 Argentina is located east of the Andes Mountain range
in the South American continent and is a country of some
3.5 million square kilometres (four times the size of
France). The valleys situated in and along the foothills
of the Andes Mountains have ideal natural conditions
for growing vines.
The Argentine vineyards lie between the Southern Latitude parallels of 22 - 42
where a desert climate produces arid growing conditions. Irrigation by water
obtained from the plentiful, eternal snows of the Andes and the combination of
warm sunny days and often very cold nights create an especially healthy environment
for vines.
Each vine-growing region is marked by its own particular attributes and even
within each region, there are areas with different climatic and soil characteristics,
which enable the cultivation of different vines and the production of a wide
variety of wine styles.
North West Region: This area encompasses
the provinces of Salta and La Rioja. The vineyard areas
account for about 4% of Argentina's wine production
and are located in a group of valleys formed by the
mountain ranges in the north of the country. The climate
is characterised by wide variations in temperature,
long summers and low rainfall. Deep, sandy soils afford
vigorous growth in the vineyards where the Torrontes
grape variety is widely grown.
Central-West Region: The area comprises
vineyards located in the provinces of Mendoza and San
Juan, which together produce over 90% of Argentine
wine. Soils are calcareous but lack of organic matter
restricts vigorous vine growth. Such conditions are
excellent for the production of high quality wine.
Rainfall is less than 200mm/annum but abundant snow in
the mountains allows irrigation from the rivers of melted
snow as and when required. The main grape varieties in
this area are Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay.
South Region: In the evocatively named Patagonia region of
Argentina lie some of the world's most southerly located vineyards. The province
of Rio Negro accounts for some 3% of total production. Typical desert soils
and wide temperature variations make a special environment for vineyards capable
of producing fine wine. The most important vine varieties of the region are
Merlot, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
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