Module 11: Chapters 17-18 (thru Australia) - Southern Hem Flashcards
What is the portion of South America that pushes through the temperate wine growing latitudes?
The Southern Cone, containing three major wine producing countries: Argentina, Chile, Brazil.
What are the three wine exporting countries of South America?
Argentina and Chile are major exporters, while Uruguay also produces wine for export.
Which country occupies the largest portion of viticultural land and produces the most wine in South America?
Argentina
What is the primary market for Argentine wine?
The city of Buenos Aires, though the country’s wine industry has become increasingly export oriented.
Where did a large portion of Argentina’s population originate, and what effect does this have on consumption?
Italy and Spain, making wine and important part of daily life and Argentine culture.
What are the two dominant geographical features of Argentina?
The Andes mountains in the west, forming the border with Chile, and the Atlantic on the east.
What effect do the Andes have on viticulture in Argentina?
They create and enormous rain shadow that keeps much of western Argentina very day, while blocking the prevailing westerly winds.
The combination of dry air, plentiful irrigation water from Andean snowmelt, high elevations, and almost unlimited sunshine produce exceptional winegrowing conditions in Argentina’s western foothills.
What is the general climate of Argentina?
Continental, in the wine regions. Summers are hot, but lack of humidity causes temps to drop at night, helping to retain acidity. Winters are cold, but not typically severe. Around harvest time, the greatest threat is posed by hailstorms.
What are the Zonda winds?
Fierce winds which can damage leaves and fruit, and bring the risk of frost damage when followed by a cold front.
What are “mission grapes”?
Historically, the grapes around which Argentina’s wine industry was built. Grapes descended from the original vines brought by European missionaries in the 16th century, including Criolla Grande, Criolla Chica, and Cereza. They were mainly used for local consumption and bulk export.
What has the production focus changed to recently in Argentina?
High quality production, centered around two main grapes, Malbec and Torrontes.
Describe Argentine Malbec.
Deeply colored, often inky black, with corresponding black fruit flavors of blackberry and plum. Imported long ago, it is now the country’s signature red grape.
Describe Argentine Torrontes.
Less well known than Malbec, produces a light bodied white wine with pronounced floral aromas.
There are three distinct varieties: Mendocino, Riojano, and Sanjuanino. Riojano is by far the most widely grown.
What are the other leading red grapes of Argentina?
Long and varied list, with international varieties represented, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Bonarda (genetically identical to Douce Noir in France and Charbono in California).
What are the other leading white grapes of Argentina?
Chardonnay, Moscatel de Alejandria, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier.
Pedro Gimenez is also grown, but predominantly used in fortified wines and bulk wines.
When was Argentina’s three-level appellation system enacted?
- They are European style regulations, enforced by a local consejo, or council.
The three levels are:
Indicacion de procedencia or IP (table wines and regional wines)
Indicacion Geografica or IG (quality wines below the DOC level
Denominacion de origen controlada or DOC (the highest level), which spell out geographic boundaries, permissible varieties, planting densities, and other requirements.
How many DOCs are there in Argentina?
The system is still in its developmental stages. At present there are only two in the Mendoza subregions: Lujan de Cuyo (for Malbec) San Rafael (For Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay)
What is the INV in Argentina?
Instituto Nacional de Vitivinicultura.
It places strict controls, including pricing requirements, on the best wines of Argentina, called vinos finos.
Vinos finos must be produced using premium grapes, which typically excludes wines from the Cereza and Criolla varieties.
How much of a varietal labeled Vinos fino must be that grape? What are aging requirements for Reserva and Gran Reserva?
85%
Reserva and Gran Reserva may ONLY be used on the labels of vinos finos, beginning in 2011.
Reserva: Minimum of six months aging for whites, and one year for reds
Gran Reserva: One year aging minimum for whites, 2 years for reds.
How much of Argentina’s wine production is vinos finos?
About 20%
Describe the Jujuy region.
Way up in the northwest corner of Argentina, in the Andes mountains. Has some of the highest elevation vineyards in the world. Only 65 acres of commercial vine acreage, with very little rain, lots of sunshine, and a wide diurnal shift.
What is the Moya Vineyard?
The highest vineyard in Argentina, some 10,922 feet above sea level.
Describe the Salta region.
More high elevation vineyards, between 5000 and 10200 feet above sea level. Home to 8300 acres.
The Cafayate subregion is home to a majority of the vineyards, and well known for high altitude Torrontes Riojano, alongside Cab Sauv and Malbec.
The Molinos subregion has another ultra-high elevation vineyard, Altura Maxima, at 10,206 feet (Malbec)
Describe the Tucuman region.
Densely populated, high altitude region. Only 280 acres, primarily in the Calchaqui Valley, which stretches across parts of Salta an Catamarca as well.
The majority of plantings are Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Torrontes Riojano.
Describe the Catamarca region.
6200 acres, planted 40% to Criolla varieties. Quality wine, including some unique ones based on Criolla varieties, is expanding. Most vineyards are in high-elevation river valleys between mountain ridges, with warm days, cool nights, and abundant sunshine.
Torrontes Riojano is primary export, followed by Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Syrah.
Describe the La Rioja region of Argentina.
South of Catamarca, with warm day, cool nights, and a tendency to drought conditions. Most vineyards are in the Famatina Valleys on either side of the Famatina mountain range,
Planted to 51% red grapes, with Cab Sauv, Malbec, Bonarda, and Syrah abundant. Torrontes Riojano is overall leader at 32% of all plantings.
Describe the San Juan region of Argentina.
The next region to the south of La Rioja, very warm and dry. Second largest grape producing region (17% of Argentina’s total), with 82,200 acres relatively evenly divided between red, white, and Criolla varieties.
Syrah, Malbec, Bonarda, and Cab Sauv are important reds.
Torrontes Sanjuanino is leading white, followed by Torrontes Riojano, Chardonnay, Torrontes Mendocino, Chenin Blanc, Sauv Blanc, and Viognier.
Describe Mendoza.
The largest producer in Argentina, situated at the perfect latitude for wine production. Responsible for 75% of vineyard acreage. Most vineyards are planted between 2000 and 4000 feet.
61% of the 372,500 acres are planted to reds. Malbec Bonarda, Cab Sauv, Tempranillo, and Syrah.
Leading whites are Chardonnay, Torrontes Riojano, and Sauvignon Blanc.
How many subregions is Mendoza divided into?
- Uco Valley, Primera Zona, Northern Oasis, East Mendoza, and South Mendoza.
What are the 2 DOCs located in Mendoza?
Lujan de Cuyo DOC and San Rafael DOC.
Describe the Cordoba region of Argentina.
East of La Rioja, in almost the geographic center of the country, has a history going back to the Jesuits in the 1600s. Established estancias (working ranches) until being expelled by the Spaniards in 1767, stagnating wine production until a wave of Italian immigration in the 1870’s. No the moderate elevation vineyards are planted to Merlot, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Where is Neuquen, and what does it do?
South of Mendoza, considered part of Argentine Patagonia. Vineyards are mostly in the moderately elevated Limay and Neuquen River valleys in the southeast, that have a windy and dry climate, warm to hot days, and desert-like cold and brisk nights.
85% is planted to reds, led by Malbec, Cab Sauv, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.
Whites of the region have an excellent reputation, led by Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon.