Argentina: Where Extremes Offer Up Unexpected Surprises

BY JOAQUÍN HIDALGO | FEBRUARY 20, 2024

In a country the size of Argentina—comparable in land area to the entirety of Western Europe—there are many territories with favorable climate and soil types for making wine. However, Mendoza’s lion's share of Argentine grape production means the province tends to define consumer expectations of the profiles of wines from Argentina as a whole. But what happens when one ventures into lesser-known corners of the country? Then, it becomes a tale of the unexpected.

A postcard from the interior ravines within the Calchaquí Valley. At over 2,000 meters above sea level, vineyards coexist with very cool nights and tropical sunshine in an environment reminiscent of colonial times.

This review features a number of notable rarities. It is a story of extremes. There’s a Malbec grown on the Tropic of Capricorn at the astonishing elevation of 11,800 feet, and several Pinot Noirs from the most southerly vineyards in the world, planted in the Patagonian steppes at a latitude of 45° 30’. Between them is a distance, the equivalent of that from the US’s northern border with Canada to the southern border with Mexico.  

Viable vine growth and wine production in these extremes are only made possible by carefully balanced equations of elevation and latitude. I tasted 240 wines from Argentina for this report, from everywhere other than Mendoza. This includes geographies as different as the forested sierras of the center of the country, coastal, ocean-adjacent sites and others from the northern Andes and the southern steppes. The result is a vast and fascinating spectrum of styles—delicious in many cases and not quite up to the mark in others.

First, it would be wise to get our bearings.

The golden hour over the Trapiche Costa y Pampa vineyards in Chapadmalal, Buenos Aires province, in the Humid Pampa, 6 kilometers away from the Atlantic Ocean shore. The dominant note is the green of the fields.

The Northern Valleys

Northern wine country in Argentina is comprised of a series of connected valleys. Vineyards start at 4,900 feet above sea level and rise in some places to heights of 12,000 feet and even higher near the Tropic of Capricorn. The elevation would be just an interesting factoid, were it not the main reason behind more moderate temperatures—the key to allowing vines to grow. At these extreme heights, thermal accumulation in the harsh Andean sun makes it possible for grapes with short and medium ripening cycles to mature. These are desert areas, sunny and freezing, where vines develop in a state of extreme environmental stress. As we know, when vines are pushed to the limit, they impart distinctive flavors. 

The Northern Valleys have musical names like Calchaquí (which spans the provinces of Catamarca, Salta and Tucuman), Quebrada de Humahuaca (located in the province of Jujuy) and Pomán (in Catamarca). Here, the influence of pre-Colombian cultures is still tangible and vibrant, especially in the local textiles and folklore. Wine came to these ravines in the middle of the 17th century with the Spanish conquest and never left. Every remote home in these areas has a fig tree and vines planted in the garden, with the latter almost always being the Criolla variety, with which locals make a rough homemade brew. Some producers, however, have learned to get the best out of Criolla, as is true of the 2021 Sunal Ilógico Criolla or 2022 Bodega Kindgard Criolla Quebradeña Sacha Tigre, whose grapes come from old, long-forgotten vines.

One of the most picturesque vineyards in Traslasierra, Córdoba, in the geographical heart of Argentina, belongs to Achala Wines. The Sierras Altas (seen in the background) are an ancient formation that contributes weathered granite and gneiss with calcareous veins to soil formation. As seen in the picture, the vineyard coexists with the spiny native forest.

The landscape up north is otherworldly. The mountain slopes are packed with large cardon cacti and pre-Colombian terraces that prove perfect for wine growing. While the Calchaquí Valley was the biggest center of wine production throughout the 20th century (with 10,362 acres under vine), the Quebrada de Humahuaca, which rises up into Bolivia, is where a few investors have been developing vineyards, with new plantings currently spanning about 148 acres.

But it’s still the Calchaquí Valley that sets the tone. Wherever water is available, you’ll find vines. In the Province of Salta, Cafayate is the epicenter and hosts most of the traditional wineries, from Etchart to Domingo Hermanos and El Esteco. A quiet town where one can spend a pleasant afternoon in the shade drinking potent wines accompanied by empanadas or roasted goat, it has the best range of hotels in the region. Cachi is another lovely destination, more colonial in style and higher in elevation. Between them, the Calchaquí River winds along an 80-mile stretch (a four-hour drive by car due to the twisty roads), passing different towns and vineyards.

Planted on ancient pre-Columbian terraces, El Esteco’s La Turbina vineyard, on the outskirts of Cafayate, is unique. Located at over 2,000 meters with a south-facing exposure, it is a cool place where Garnacha reaches rare tones.

The Cabernet Sauvignons of the Calchaquí Valley offer power and a distinctive aroma of roasted red pepper, reminiscent of the region’s dark, spiced, chutney-inflected Malbecs and perfumed whites made from Torrontés (a native grape related to Muscat). Some of the most interesting wines in this report, such as the 2021 Colomé Cabernet Sauvignon 1831, the 2020 El Esteco Cabernet Sauvignon Finca Notables and the 2020 Almacén de la Quebrada Malbec Pucará, come from the Calchaquí Valley.

In Humahuaca, it’s higher and colder, and the wines are more reminiscent of the Northern Rhône Valley, featuring exotic Syrahs and Cabernet Francs. As it’s a new region, the wines are interesting but not yet as consistent. Standouts include the 2021 Finca Benavidas Sirviñacu and the 2021 Huichaira Vineyards Cielo Arriba. A journey through the thinner air of these high-altitude lands can wear on the body, but they offer up some of the most stunning vistas in the world. Tasting these wines takes one into a new topography of flavors, the intensity of which comes from the sun, while the juicy freshness of some can be attributed to the high elevation. A very brief harvest window is critical if one wants to achieve a fruity profile in these extreme regions. Some producers err on the side of over-ripeness to avoid green flavors. The best wines, however, including those mentioned above, take a more refined approach.

In the freezing month of August, the Otronia vineyards in the Chubut steppe endure winds of over 100 kilometers per hour, so they are planted with poplar curtains (as many as vines). In summer, the day extends to 16 hours of sunlight, and frosts in the middle of January are not uncommon.

San Juan

Part of the Cuyo region alongside Mendoza, San Juan is a significant wine-producing province by volume. With around 101,230 acres of vineyard land, it makes its mark on the national statistics, especially in terms of wines meant to be consumed the same year, which the region’s producers ship in the Southern winter, not long after harvest.

In San Juan, there are two valleys of interest when it comes to quality wines: Pedernal, which lies in the Andean foothills and has about 1,977 acres of vineyard at a height of about 4,600 feet, and Calingasta, at the foot of the Frontal Cordillera range (where peaks rise as high as 19,500 feet). The Pedernal Valley boasts pure calcareous soils and produces wines of intensity with a chalky texture, such as the 2019 Pyros Malbec Vineyard Block Nº4 and the 2021 Finca Las Moras Malbec Demencial. The Calingasta Valley, at a height of 5,200 feet, has a cool solar profile, resulting in wines with intense juiciness, such as the 2021 Los Dragones Malbec Maida and the 2022 Bodegas Del Carmen Malbec Nido del Tigre.

The Chubut River originates in the Andes and winds its way through the steppe. The photo is from the summer of 2023, depicting the volcanic and meandering landscape, with hills sculpted by the wind. Viticulture is still in its early stages in these valleys.

The Valleys of Patagonia

In the far south of Argentina, Patagonia offers vineyards at a lower altitude, located between the 39th and 45th parallels. To understand what we mean when we talk about Patagonia, it’s worth keeping in mind that the region accounts for one-third of the country’s surface area, with a mountain range to the west (much lower than the rest of the Andes), forests, glaciers, lakes and a vast desert steppe traversed by large rivers. The biggest of these, the Río Negro, is also where the highest density of vineyards can be found.

This area is home to about 7,923 acres of vineyard land. Because of its latitude, long-ripening varieties are pushed right to the limit, while those with medium cycles are in their element; Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t always ripen well, but Merlot, Pinot Noir and Malbec get there without any trouble. White varieties such as Chardonnay and Sémillon also present distinctive profiles.

At 2,500 meters above sea level in the Andean valleys, vines thrive in extreme conditions. If nature created “cardones” (the cacti in the photo) as a plant adapted to the area, it's clear that the vine bears fruit in the midst of environmental stress, defining the Vallisto character in the region.

To understand why the wines of Northern Patagonia—the area spanned by the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and La Pampa—are distinctive, one needs to look at the clay soils created by the rivers, the long hours of sun in summer and the windy climate. The grapes mature slowly in these conditions, developing thick skins that allow for more precise ripening windows. In this area, red fruit character is the norm amongst the red varieties, with balanced acidity and fine, reactive tannins. Good examples of these river-influenced wines include the 2021 Noemía Malbec, the 2022 Familia Schroeder Saurus Barrel Fermented Malbec, the 2022 Chacra Pinot Noir Treinta y Dos and the 2020 Red Blend from Ribera del Cuarzo.

Further south, however, in the province of Chubut, one finds a more restrictive landscape. With just 198 acres of vines planted between the 42nd and 45th parallels, small producers are trying their luck with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is a realm of skeletal, acidic wines with an austere character, among which Contra Corriente, almost on the Chilean border, stands out. The exception is Otronia, the most southerly winery and vineyard in the world (to date), which operates on a larger scale, boasting 123 of the aforementioned 198 acres under vine in a freezing desert landscape. A notable red from the Patagonian forests is the 2020 Contra Corriente Pinot Noir, while one from the steppes is the 2021 Otronia Pinot Noir 45º Rugientes.

The Pedernal Valley, located in the San Juan Precordillera at 1,400 meters, is one of the lesser-known gems of the region. The Pedernal range, seen in the background, is formed by calcareous rocks that give the soil a unique character among Argentina's vineyards. The photo was taken in winter 2022.

Other Pockets in the Landscape

Among other emerging regions, two stand out right now. On the one hand, Córdoba, in the heart of Argentina, accounts for 604 acres. Located in a Sierra landscape that offers height and unusual soils for Argentina, it rests in the middle of a countryside where rainfall supports native forests of thorny trees. Here, a few producers are growing vines with a focus on red varieties. Notable wineries include Traslasierra Achala Bodega Exótica, whose vineyard is populated with native trees such as Molle and Piquilline. The 2021 Blend Valle de Traslasierra is an excellent expression of the territory.

The Futaleufú River Valley, on the border with Chile, offers a handful of vineyards planted in the green Patagonia. It is a cold area, at the limit of grape cultivation. The photo was actually taken in March 2021 after a snowfall in the mountains.

On the other side of the country, one finds oceanic vineyards planted to the south of the province of Buenos Aires and to the east of the provinces of Río Negro and Chubut. This year, I tried some wines from Balcarce and Chapadmalal, but there are plenty more pockets of vineyards in a strip about 70 miles from the sea. The Buenos Aires coast is a windy area that can receive more than three feet of rain per year, while the Atlantic Ocean ensures a cool-to-cold climate. This means that white wines reign. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño from here are all vibrant, with a different character than one finds in the Andes. For instance, the 2022 Puerta del Abra Albariño Insólito is a very tasty glass of white. However, it’s the reds that present the most daring profiles; very much worth trying are the 2022 Trapiche Pinot Noir Costa y Pampa, the 2022 Wapisa Malbec and the 2020 Puerta del Abra Cabernet Franc, each of which offers unusual profiles for Argentina.  

Not all of these regions’ wines are widely available in the US market and elsewhere, often because production is low or because importers haven’t yet grown adventurous enough. Whatever the truth, one thing is certain: if you’ve ever been tempted to venture into the extremes of South America, these bottles will give you a push in the right direction. At the end of the day, travel is about expecting the unexpected.

In San Patricio del Chañar, Neuquén, the vines climb the “Barda” (the slopes riverbank as it is called here) of the Neuquén River. This way, as seen in this vineyard of Familia Schroeder, they explore from clay soils at the bottom to calcareous gravels like those in the area adjacent to the desert.

All the wines reviewed in this report were tasted in November 2023 in Buenos Aires.

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