🇦🇷ARGENTINA

ARGENTINA IS–   Provinces- 9       GI.-          @Mendoza

• WHITE=  Torrontes Riojano 8%, Pedro Gimenez 6%, Chardonnay 5%, Sauvignon Blanc 4%, Torrontes, Sanjuanino 3%, Arizul, Canela, Chenin Blanc, Marsanne, Muscat(Alexandria), Rieslina, Riesling, Roussanne, Trebbiano, Torrontes Mendocino, Semillon, Ugni Blanc, Viognier
• PINK= Cereza, Criolla Chinca, Criolla Grand
• RED= Malbec 18%, Bonarda 8% AKA=Douce Noire, Cabernet Sauvignon 9%, Syrah 6%, Merlot 3%, Tempranillo 3%, Barbara, Criolla AKA=Mission, Cabertinta, Carignan, Dolcetto, Gargiulo 4113, Gargiulo 45803, Garnacha, Mencia, Monastrell, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Tannat

GEOGRAPHY– HEMISPHERE-Southern, REGION-South America, COUNTRY-Argentina

• BORDERS-Chile(West), Atlantic Ocean(East), Bolivia, Paraguay, LATITUDE: 38.18°‘S’– 67.36°‘S’
• REGIONS-North(North), Cuyo(Central), Patagonia(South)
  • **Refer to “PROCEEDING CHAPTERS” For Detailed Information On These.
• PROVINCES- *Denotes Active Viticulture In Province.
  • CUYO– (Mendoza*, La Rioja*, San Juan* San Luis)
  • GRAN CHACO– (Chaco, Formosa, Santiago del Estero)
  • MESOPOTAMIA/ LITTORAL– (Corrientes*, Entre Rios, Misiones)
  • NORTHWEST– (Catamarca*, Jujuy*, Salta*, Tucuman*)
  • PAMPAS– (Buenos Aires*, Cordoba, Santa Fe, La Pampa*)
  • PATAGONIA– (Chubut, Neuquen*, Rio Negro*, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego)

TOPOGRAPHY–  FEATURES- “Flat/ Rolling/ Hilly/ Mountainous/ Valley”

• SLOPES/ Andes Mountains, +Alt. 500mt.-1 ,700mt.(Average)
• PLAINS/ Andes Mountains(East), Aconcagua Mountain(Argentinas Tallest Peak/ 22,841mt.)
• TOPOGRAPHIC EVENTS–
  • VOLCANISM~ Subduction Zone Between Nazca Plate Sliding Under the South American Plate.
    • ~Catamarca~ Condor, Galan, General M. Begrano, Laguna Blanca, El Muerto, Nacimiento, Nevado Ojos del Salado, Tres Cruces
    • ~San Jose Volcanic Group~  Group of Volcanos Along the Chile/ Argentina Border…Includes: Cerro Aconcagua, Espirtu Santo, Maipo, San Jose, Payun Matru, Planchon-Peteroa, Tupungatito, Tupungato
  • **Refer to “CLIMATE/ Altitudes” For Additional Information.

SOILS– “Metamorphic”, “Volcanic”, “Sedimentary”

• Sand Over Clay, Chalk, Limestone
• **Refer to “ARGENTINA/ Sub-Chapters” For Detailed Information On Soils
• **Refer to “TERROIR/ Geology & Soil” For Detailed Information On Soils.

CLIMATE– “Continental” With “Semi-Desert” Influence

• *Summers– Hot, Dry Conditions   |   *Winters– Cold, Wet
  
• RAIN SHADOW EFFECT/ ~Andes Mountains~,  +WINDS/ ~Zonda~

VITICULTURE– 21,000ha. Planted, (63% Red/ 37% White)

• Argentina is- #5 In Grape Production/ #11 In Wine Consumption In World
• ADVANTAGE– Most of Argentina is Phylloxera Free and On Own Root-Stock.
  • Low/ No Humidity, Keeps Vines Free of Fungal Issues.
• CHALLENGE– Spring/ Fall Frost, Hail
  • Obtaining Water- In Certain Regions Water/ Snow Melt From Andes Mountains is Carried by Various Rivers to the Vineyards Below That Can Be Diverted Off In Channels and Canals and Used For Irrigation,  Water Act of 1853- Led to the Rapid Development of Wine Industry.
    • Irrigation- Needed For Agriculture In Most of the Country.
    • Furrow Irrigation- Water is Funneled Into Furrow Channels the Vines Are Planted In.
    • Drip Irrigation- Allows Greater Contol to Facilitate Yields.

VINICULTURE–

• 80% Percentage of Grapes Required to Be Labeled Single Varietal Wine.
• Reserva– +AGED/ 6 Month(White), 1 Year(Red)
• Gran Reserva- +AGED/ 1 Year(White), 2 Years(Red)

HISTORY– 500 Year Viticulture History

• 1550 @Argentina– Introduced to Viticulture by Spanish Missionaries.
• 1812 @Argentina– Argentina Declares Its Independence From Spain.
• 1852 @Mendoza– First French Malbec Grape Are Planted.
• 1853 @Mendoza– Quinta Agriculture School Opens.
• 1885 @Mendoza– First Train Linking  Buenos Aires With Mendoza/ Andes Mountains.

CULTURE– ~Etymology~ From Argento, Referring to the Prolific Silver Mines the Country is Blessed With.

• ASSOCIATIONS~ ~Bodegas de Argentina~
  • Mission~ Association of 250 Wineries Following Its Wine & Viticulture Sustainability Protocol.
• PIONEERS~
  • ~Susan Bilbo~ “Queen of Torrontes” , One of Argentina’s First Female Winemakers.
  • ~Nicolas Catana~ “Winemaker/ Pioneer” Bodega Catena Zapata
    • Credited For Putting Argentina On the Worlds Wine Map With His Wine and Insight.
  • ~Jose Alberta Zuccardi~ One of the New Modern Wine Movement.
  • ~Roberto La Mote~ “Winemaker” Cheval Des Andes
  • ~Missionaries, Spanish~ Planted Vineyards Near Missions to Ensure There Was Wine For the Celebration of Holy Mass.
• GASTRONOMY… Grilled Meats/ Asado(Barbecue), Empanadas,  Chorizo, Humitas
  • CHEESE… Sardo, Reggianito, Cremoso

ARGENTINA WINE LAW & CLASSIFICATION

• Governing Body- National Institute of Viticulture/ Instituto Nacional Viticulture
  • Indicacion Geografica IG.- Regional, Provincial, Sub-Regional (Based On Political Boundaries)
  • Indicacion de Procedencia IP.- No Implication of Quality
  • Demominacion de Origen Controlada DOC.-  EU. Style Appellation system
• Laws Governing- Geographic Boundaries, Topography
  • Label Requirement- Region +80%, Vintage +85%, Varietal +80%, No Chaptalization

GEOGRAPHIC DISCLAIMER~ “To Understand the Wine World and Benefit From DtheV.com a Understanding of Argentina’s Geography is Needed and the Ability to Visualize Its Wine Regions Topography.  Argentina is Organized In a North to South / East to West Orientation and Intended to Be Researched as So.”

• SUB-CHAPTERS Of ARGENTINA
  • North
  • Cuyo/ Central/ Mendoza
  • Patagonia
• **Refer to These Proceeding Sub-Chapters For Detailed Information.

**Refer to “BIBLIOGRAPHY/ Sources” For Details On Scholarly Works Referenced.