| Twenty years ago Argentina was the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, supplying cheap rather rustic wine to the huge domestic market. There was little or no emphasis on quality or the export market with a huge per capita wine drinking population happily imbibing the production. Big alcoholic red wines with equally big cuts of Argentine beef were the order of the day. Greater awareness of world markets, gradual investment in new technology and the ability to succeed with the 'classic' grapes has placed Argentine wines firmly on the world stage. Against the stunning backdrop of the Andes mountain range, the vineyards are all located in the west of the country, with the most important and largest wine-producing region in Mendoza. With the searing hot temperatures of summer, the snow capped Andes provide the necessary moisture through an intricate irrigation system, which delivers water in abundance to the vineyards. The dry air and lack of humidity prevents the spread of vine disease thus reducing the need for spraying. 
Andes backdrop, Argentina
More than half of Argentina's vineyards are planted with two local grape varieties, Criolla and Cereza which are neither red nor white, but pink! The wine produced from these varietals is often sweet and sometimes blended with Malbec to make a deep rosé style wine at the cheaper end of the market. Undoubtedly, Argentina's international success has been with the classic European varieties most notably, the Malbec. It adapts particularly well to the climate in the upper Mendoza, giving lots of colour, good structure and depth of fruit and responds well to oak ageing.Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc (known here as the Pinot de la Loire) are widely cultivated with the latter varietal used predominantly in the making of sparkling wine. Aromatic white wines are made from the Torrontés grape and sweet dessert style wines from the Moscatel. Wineries in Argentina are controlled by a relatively few large concerns, the biggest of which is Peñaflor - noted for its wines sold here under the 'Trapiche' label.
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|  | | | | Argentina at a glance... 
Wineries: 2000Area under vine:
210,000 hectares Production volume per annum:
18 million hectolitres Main Regions:
- La Rioja
- Mendoza
- Río Negro
- Salta
- San Juan
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