Argentina Wine Guide
South America
Argentina year-round
Argentina welcomes visitors throughout the year due to its vast size and diverse landscapes.
On the north-east, the Iguazu Falls shared with neighbouring Brazil form the largest waterfall system in the world. With impressive wildlife and subtropical rainforest, this destination is a great option to escape from winter temperatures.
The north-west altitude desert with cacti and red canyons invites to sip delicious wines and hearty food while exploring small towns and meeting friendly locals. Salt flats, vineyards, greenery, colourful hills and funny llamas are some of the reasons to visit.
The central west attracts tourists for the wines. Besides the vineyards, skiing options are available during the winter, while trekking in Aconcagua Park is possible in the summer.
Buenos Aires, the capital, captivates with extensive estancias, tango moves, tasty food, and some French-style architecture,
Towards the south, the vast Patagonia region boasts lakes and forests, glaciers and mountains to enjoy in summer long days or for the brave ones, during the cold winters when the snow stains the landscape beautifully.
Spotlight dishes
Argentine cuisine is strongly influenced by the Italian immigrants who settled in the late 1800s.
However, Argentina is best known for being the steak-lover heaven. Massive asados grill a wide range of cuts and they are an opportunity to eat well but also to share a convivial moment among friends.
Empanadas are to be found everywhere in the country, each city having its own version, fillings and cooking method.
While in the northwest the traditional dish is humita en chala, a corn-based dish wrapped in corn husks, in the south, tender and flavoursome lamb-based dishes are aplenty.
For a sweet treat, anything with dulce de leche, milk-caramel spread, will be a great option. Why not try as well a typical dessert, the vigilante, which is basically quince jam and cheese.
Wine Guide
Argentina’s wine history dates back to the 16th century and the early colonial period. The first vines were transported from the Old World by Spanish conquistadors who needed to produce wine for Mass.
Things changed during the 19th and early 20th centuries, when an influx of European immigrants arrived. Coming mainly from Spain, Italy and France, they brought new technologies and an immense knowledge of winemaking, along with many noble European grape varieties.
Over the past 30 years, winemaking in Argentina has developed into a major industry, helped largely by the boom in Argentine Malbec. Now Argentina is the fifth largest wine-producing country in the world, and one of the New World’s fastest growing exporters of wine. The city of Mendoza is one of the world’s major wine capitals.
Argentina is best known for its robust red wines, with Malbec the undisputed king. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir and Bonarda are also grown here. Among white wines, the local legend is Torrontés, a delicate, aromatic wine that’s unique to Argentina. Other popular whites include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillon.
Key wine regions in Argentina
The majority of Argentina’s wine regions sit along the western fringe of the country, in the foothills of the Andes. Many vineyards are located at high altitudes, where sunny days and cool nights lead to intensely flavoured, aromatic wines, while snowmelt from the mountains offers natural irrigation.
There are seven main wine regions in Argentina: Mendoza, Salta, Neuquén, Rio Negro, Catamarca, La Rioja and San Juan. Argentina wine tours with SmoothRed are mainly focused on the two main areas for wine tourism, Mendoza and Salta.
Mendoza
The largest and most important of Argentina’s wine regions, Mendoza accounts for around 75 % of the country’s vineyards. Set on a high-altitude plateau on the edge of the Andes, it’s home to some of the world’s most beautiful vineyards, set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. The region’s undisputed star is Malbec, though Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Syrah and Chardonnay also feature.
The main sub-regions are Maipú, Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, while the city of Mendoza is one of the world’s great wine capitals.
Salta
Located in the northwest of Argentina, Salta is an up-and-coming wine region with some of the highest altitude vineyards in the world. The resulting extreme weather – freezing nights and sunny days – result in a more acidic wine with a distinctive personality.
Wine tours in Salta generally focus on the prestigious Calchaquí Valley and the town of Cafayate, which sits amid spectacular, semi-desert landscapes. This is the land of Torrontés, the only 100% Argentine grape variety, which thrives in this extreme climate. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat are also grown here.
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