Mendoza was the first wine growing area in Latin America and today is still one of the largest in the world, with over 75% of Argentine wine coming from this region. It is a vast and extremely varied region and the key to producing seriously high quality wines this close to the equator is altitude – the higher the vineyard the cooler the nights and it is this which is hugely beneficial to acidity and colour as well as achieving specific wine flavours. Malbec is the most influential grape planted here, however local varieties such as Criolla Grande and Cereza account for over a quarter of the plantings across the vineyards. After Malbec, the next most important grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Chardonnay. These varieties do well here, in the semi-desert conditions. Mendoza has four distinct seasons but due to the soil conditions mixed with the warm summers, it must be irrigated.
