Argentina / Brazil / Uruguay Flashcards
La Piedra’ - means what in Argentina?
Recurring hail in the summertime
When did Argentina, Brazil, and Chile gain independence (general time frame)?
Early 1800s
Which side of the Andes experiences a rainshadow?
The Argentine side - Mendoza
Argentina IG system?
Region Subregion Department District Area
Argentinian name for ‘pais’?
Torrontes Riojano is a cross of this grape and which other?
Criolla (cree-oh jah) Chica
x
Muscat of Alexandria (Moscatel)
What region in Argentina excels in production of brandy, vermouth, and sherry style wines?
San Juan - hot climate (lots of syrah)
south of Mendoza
2nd most plantings after Mendoza
moscatel and pink-skinned grapes (Criojas, and Cereza)
What is the northernmost winemaking region in Argentina?
Juyjuy
Cafayate is at the same latitude as the Kalahari Desert?
TRUE! - 26 degrees south,
BUT at 1700 m elevation (5600 feet)
Cafayate is located within the ___ Valleys
Calchaquies
The altitude of Cafayate does what to grape skins?
Sunlight is much more intense,
the grapes develop thicker skins which protect them further against the sun
What is the highest vineyard in the world?
Altura Maxima - Calchaqui - 3,111m
What River flows through the Uco Valley?
Tunuyan
What are the primary viticultural hazards in Mendoza?
Summer hail sunburn frost wind (shatter, hens and chicks) nematodes
What are the departmental IG’s of Valle de Uco?
Tupungato
Tucuman
San Carlos
Where are the highest altitude vineyards in Mendoza?
Valle de Uco
When was malbec introduced to Argentina?
1860 - likely trekked over the mountains from Santiago (Quinta Normal) - Michel Aime Pouget
What are the two DOCs of Argentina?
In which province and in which region are they located?
Lujan de Cuyo (malbec only) and San Rafael (chenin blanc),
in Mendoza in Cuyo
Where is the ‘Paraje Altamira’ sub-appellation located?
La Consulta district,
San Carlos department,
Valle de Uco
Partners in Clos de los Siete (Valle de Uco)
Cuvelier de los Andes (Leoville Poyferre);
DiamAndes (Bonnie fam - Malartic Lagraviere);
Monteviejo;
Bodega Rolland
When is World Malbec Day?
April 17 - when president Sarmiento requested Michel Aime Pouget to come to Argentina from Chile to establish vineyards (1853)
When was the railway from Buenos Aires to Mendoza completed?
1885
What are the main districts of Tunuyan
(Valle de Uco)?
San Pablo, Los Arboles, also Los Chacayes, Campo de los Andes, Vista Flores, Villa Seca - (Andes Foothills) - can mostly be dry farmed
What are the main districts of Tupungato?
Gualtallary,
La Carrera
calcareous soils for chardonnay
4 subregions of Salta?
Cachi,
Cafayate,
Molinos (Colome),
San Carlos
What are the San Carlos subregions (Valle de Uco)?
La Consulta (Paraje Altamira), El Cepillo
List the 4 subregions of Salta in descending order of production
Cachi,
Cafayate
San Carlos
Molinos
What are the regions in South Mendoza (one DOC and one IG)?
San Rafael DOC
General Alvear IG
In which part of Mendoza are the following subregions located:
Perdriel,
Godoy Cruz,
Rivadavia
West of Mendoza (Lujan de Cuyo);
South of Mendoza (almost city limits),
East of Mendoza
What are the lowest quality growing areas in Mendoza IG?
North and East - lower lying and warmer meso climate (bulk wine)
Syrah parentage
Mondeuse blanche x Dureza
Petite Sirah parentage
Syrah x Peloursin (brought to US and named in the 1880s - in France known as Durif)
Bonarda is native to where?
Savoie! Douce Noire (or Corbeau) - in CA Charbono
Other popular red grape in Salta after malbec?
Tannat
What is the major subregion of La Rioja region?
Major producer?
Major grape?
Famatina Valley,
Chilecito co-op,
Torrontes Riojano (malbec, syrah, bonarda)
Major producer in Catamarca?
Chanar Punco
What are the subregions of Mendoza?
Northern, Central, Eastern, Valle de Uco, Southern
What are the 3 types of mountain vineyards in Mendoza?
W-E, descending altitude?
Cordillera Principal,
Cordillera Frontal,
Precordillera
Centro Region of Mendoza IG’s
Godoy Cruz
Lujan de Cuyo (Agrelo, Las Compuertas, Perdriel)
Maipu (Barrancas, Lunlunta, Russell)
Valle de Uco IG’s
Tunpungato,
Tunuyan,
San Carlos
East Mendoza IG’s
Rivadavia
South Mendoza IG’s
San Rafael,
General Alvear
What is the most recent IG in Argentina?
Trevelin - in Chubut (Patagonia) most southerly vineyards in the world (almost!)
Actual furthest south vineyard
46 degrees south - Chile Chico (Undurraga experimental vineyard)
southernmost commercial are in NZ
What wine growing area is located in the Atlantic Region?
Buenos Aires
What is the tallest peak in South America?
Aconcagua in Mendoza, Argentina - 22,837 ft (7,000m)
Best recent vintages for Argentina?
Worst?
19 !!!, 18 !!!, 17 (ok), ’13 !!!, ’12, ‘11, ‘09 !!!
’16 (rain-hail-cold), ’15 (hail-rain), ‘14 - wet El Nino, ‘07 heat
What is the most important wine region of Brazil?
Serra Gaucha
90% of national production in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul
mountainous
high humidity, heavy rainfall
What is the first/only DO in Brazil?
Vale dos Vinhedos in Serra Gaucha (2002) - max yields and varieties (merlot and chardonnay) are controlled
Key producers of Vale dos Vinhedos?
Miolo,
Casa Valduga
What styles of wine are made in Brazil?
Mostly red - Bordeaux and Iberian varieties; 25% sparkling - Moet investment
Most planted grape in Brazil?
Isabel (red - American variety) - rot and mildew resistant - used to make fizzy wines
Promising new region in Brazil?
Campanha - southern border with Uruguay - limestone, granite - promising for classic sparkling wines
What Brazilian state contains most of the country’s viticulture?
Rio Grande do Sul
What tropical wine region in Brazil harvests grapes twice a year?
Sao Francisco Valley - in the North (CS, shiraz, moscatel)
What is the climate of Uruguay?
Maritime - similar to Bordeaux - humid, cooled by Antarctic currents
What trellising system is common in Uruguay?
Lyre - open canopy
How was Tannat brought to Uruguay?
Basque immigration 1800’s “Harriague”
Key producers of Uruguay
Bodegas Garzon (Maldonado),
H Stagnari (Tannat from Salto in the NW)
Key regions of Uruguay (coastal)
Canelones, Montevideo, Maldonado
When were the strongest effects of El Nino in recent years?
2014-2016
What is Singani?
A type of Pisco made from Muscat from Bolivia
What is Chachi?
A distilled spirit usually made from maize but sometimes corn or peanuts
Largest and oldest winery in Bolivia?
Bodega Kohlberg
The North region (Salta) has more reds or whites planted?
Reds
Where is Tinogasta?
Catamarca - most important wine area - mostly Cereza planted
Lujan de Cuyo DOC regulations
Must be a minimum 85% Malbec coming from Lujan de Cuyo.
Additionally, vines are limited to <10tons/ha, and wines must be aged one year in barrel.
It was initially crafted in 1989 but internationally recognized in 1993, making it the first in Argentina.
San Rafael DOC regulations
By definition, the DOC has additional regulations beyond the geographic area. However, quality seems to be all over the place, and much bulk wine is produced
What are the most planted white grapes of Argentina?
1 Pedro Gimenez
2 Torrontez Riojano
3 Chardonnay
What are the most planted red grapes?
1 Malbec
(Cereza - pink grape)
2 Bonarda
3 Cabernet
What are the winemaking provinces of the Norte Region?
Jujuy
Salta
Tucuman
Catamarca
What are the winemaking provinces of the Cuyo Region?
La Rioja
Mendoza
San Juan
What are the winemaking provinces of the Patagonia Region?
La Pampa
Neuquen
Rio Negro
Trevelin
What is the most planted grape of San Juan IG?
Syrah #2 Pedro Gimenez
