WSET 3 Argentina Flashcards
Argentina’s vineyards are cut off from ocean cooling by the Andes so where does cooling come from?
Cooling must come from altitude with the best vineyards 1,000m + above sea level
What is the name for Argentina’s traditional vine training system.
How are vines trained now?
Parral, a pergola system to keep the grapes away from the hot ground and leaves arranged to provide shade.
Torrontes is still grown this way but, increasingly, black grapes are trained on vertical trellises with canopies arranged to give shade
What are the flagship black and white grapes of Argentina?
What is the 2nd most planted black grape?
Black = Malbec
White = Torrontes
Bonarda
What is a regular weather risk in Argentina and how is it managed?
Summer hail is a regular occurrence
- Netting covers the vines
- As much vineyard location diversity as possible
From North to South what are the 5 wine producing regions in Argentina?
Salta Province La Rioja Province San Juan Province Mendoza Province Patagonia Region
What is the most famous region of Salta Province, how high are some vineyards planted and what is the main grape grown there?
What are the main 2 black grapes grown?
Cafayette region
Some vineyards over 3,000 metres
Torrontes is dominant
Malbec and Cab Sav also grown
Where are most grapes grown in La Rioja Province?
What grape is grown there as a speciality?
What other 3 black grapes are grown?
On the irrigated valley floors of Famatina Valley
Torrontes is a speciality
Cab Sav, Syrah and Bonarda grown there too
Where are the vineyards of San Juan Province located?
What are the main grapes grown there?
450~1400 metres
Very good Syrah
Malbec, Cab Sav, Bonarda and Chardonnay and Viognier are the most planted whites
What are the 5 regions of Mendoza?
Northern Eastern Central UCO Valley Southern
What is predominantly produced in Northern and Eastern Mendoza?
Bulk wines, nothing special
Where generally and specifically do the best Mendoza wines come from, at what altitude and which grape specifically?
Central Mendoza, Lujan de Cuyo specifically
Foothills of Andes at between 900~1,100 metres
Renowned for producing very fine Malbec
What are the better wines, from Maipu department, made with?
Syrah and Cab Sav
Where will you find the highest vineyards in Mendoza, what grapes is it renowned for producing?
UCO Valley with vineyards between 900~1,500 metres
Cool nights retain acidity and fresh fruit flavours
Chardonnay, Torrontes, Sauvignon Blanc
Cab Sav, Merlot, an d Tempranillo
What is one the biggest natural hazards of growing grapes in Patagonia Region?
Strong desert winds
Patagonia is only 200~250 metres altitude so what provides cooling?
It’s Southerly latitude
