South American Wine

Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in Spain. During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Juan Cedrón (or Cidrón) brought the first vine cuttings to Santiago del Estero in 1557, and the cultivation of the grape and wine production stretched first to neighbouring regions, and then to other parts of the country.

Argentine winemakers have traditionally been more interested in quantity than quality and the country consumes 90% of the wine it produces (45 litres a year per capita according to 2006 figures). However, the desire to increase exports fueled significant advances in quality. Argentine wines started being exported during the 1990s, and are currently growing in popularity. The devaluation of the Argentine peso in 2002, following the economic collapse, further fueled the industry as production costs decreased and tourism significantly increased, giving way to a whole new concept of wine tourism in Argentina. The past years have seen the birth of numerous tourist-friendly wineries with free tours and tastings. Some wineries even provide accommodations (such as is the case of Salentein or Tapiz) for tourists interested in staying in boutique hotels specifically oriented towards wine-tourism. The Mendoza Province is now one of Argentina's top tourist destinations and the one which has grown the most in the past years.

Argentina is the largest wine producer in South America and the 5th largest in the world, with over 1,200 million liters (2003), and the 13th largest exporter in the world (431 million USD in 2005). Argentina probably produces the best Malbec. Ironically, in the 1980s, Argentina almost gave up on the grape through government vine pull schemes.

Due to the high altitude and low humidity of the main wine producing regions, Argentine vineyards rarely face the problems of insects, fungi, moulds and other diseases that affect grapes in other countries. This permits cultivating with little or no pesticides, allowing even organic wines to be easily produced.

The most important wine regions of the country are located in the provinces of Mendoza and San Juan (Cuyo region), and La Rioja. Salta, Catamarca and Río Negro are also wine producing regions. The Mendoza Province produces more than 60% of the Argentine wine and is the source of an even higher percentage of the total exports (84% by value during the first trimester of 2006).

There are many different varieties of grapes cultivated in Argentina, reflecting her many immigrant groups. The French brought Auxerrois, which became known as Malbec, which makes most of Argentina's best known wines. The Italians brought vines that they called Bonarda, although Argentine Bonarda appears to be the Corbeau of Savoie, also known as Charbono in California, which may be related to Dolcetto. It has nothing in common with the light fruity wines made from Bonarda Piemontese in Piedmont.

Torrontés is another typically Argentine grape and is mostly found in the provinces of La Rioja, San Juan, and Salta. It is a member of the Malvasia group that makes aromatic white wines. It has recently been grown in Spain. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and other international favourites are becoming more widely planted, but some varieties are cultivated characteristically in certain areas.

Malbec - Mendoza (20,000 hectares) - Malbec is a black, mellow grape variety originally brought to France by a Hungarian peasant, where it was grown in the Loire Valley and Cahors. Long known as one of the six grapes used in the blending of red Bordeaux wine, it is increasingly celebrated as an Argentine varietal wine. It is also grown on Long Island, New York, and in the cooler regions of California. It has an extensive listing of synonyms, currently more than two hundred.

Bonarda - Also known as, Charbono is a grape variety found in California. It is not very common in California, but is the second most commonly grown variety in Argentina, where it is known as Bonarda (which is not the same as the Bonarda Piemontese varietal). The wine made from charbono tends to be dark, with medium to high tannins and acidity. After genetic testing conducted by Carole Meredith, it was determined to be the same grape as the grape known as Corbeau, Douce Noire, or Charbonneau in the Savoie region of France; it may also be related to Dolcetto of Piedmont.

Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Sauvignon is a variety of red grape mainly used for wine production, and is, along with Chardonnay, one of the most widely-planted of the world's grape varieties.

The principal grape in many Bordeaux wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in most of the world's wine regions, although it requires a long growing season to ripen properly and gives low yields. Many of the red wines regarded as among the world's greatest, such as Red Bordeaux, are predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. World-class examples can improve for decades and remain drinkable for a century.

The particularly thick skin of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape results in wines that can be high in tannin which provides both structure and ageability. This varietal, while frequently aromatic and with an attractive finish, also tends to lack mid-palate richness and so is often blended with lower tannin, but "fleshy" tasting grapes, particularly Merlot and, especially in Australia, Shiraz / Syrah. Cabernet Franc is often used in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon to add aromatics. As a group, Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally full-flavored, with a stronger flavor than Merlot for instance, and with a smooth and lingering "finish".

Syrah - San Juan - Shiraz, or Syrah, is a variety of grape used in wine. It is called Syrah in France, Argentina, Chile and most of the United States. In South Africa, Australia, and Canada it is known as Shiraz. In Australia it used to be called Hermitage up to the late 1980s. It should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, which is a different type of grape. Syrah is the offspring of two obscure French varieties, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. (Dureza, native to the Ardèche, Mondeuse Blanche "White Mondeuse", native to the Savoie). The grape also has many other synonyms that are used in various parts of the world including Antourenein Noir, Balsamina, Candive, Entournerein, Hignin Noir, Marsanne Noir, Schiras, Sirac, Syra, Syrac, Serine, and Sereine. Shiraz also has one of the highest wine serving temperatures at 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius).

Tempranillo - Mendoza - Tempranillo is a variety of Vitis vinifera, a red grape widely grown in its native Spain and commonly used in winemaking. The grape ripens several weeks earlier than most red varietals, hence its name, which is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano (early). Tempranillo is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape" and is the main variety in Rioja wines.

In the Ribera del Duero the mean July temperature is around 21.4°C (70.5 °F), though temperatures in the middle of the day in the lower valley can jump as high as 40°C (104°F). At night the region experiences a dramatic diurnal temperature variation with temperatures dropping by as much as 16°C (30°F) from the daytime high. The Tempranillo grape is one of the few grapes that can adapt and thrive in continental Mediterranean climates like this. The lower acidity associated with low-altitude growth is most often remedied by blending with higher acid grapes, such as Graciano in Rioja.Pests and diseases are a serious problem for this grape variety, since it has little resistance to either. The grape forms compact, cylindrical bunches of spherical, purplish black fruit with a colourless pulp. The fruit is very dark in colour and forms a bead-like sphere for which it also carries the name of Ull de Llebre (Catalan for "Eye of the Hare") in Catalonia, a major Tempranillo-growing region. It is known by many other names, usually after the region in which it is, or has been, grown.

Merlot - Río Negro - Merlot (pronounced 'merr-lo' (English/French) is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot an ideal grape to blend with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. This flexibility has helped to make it one of the most popular red wine varietals in the United States and Chile.

Pinot Noir - Río Negro - Pinot noir ('pi no nwar) is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produced predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the french words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the varietals' tightly clustered dark purple pine cone shaped bunches of fruit.

Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. In De re rustica, Columella described a grape variety in Burgundy in the 1st century A.D. that sounds like Pinot noir.It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.

Chardonnay - Mendoza - Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety, used to make white wine. It probably originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now found anywhere that grapevines can be grown, from England to New Zealand. It is vinified in many different styles, from the elegant, "flinty" wines of Chablis (wine) to rich, buttery Meursaults and New World wines bursting with tropical fruit flavours. It is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne.

Torrontés - Salta, La Rioja, Mendoza and San Juan - Torrontes is the characteristic white wine grape of Argentina, producing fresh, aromatic white wines. In fact the name is given to three criolla varieties in Argentina, Torrontés Riojano which is most common, Torrontés Sanjuanino and Torrontés Mendocino.

A grape called Torrontés is found in Galicia in Spain - the relationship to the Argentine varieties is uncertain.

Sauvignon Blanc - Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets it name from the French word sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in western France. It is now planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. Conversely, the grape is also a component of the famous dessert wines from Sauternes and Barsac. Sauvignon blanc is widely cultivated in France, New Zealand and California.

Depending on climate, the flavor can range from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. Wine experts have used the phrase "crisp, elegant, and fresh" as a favorable description of Sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley and New Zealand. Sauvignon blanc, when slightly chilled, pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly Chevre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi.

Along with Riesling, Sauvignon blanc was one of the first fine wines to be bottled with a screwcap in commercial quantities, especially by New Zealand producers. The wine is usually consumed young, as it does not particularly benefit from aging. Dry and sweet white Bordeaux, typically made with Sauvignon blanc as a major component, is the one exception.

Riesling - San Juan and La Rioja - Riesling is a white grape variety grown historically in Germany (see German wine), Alsace (France), Austria, and northern Italy.

The most expensive wines made from Riesling are late harvest dessert wines, produced by letting the grapes hang on the vines well past normal picking time. Through evaporation caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea ("noble rot") or by freezing, as in the case of ice wine (in German, Eiswein), water is removed and the resulting wine offers richer layers on the palate. These concentrated wines have more sugar (in extreme cases hundreds of grams per litre), more acid (to give balance to all the sugar), more flavor, and more complexity. These elements combine to make wines which are amongst the most long lived of all white wines. The beneficial use of "noble rot" was discovered in the late 18th century at Schloss Johannisberg. Permission from the Abbey of Fulda, which owned the vineyard, to start picking the grapes arrived too late and the grapes had begun to rot, yet it turned out that the wine made from them was still of excellent quality.

Chenin Blanc - Mendoza - Chenin blanc, or Pineau de la Loire, is a variety of white wine grape from the Loire valley of France. Its high acidity means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to well-balanced dessert wines, although it can produce very bland, neutral wines if the vine's natural vigour is not controlled. Outside the Loire it is found in most of the New World wine regions; it is the most widely planted variety in South Africa, where it is known as Steen.

Viognier - Mendoza and San Juan - Viognier wines are well-known for their floral aromas, due to terpenes, which are also found in Muscat and Riesling wines. There are also many other powerful flower and fruit aromas which can be perceived in these wines depending on where they were grown, the weather conditions and how old the vines were. Although some of these wines, especially those from old vines and the late-harvest wines, are suitable for aging, most are intended to be consumed young. Viogniers more than three years old tend to lose many of the floral aromas that make this wine unique. Aging these wines will often yield a very crisp drinking wine which is almost completely flat in the nose. The color and the aroma of the wine suggest a sweet wine but Viognier wines are predominantly dry, although sweet late-harvest dessert wines have been made. It is a grape with low acidity; it is sometimes used to soften wines made predominantly with the red Syrah grape. In addition to its softening qualities the grape also adds a stabilizing agent and enhanced perfume to the red wine.

Sémillon - Mendoza and Río Negro - Sémillon, which is easy to cultivate, consistently produces six to eight tons of grapes per acre from its vigorous vines. It is fairly resistant to disease, except for rot. The grape ripens early, when, in warmer climates, it acquires a pinkish hue.Since the grape has a thin skin, there is also a risk of sunburn in hotter climates; it is best suited to areas with sunny days and cool nights.

The Sémillon grape is rather heavy, with low acidity and an almost oily texture. It has a high yield and wines based on it can age a long time. Along with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, Sémillon is one of only three approved white wine varieties in the Bordeaux region. The grape is also often used as the base for sweet wines such as those in Sauternes and Barsac.

Chile has a long history of wine making, going back to the conquistadores who brought grape vines with them in the mid 16th Century and planted vineyards. In the mid 18th century, French varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were introduced. However, government decrees prohibited the planting of new vineyards between 1938 and 1974.

Much low quality wine has historically been produced (often from table grapes such as sultanas) and producers have traditionally been more interested in quantity than quality. However, in the early 1980s a renaissance began with the introduction of stainless steel fermenters and the use of oak barrels for ageing. Subsequently, the export business grew very quickly and large amounts of quality wines were produced. The number of wineries has grown from 12 in 1995 to over 70 in 2005. Chile is now the fourth largest exporter of wines to the United States.

The climate has been described as midway between that of California and France. The most common grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère, which is often regarded as perhaps the most suitable grape for the Chilean climate.

Viticultural Region of Atacama, within the III Administrative Region. Within it are two subregions, the Copiapó Valley and the Huasco Valley, both of which are coterminous with the provinces of the same names.

In some international competitions, Chilean wines have ranked very highly. For example, in the Berlin Wine Tasting of 2004, 36 European experts blind tasted wines from two vintages each of eight top wines from France, Italy and Chile. The first and second place wines were two Cabernet-based reds from Chile: Viñedo Chadwick 2000 and Sena 2001.

In the Tokyo Wine Tasting of 2006, Chilean wines won four of the top five rankings.

Chile is entirely free of Phylloxera, so its vitis vinifera grape vines do not need to be grafted.

More about SA Wine

Argentine Wine

History of Malbec

Chilean Wine Online