Where is Mendoza?

Mendoza has become one of the best known wine regions of South America. This is no surprise, it is the largest and it is the most important wine region of Argentina. The region is home to around three quarters of Argentina’s vineyards.

And even less surprising that Malbec is considered the region’s signature grape.

The Mendoza region has several smaller regions that are also important. Some that you might know are Maipú (a sub-region in the Primera Zona region) and the Valle de Uco region.

The mountains

Mendoza region is right there on the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

To give some indication of where the region sits, some of Mendoza vineyards are framed under the peak of Mount Aconcagua. Incidentally, that mountain gives its name to the Chilean wine region on the other side of the border. It is also the tallest mountain in the Americas at 6,960 metres (22,837 ft).

What grapes to look for

The most popular grape varieties that are grown in the Mendoza vineyards tend to be red grapes. The first grapes that comes to mind are Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Of course, there are also grapes such as Bonarda and Syrah.

However, it is the French grape Malbec that shines as Mendoza’s star right now.

Malbec is the main grape of the red wines of Cahors in the South West of France where it makes savoury and long lived red wines. It achieved its fame as one of the five red grapes of the finest red wines of the world, Bordeaux. Argentina has embraced this grape and made it one of the country’s most loved grape varieties. It thrives in the high altitude vineyards of Mendoza.

Malbec is loved for its intensely coloured red wines that take on aromas ranging from cherry to plums, with black pepper. Often, it is matured in oak which also adds some chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg spices. It is a diverse grape and can be made to be a reliable easy drinker to a red that can be cellared and collected.

The Bonarda variety grown in Argentina is also a French grape, one from the Savoie region. It is a grape known to be vibrant and fruity and excellent for drinking young.

Something you didn’t know!

Many vineyards in this region rely on snowmelt to irrigate the vines as it is such an arid area.

Food & Culture

If you happen to be in Mendoza around the first weekend of March, make sure you stop and enjoy the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia celebrating the end of the harvest.

Look out for barbeque at a parilla, or enjoy empanadas or Locro. No dedicated food lover will forget Dulce de leche for dessert.

Wines from our collection

We have several great wines in our range from Argentina, and these particularly are from Mendoza!