Argentina: Wine Regions Flashcards
Argentina: Mendoza Province
- largest wine area
- 2/3 of production and 70% of total vineyard area
- -River Mendoza supplies awater from the Andes
- 500m in the Eastern Plain and 1,500m in the Uco Valley
- 55% black
- 25% pink
- 20% white
- Malbec at 22% of all plantings
Home to the only 2 DOC’s - Lujan de Cuyo and San Rafael
Argentina: Northern and Eastern Mendoza
- plains in the Mendoza River Valley - lower areas around 500-700m
- water for irrigation is sourced from the Mendoza River and the Tunuyan River
- Warmer conditions = large volume , inexpensive wines
- -Some hihgher qulaity wines from Tempranillo and Bonarda
Argentina: Central Mendoza
-aka ‘Primera Zona ‘, long history of producing high quality wines
-Home to many of the leading wineries
-600-1000m - wide range of styles
-Malbec is dominant
**-Lujan de Cuyo and Maipu
Argentina: Lujan de Cuyo DOC
- SW of the city where th Medoza River emerges from the Andes foothills
- -higher half of the Primera Zona eith vines 900-1,100m
- Famous for old Malbec vines
- first DOC in Argentina
- When oak is used, wines must be aged for 24 mnths with 12 in oak
- smaller GI’s Las Computeras and Agrelo
- \Wines are fruity, full bodies , with Med plus acid, firm tannins, abillity to age , prem prices
- Also some elegant Chard and SB
- SOIL: lower clay produce riper wines that are good to outstanding with the potetnial for ageing
Argentina: Maipu
SE of Medoza , vines are lower around 900m
-sites are warmer and produce intense fruity and full bodied Malbec with higher abv and softer tannins than anywhere else
- lowest , warmest sites are for large volumes of inexpensive wines
- also higher quality Cab SAuv, Temp, Syrah and old vine Bonarda
Argentina : Uco Valley
- in the foothills of the Andes, and valleys of the Tunuyan River , Uco is home to the highest vineyards 800-1,500m and beyond
- wide diuranl range - grapes accumulate sugar slower and retain fresh acidity and fruit while the intense sun helps to ripen tannins and produce colour
- huge foreign investment
- Malbec and prem whites
- most modern and tech adavanced vineyards in Argentina
- drip irrigation
- GI Valle de Uco includes : Tupungato, Tunuyan, and San Carlos GI
Argentina: Tupungato
- most northern and highest at the foot of th Mount Tupungato Volcano
- fresh , full bodied reds from MAlbec , Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Pinot Noir and crisp, elegant whites from Chard and SB
- -most recognised district is Gualtallary - a long stip of vineyards 1,100-1,600m absl
- high quality , distinctive complex red and white wines
- SOIL - limestone
- Malbecs are lighter in body and higher in acidity , red and black fruits with herbal notes
Argentina: Tunuyan
-covers a wide range of altitudes
lower , warmer end of the valley =fuller bodies , structured fruity wines
higher areas are some of the coolest sites suitable for prem Pinot Noir
Argentina: San Carlos
-most southern area of the three deparmtents
-old vine , high quality Malbec
and some Cab Sauv and Syrah
-GI of Paraje Altamira ** on alluvial fan with a variey of soils incl. calcium carbonate and stony topsoil , 1,000-1,200m
-Malbecs are thought to be intenese and fuller bodied with acid and tannins to age well
Argentina: Southern Medoza
- mainly in the department of San Rafael DOC
- vineyards are lower 450-850m
- summers are cooler and longer =good acid retention
- prone to summer hailstorms
- Mostly blending wines
Reds tend to be medium bodied and show more red fruits
-signature white is Chenin
Argentina: San Juan Province
- North of Medoza
- -second largests growing area
- 600-1,500m asl
- lower sites are hot and produce inexpensive wines from high yielding pink grapes
- areas are getting smaller as they fall out fashion
- Syrah is the most planted and produces high quality wines in the foothills of the Andes eg. GI of Pedernal Valley 1,250-1,500m with a higher diuranl range
Argentina: La Rioja Argentina
- third largest area , mainly high volume , inexpensive grown in the Famatina Valley - Torrentes, Cab Sauv, Malbec, Syrah
- huge co-op La Riojana - largest producer of FairTrade certified wines in the world
Argentina: Salta Province
-very far north
-significant investment , new vineyards
-valley of the Calchaqui River = irrigation for desert like conditons
-24-26degress S - close to the equator but altitudes are 1,500-3,000m = intense sunlight
-mountains provide shade for the valleys in the daytime
-ZONDA wind blows down the valleys reulting in protection and thicker skins / wide diuranl range = highly concentrated and full bodied wines awith fragrant and fresh aromas
-Malbec are full bodied, high alcohol, ripe black fruit and herbal or floral lift
-also Tannat **
-white is Torrentes and has proved to be successful in the GI of Cafayate in the south with vineyards at 1,700m = aromatic wines
Argentina: Patagonia Region
- 700km south of Mendoza at 38-39 degrees S
- altitude is only around 400m ,with lower temps and less intense sunlight. -growing season is longer
- low rainfall less than 200mm =irrigation is essential
-reputaion for hgiht quality Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, Merlot, Semillon and Chardonnay, even Rielsing
-Malbec is still the most planted and is floral
Windy, from the arid Patagonioan plateau in the Andes - help producde thicker skins although windds can disrupt flowering and damage vines
Barriers of poplar trees are planted as a wind break
GI covers the whole Patagonia but focus is on
Rio Negro - old vines over 100 yrs of SEmillon, Pinot Noir and Malbec
most viticulture is at the upper end of the valley 180-270m
Good Pinot Noir, Malbec, Merlot, SB and Rielsing
and some small wineries in **Neuquen **
new area only planted at the start of the century
close to Neuquen River emerging with the Rio Negro
lack of avaialble water has stunted the growth of this region , slightly warmer area producing Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot and SB
