Grapevine

Malbec from the foot of the Andes – a French grape that, in sunny Mendoza, became the wine the whole world associates with Argentina.

The grapevine is a climber with woody stems, tendrils and lobed leaves, grown for its bunches of fruit. In Argentina the vineyards lie mainly at the foot of the Andes at 700–1,500 m, and in the valleys of Salta even above 2,000 m – among the highest in the world. The dry, sunny climate, with big differences between day and night temperatures, helps the grapes ripen, and the vines are irrigated with snowmelt carried along channels dating back to pre-Columbian times. The most famous variety is Malbec, while the aromatic Torrontés provides the white wines.

Significance in the country

Argentina has most of the world’s Malbec plantings, and Mendoza – the wine capital – accounts for around 70% of national production; World Malbec Day is celebrated here on 17 April.

Where it grows

At the foot of the Andes – above all in Mendoza and San Juan, but also in La Rioja, Catamarca, the Calchaquí Valleys of Salta and Tucumán, and in Patagonia (Neuquén, Río Negro).

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