Mendoza

  • Argentina
 

See detail of Mendoza

SUB AREAS

Within the province of Mendoza there are several departments that stand out for their concentration of vineyards and their importance in the production of quality wines.

Thus, the most important are:

  • Luján de Cuyo 13,468 has.
  • Maipú 13,900 has.
  • San Martín 32,574 has.
  • San Rafael 15,516 has.
  • Tupungato 8,111 has.
  • Uco Valley 15,000 has.
  • Mendoza 62,135 has. 

DESCRIPTION

This is the wine-growing heart of Argentina and the driving force behind the boom of Argentine wines in the world. It represents about 65% of the country's vineyards and more than 80% of Argentina's wine production. It is protected by the imposing Andes mountain range, under the imperishable gaze of Aconcagua, the highest peak in America with its 6,959 meters of altitude.

NUMBER OF HECTARES: 160,704
RANGE OF ALTITUDE: 450 m. - 1700 m.

PREDOMINANT VARIETIES

Whites: chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, torrontés and viognier.
Reds: malbec, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. 

CLIMATE AND SOILS

Although there are important differences in climate and soils depending on the location of the vineyard, in general Mendoza's climate is semi-arid and continental, with very high temperatures in summer and very low temperatures in winter. Low rainfall is barely around 230 mm per year, as much of the rain comes from the distant Atlantic after crossing a large part of the country, forcing growers to use irrigation in the vast majority of the vineyard. The great wall of the Andes has a decisive influence on Mendoza's climate, acting as an immense barrier that prevents the humid air from the Pacific from passing through.

Mendoza's success lies mainly in the conditioning effect of the Andes and in the great variety of soils, which gives personality and weight to its most important departments such as Luján de Cuyo -the first area to obtain appellation of origin status in 1987-, Maipú and the Uco Valley.

PRODUCING AREAS

In the northern part (bordering San Juan) Mendoza has low altitude vineyards (600 - 700 meters) with sandy soils where white wines are mainly made from chardonnay, chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc and red wines from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir or syrah.

To the south (bordering La Pampa and Neuquén) the region has altitudes ranging from 450 to 800 meters above sea level. This is the predominant area of the chenin blanc variety and also where one of the largest productions in the region is concentrated (almost 17% of Mendoza's vineyards belong to the department of San Rafael).

It is in the east where some of the most emblematic vineyards of the country are located. It borders San Luis and La Pampa. This area is made up of the departments of Junín, San Martín, Rivadavia, Santa Rosa and La Paz. It has a great thermal amplitude due to its desert characteristics. Very close to these vineyards we find the high zone of the Mendoza River, also known as the first zone of Argentine wines and where two Mendoza heavyweights, Luján de Cuyo and Maipú, are located. It has an altitude ranging from 650 meters to 1,060 meters above sea level, and the predominant variety in this area is Malbec. This eastern strip, the country's true wine engine, closes the circle with another exceptional spectator, the Uco Valley (15,000 hectares), the highest area of the province, with altitudes of up to 1,700 meters above sea level. This valley enjoys a privileged geographical position, as it is a piedmont, with marked slopes and not very fertile soils, where we find boulders mixed with coarse sand and silt, ingredients that, together with the altitude, favor the development of red varieties such as Malbec, Tempranillo, Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Bonarda. In the Uco Valley, winters are very cold and summers are warm with mild days. The marked temperature differences between day and night -up to 15ºC difference- favor the production of grapes for long aging wines thanks to their excellent acidity. Semillon white wines, especially in the Tupungato region, will offer consumers excellent fruitiness and freshness.
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