPENSES MANY PROD USE TO PROTECT VINES
• TRADITIONAL METHOD OF RISK MANAGEMENT(TO WON VINS IN A SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS): WIDESPREAD=BRINGS ADVANTAGES AT THE BLENDING STAGE
• DRY CLIMATE=FEW PROB W ROT OR MILDEW
• ARGENTINA: IMP PROD OF W MADE FROM ORGANICALLY GROWN GR

Question 2

SALTA PROVINCE

Answer 2

• CLOSE TO BORDER OF BOLIVIA & MOST NORTHERLY OF VIN AREAS IN ARGENTINA
• HOME TO SOME OF THE HIGHEST VINS IN THE WORLD/SOME LOC AT OVER 3000MT ABOVE SEA LEVEL
• EXTREME CLIMATE EXP=PRO W GREAT PURITY & CONCENT

TORRONTES:DOM.GR.V PRO HIGHLY AROMATIC W ESP IN CAFAYETE REG:

• MANY OF THE LARGE WINERIES BASED IN MENDOZA & SOME MAJ EU W COMPANIES INVESTED IN THIS REG FOR ITS SUPERIOR Q OF TORRONTES
• MALBEC, CAB. SAUV: DOM. BLACK GR VAR P IN CAFAYETE

Question 3

LA RIOJA PROVINCE

Answer 3

• 3RD LARGEST AREA OF PRO IN ARGENTINA
• MAIN VIN AREA: FAMANTINA VALLEY=LARGE VOL OF GR CAN BE GROWN IN IRRIGATED VALLEY FLOORS
• TORRONTES:SPECIALTY
• CAB SAUV, SYRAH, BONARDA:M.W.P.G.V
• LABELLED AS FAMANTINA TO AVOID CONF W RIOJA W

Question 4

SAN JUAN PROVINCE

Answer 4

• 2ND MOST IMP W AREA IN ARGENTINA
• VINS: LOC AT APPROXIMATELY 450 TO 1400 MT ABOVE SEA LEVEL & SIMILAR ALTITUDE RANGE TO THOSE OF MENDOZA THOSE SOUTH (COND ARE HOTTER & MORE ARID)
• SYRAH:PART NOTED FOR ITS Q
• MALBEC,CAB SAUV, BONARDA:OTHER GR FLOURISH
• CHARDONNAY & VIOGNIER: M.W.P.WHITE.VAR

Question 5

MENDOZA PROVINCE

Answer 5

• DOM. WM IN ARGENTINA & ACCOUNTS VAST MAJ OF W PROD
• VINS: PLANT IN DESSERT COND. PROTECTED FROM RAIN IN THE WEST BY HUGE ANDES MOUNT. & FROM EAST: BY THE VASTNESS OF THE ARGENTINE PAMPAS

MENDOZA SPLIT BROADLY 5 DIVISIONS: NORTHERN, EASTERN, CENTRAL, UCO VALLEY, SOUTHERN:

*GR OR WINES FROM THESE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS ARE OFTEN BLENDED=TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FRUIT FROM DIFFERENT CLIMATES

BOTH NORTHERN & EASTERN MENDOZA: FOCUS IS ON HV, INEXPENSIVE W

-MENDOZA RIVER FLOWS UP THROUGH THESE AREAS PROVIDES IRRIGATION WATER=GROWING LARGE QUANTITIES OF GR POSSIBLE

CENTRAL MENDOZA:LONGEST HISTORY OF PRO HQ W & MANY OF THE MOST FAMOUS PRO BASED HERE=LUJAN DE CUYO DEPARTMENT IN PART HAS REP FOR VERY FINE MALBEC

• THIS SUB-REG: LIES AROUND 900 TO 1100 MT ALTITUDE, IN FOOTHILLS OF ANDES, SOUTH-WEST CITY OF MENDOZA
• NOTABLE FOR OLD MALBEC VINES=PROV SOFT/ROUND/SWEET SPICE IN MALBEC BLENDS
• (IN CENTRAL)MAIPU DEPARTMENT: LIES EAST OF LUJAN DE CUYO/ VINS LOWER ALTITUDES
• SYRAH, CAB. SAUV: PERFORM PART WELL HERE
• EASTERN LOWER PART OF MAIPU: HV, INEXPENSIVE W FOR BOTH DOMESTIC & EXPORT MARKETS & VALUABLE SOURCE OF OLD VINE BONARDA & TEMPRANILLO

UCO VALLEY:LIES SOUTH-WEST OF MENDOZA&SOURCE OF HQ FRUIT

• VINS LIE: 900 TO 1500 MT, HIGHEST VINS IN MENDOZA
• COOL NIGHTS=HELP RETAIN ACIDITY & FRESH FRUIT FLAV IN GR & W DISPLAY FLORAL NOTES
• CHARDONNAY, S.BLANC, TORRONTES, MALBEC, CAB.SAUV, MERLOT, TEMPRANILLO: ALL FLOURISH HERE
• SOME SITES COOL ENOUGH: PINOT NOIR/ TUPUNGATO IN WEST:H ALTITUDE AREA INCR RECOGNISED FOR THE Q OF ITS W

SOUTHERN MENDOZA: HOME TO SAN RAFAEL DEPARTMENT

• COMP W MUCH OF MENDOZA=LOW ALTITUDE BUT SOUTHERLY LOC=ONE OF THE COOLEST AREAS IN PROVINCE
• COUNTRY’S MOST SIGNIFICANT PLANT OF CHENIN BLANC

Question 7

PATAGONIA REGION

Answer 7

HOME TO RIO NEGRO PROVINCE & RELATIVELY NEW NEUQUEN PROVINCE

• VINS: SITUATED AT AROUND 200 TO 250 MT, COOLING INF HERE IS NOT ALTITUDE BUT LATITUDE
• STRONG DESERT WINDS=CHALLENGE FOR GR GROWERS HERE
• BUT LOW RAINFALL & WIDE DIURNAL RANGE=VINES BENEFIT FROM A LOW INCIDENCE OF DISEASE
• LONG DAYLIGHT HOURS & COOL NIGHTS=PROV CONCENT BUT FRESH FRUIT FLAV & M TO H ACIDITY
• SAUV.BLANC, PINOT NOIR, MALBEC, MERLOT: ALL CAPABLE OF MAKING PREMIUM W IN RIO NEGRO
• NEUQUEN: FULL POTENTIAL IS STILL BEING EXPLORED