Argentina: Grape Varieties and Winemaking

Question 1

Argentina: Malbec

Answer 1

-black grapes are 53% of all plantings
-22% Malbec
-Increase of 350% between 1995-2018 , reflecting a domestic change in high quality black grapes, driven by huge success on the export market

-vigorous, mid-ripening grape
-in warm areas, deep coloured, full bodied wines with high tannins (soft) ,high alcohol, ripe blackberry and plum
-can produce a wide variety of styles from inexpensive and mid priced to prem and super prem , outstanding wines
-used in blends with Bordeaux variesties and Bonarda, Syrah etc
-Also for fresh, fruity roses

**Cooler Sites : lower abv, medium plus acid, firm, med plus tannins fresh fruit flavours, red and black fruit and floral /herbal aromas

**Warmer Sites : ** fuller body, riper fruit and lower acid, softer tannins
Producers with more than one vineyard can blend to take advantage of different characteristics
-trend in single vineyard sites

Argentina clones are smaller bunches and have softer tannins compared to the french clones -honed by clonal selection and massale selction

Question 2

Argentina : Bonarda

Answer 2

• usually called Bonarda Argentina
  -second most planted variety
  -Late ripening and mainly planted in San Juan and warmer areas of Mendoza
  -High yielding it can produce large volumes of inexpensive wines , mainly for domestic
  -Low yielding can prodcue intensity and structure

Wines are deep in colour, red and black fruit , Med plus acid, Med tannins and alcohol
Oak should be old or large format to not overwhelm the Bonarda
Popular blending wine -adds fruitiness and colour

Complex wines are riper, balck fruits with spice, coming from old vines and lower yielding vines
eg. Maipu, Lujan de Cuyo and east Medoza
Still only mid priced
-getting popluar on the export market with Somms
75% still domestic market

Question 3

Argentina: Syrah

Answer 3

-best in hotter sites of Medoza and San Juan
-Full body, with high alcohol and riupe , black fruit
-Cooler areas are more elegant wines with fresher fruit and firmer tannins

Question 4

Argentina: Other Red Wines

Answer 4

• Tempranillo - medium tannins, medium body with red fruit aromas and spice
  -Merlot for Bordeaux blends
  -Cab Sauv - usually only planted on carefully picked sites to prevent fungal infection -blended into the finest Malbecs - lots of competition from Chile
  Pinot Noir - in high elevation sites of Uco Valley and cooler Patagonia
  Also noteworthy : Cab Fran, Petit Verdot and Tannat

Question 5

Argentina: Winemaking for Reds

Answer 5

• great influence from the Spanish, French and Italians in 19-20th century
  -Traditional ferments and matured in large oak barells
  -Foreign investment focus on modern styles - later harvesting, temperature controlled ferments and maturation in new french oak led to full-bodied, riper, fruity , spice flavours
  Most modern style is fresh fruity, early picked fruit, higher acid and lower alcohol
  Also, natural ferments , whole bunch / berry fermentation , gentler extraction and maturation in a variety of vessels - concrete, old wood, eggs etc
  eg. of Super prem wines with long ageing capacity are Catena Zapata, Vina Cobos and Achaval Ferrer

Malbec Rose is on the rise , with vineyards making rose from grapes grown for rose production , not as a by product

Question 6

Argentina: Pedro Gimenez

Answer 6

most planted white in Argentina
used for simple, neutral wines for domestic consumption

Question 7

Argentina: Torrentes

Answer 7

Early ripening, and can become over ripe and lack acidity , bitter finish
- Torrnetes Riojano ( most planted and the highest qulity of the three clones) Torrentes Sanjuanino, Torrentes Mendocino
-natural native cross of Muscat of ALexandria and Criolla Chica - dating back to the 18th century
-strong floral aromas
-Widely planted in Mendoza, San Juan and La Rijoa
- Modern styles are fruitier, lemon, grpaefruit, peacha and floral with lower levels of alcohol
- very succesful in Salta and cooler areas of Uca Valley
-Intended to be drunk young but some producers are blendedin with oaked wine to last longer
-blended with SB or as a single varietal
-Also ,late harvest , sweet wines made

Question 8

Argentina : Chardonnay

Answer 8

• range of styles
  -cool sites in Uco Valley atre Med-high levels of acid with ripe stone and tropical fruit
  -subtle spice from the oak maturation, combo of new oak or old oak

Also, Semilon and Chenin for inexpensive dometic market
also trending SB and Viognier