Located in the “cono sur” or southern cone of South America and roughly 15 flying hours from London, Argentina is listed in the Oxford Companion to Wine (the wine bible) as “the most important wine-producing country in South America”.
Unlike the United States to the north, where the colonising Europeans made their wine from the indigenous Vitis Labrusca grapes, Argentina and its next-door neighbour Chile were wholly reliant on the Vitis Vinifera vines brought from Spain by the first fleets. The Spanish and their predecessors on the Iberian Peninsula had, of course, been making wine since Roman times — taking vines with them was a perfectly natural thing to do.
It is interesting to note there is a rivalry between Chile and Argentina not dissimilar to our own rivalry between England and Scotland, which is particularly acute when it comes to wine. Some believe the success of Argentina’s wine production can be demonstrably shown to be due to Chilean
intervention. Others strongly disagree.
Due to an early lack of expertise and understanding of the local terroir, the original vines that came with the Spanish settlers failed to take in Argentina. Chile had made many of those mistakes already having been cultivating vines earlier and was able to bring the required knowledge and plant material across the Andes to Mendoza. After three failed attempts to establish vines in Argentina, the “fourth time lucky” was due to using these Chilean cultured vines and expertise. A humbling experience for Argentinians I am sure.
It is the skilful use of dams and irrigation utilising the meltwater from Andean mountain snow that allowed the early wine pioneers to establish their crop in the Western province of Mendoza. A huge degree of “nous” was also used to produce wines that survived the long wagon trains back to the population centre of Buenos Aires, on the other side of the country.
Argentina has had a commercial wine industry since the late 1500s; it’s an interesting misnomer that we Brits continue to call it “New World” wine, despite the fact that Argentineans have been selling their vinous products longer than some of the famous names in the “Old World”.
The modern Argentinean wine is based on Malbec, a deep-coloured and fruity red wine made from an “immigrant” French grape variety. Ironically, this grape, widely available in the UK, has never found as widespread success when it comes from its birthplace, the town of Cahors in the south of France.
The most likely reason for this is because the wine from this region is an intensely deep, dark and tannic Malbec that can be hugely palate — a wine to only have with the heartiest red meat-based dishes, never on its own.
As a general rule, the Argentinean version has mastered the commercially successful art of being enjoyable with or without food, although do not be misled as there are some “big beasts” out there.
Quality producers are far more widespread across South America than you think. I believe that the British consumer fails to really investigate the superb wines that come specifically from Argentina.
From their delicious ripe Cabernet Sauvignons to the aromatic beauty of their Torrontes wines, they have both red and white Argentinian wine varieties that can satisfy both the everyday imbiber and the most curious.
Top-shelf Argentinian wines to try:
Riccitelli Vineyard Sellection Malbec from Selfridges – £36.99 per bottle
Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon from North & South Wines – £199.99 for 6 bottles
Zuccardi Serie A Torrontes from 8wines.com – £10.65 per bottle
