A Wine Lover's Guide to the Breathtaking Mendoza Region in Argentina

Located on an elevated plateau at the edges of the Andes Mountains, Mendoza is the center of Argentina's wine industry, crafting a whopping 70 percent of the nation's annual wine production. The region is the New World's epicenter for the French Malbec grape, growing deep red wines with depth and vibrancy. Although Malbec is the star of Mendoza's vineyards, the region produces many grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Torrontes, and Sauvignon Blanc. In addition, some Mendoza winemakers have begun to explore sparkling wine production. 

Let’s take a journey through Argentina’s Mendoza wine region, exploring how the unique soil and weather conditions combine to make some of the Western Hemisphere’s best wine. 

The History of Winemaking in Mendoza 

Winemaking in Mendoza is an artifact of Argentina's colonial past, the origins of which can be traced back to the mid-16th century. Jesuit priests, spiritual figures integral to the Catholic Church, first introduced vine cultivation to the region. They drew upon the agricultural knowledge of the Huarpes and other ancient societies that farmed these high altitudes long before. 

As colonization spread throughout the region, Spanish missionaries journeyed to the New World with plants from their homeland, including an array of grape varieties. These included the Mission/País grape, known in Argentina as Criolla Chica, which soon found favor in the fertile soils of Mendoza. The wine from these grapes was not destined for commercial use; it was for church sacraments. 

The introduction of Malbec, the variety now synonymous with Argentina, is often linked to the mid-19th century and attributed to Michel Aimé Pouget, a French wine expert. However, the history of Malbec in Argentina may predate Pouget's arrival. 

The end of the 19th century saw Mendoza become a destination for Spanish and Italian winegrowers and winemakers immigrating to the region. They were fleeing the ravages of the phylloxera louse, a pest damaging vineyards across Europe. The influx of craftspeople led to a boom in wine production, particularly following the completion of a railway line in 1885. The line bridged the gap between Mendoza and Buenos Aires, Argentina's busy capital. It provided a more cost-effective and efficient means of transporting wine made in Mendoza's vineyards to consumers across the country. 

While the Argentinean wine industry spent much of the 20th century catering almost exclusively to the local market, a shift has begun to occur in recent decades. A drive for quality and recognition has given Mendoza's wines an international reputation. Its vintages represent Argentina on restaurant lists and wine cellars across the globe. 

Mendoza’s Unique Wine Growing Conditions 

The defining feature of Mendoza's terroir is its altitude, between 2,600 and 3,900 feet above sea level along the base of the Andes. This altitude gives Mendoza its distinctive climate—hot, dry days followed by cool nights, softened by Westerly winds. This temperature variation makes the grape's ripening process take longer, which helps balance its rich, ripe flavor with natural acidity. 

The region's geographical layout further fosters winemaking. Rivers like the Mendoza facilitate irrigation as their waters flow from the mountains. The predictable, warm, and dry harvest weather means winemakers can pick grapes at the ideal ripeness. This diminishes variation within a particular vintage, supporting Mendoza's reputation for consistent quality. Such reliability also gives winemakers more control over their wine styles, further elevating Mendoza's international standing. 

Andean in origin, Mendoza's soils are a blend of rocky and sandy layers deposited over millennia by the region's rivers. With scant organic matter and excellent drainage, these soils are arid and relatively low fertility. Amazingly, such harsh conditions. Vines struggle for hydration and nutrients, causing smaller, concentrated berries instead of leafy green growth. Consequently, wines from these soils are structurally robust. They display firm tannins and a distinctive mineral flavor, which many attribute to Mendoza’s unique soil composition. 

The Main Wine-Producing Areas of Mendoza 

Mendoza's core wine-producing regions are found within two main departments, Maipú and Luján. The latter boasts Argentina's inaugural demarcated appellation, Luján de Cuyo, established in 1993. At altitudes ranging from 2,600 to 3,600 feet, the Luján de Cuyo region is particularly known for its Malbec. The vines flourish under the region's average annual temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit. 

In the past, the areas of San Rafael to the south and San Martín to the east of Mendoza City were renowned for their wine production, with San Rafael even gaining DOC status in 1993. However, their significance has diminished as oenophiles shift towards premium international varieties. An area gaining traction in the Mendoza wine scene is the Valle de Uco, home to the Tupungato Department. Here, vineyards perched nearly 3,900 feet above sea level are gaining recognition for producing high-quality white wine varietals, notably Chardonnay.