Mendoza
Malbec at the foot of the Andes, in a desert watered by snowmelt.
Mendoza makes roughly 70% of Argentina's wine. Rain is scarce — around 200 millimetres a year — so vineyards depend on channels carrying Andean snowmelt, a system with roots in indigenous and colonial irrigation. Most vines sit between about 800 and 1,500 metres, and the highest sites in the Uco Valley climb further still. Altitude brings intense sunlight, thick-skinned grapes and cool nights that preserve freshness. Malbec, brought from France in the mid-19th century, found its best home here: plusher and fruitier than in its native Cahors. Hail is the great threat, and many vineyards are covered with netting.
Grapes grown here 4
What the region makes
Plum, blackberry and violet, with a soft, velvety texture.
High-altitude wines with more freshness and structure.
Dark-fruited reds, often blended with Malbec.
Worth knowing
World Malbec Day, 17 April, marks the date in 1853 when Argentina launched the project that brought French vines — Malbec among them — into the country.
Mendoza produces around 70% of all Argentine wine.
Try this region if you like smooth, fruit-rich reds.
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