2   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.

Argentina: Where Extremes Offer Up Unexpected Surprises

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Feb 2024

Wine consumers often mistakenly conflate Mendoza with Argentina—not an unreasonable error given that 70% of the country’s grapes grow in the province. But, when one tilts their glass toward the country’s other regions, perceptions can often be altered. Argentina’s varied whites and reds reflect the essence of a vast range of quite different landscapes. This report takes us on a journey through them.

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Flirting with Perfection - Giaconda Chardonnay 2011-2021

Verticals & Retrospectives, featured, Australia, Argentina featured

Angus Hughson, Jan 2024

There are more famous Chardonnays in Australia, but none are more keenly collected or tightly held than Rick Kinzbrunner’s enigmatic Giaconda. Originally conceived in California, Giaconda not only put the small outpost of Beechworth in Victoria on the international map, it also helped an entire nation to find its Chardonnay mojo. A rare chance to taste the last decade of vintages exceeded expectations and showcased a world-class wine that can compete with the very best.

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The Uco Valley: Where Diverse Terroirs Work Their Magic

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Sep 2023

The mountainous region in the center of the province of Mendoza has enjoyed a boom in investment and vineyard expansion in recent decades. It is now the home of some of the country’s most accomplished efforts to make wines with an authentic sense of place. Thanks to in-depth studies of local terroirs and an increasingly diverse range, the Uco Valley produces some of Argentina's most interesting wines.

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The Age of Mountain Whites: Enjoying the Altitude

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Joaquín Hidalgo, Jul 2023

A small revolution is taking place in the white wines of Argentina, particularly in the higher areas of the Uco Valley, on the cold, sunny slopes of the Mendozan Andes. In this report, I take a look at the best of the new wave of Argentine whites.

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The 2023 Harvest in Argentina: Throwing Out the Playbook

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, May 2023

The 2023 season was uneven, marked by frosts, extreme heat and more unpredictable weather caused by the La Niña phenomenon. To succeed this year, producers had to throw out the playbook and improvise.

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Luján de Cuyo: Old Vines and a Patchwork of Soils

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Jan 2023

Luján de Cuyo is a historic region that is reinventing itself and looking to a terroir-based future. This report covers the relaunch of the first D.O.C. in South America, several new Malbecs and a handful of old vintages, exploring how a region with much to offer is making the most of its best qualities.

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Argentina: Making It Work with Resilience and Stylistic Ingenuity

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Nov 2022

In an uncertain world, resilience and ingenuity have allowed Argentine producers to assemble a delicious patchwork of wines from the ends of the earth. This report shares the latest news from the terroirs of the Uco Valley, offers tips about some alternative varieties from the east of Mendoza, highlights up-and-coming regions to look out for and presents an in-depth look at a handful of new trends and styles, reflecting a scene as varied as it is alluring.

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Vibrant Whites from the Cool Terroirs of Argentina

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Joaquín Hidalgo, Aug 2022

Argentina is enjoying a resurgence in white wines. After several decades in which the focus has been on reds, producers have been exploring new, creative territory based on bringing out the best of the country’s cool, continental sites. The result has been an explosion in new approaches, several of which have produced excellent wines, but others have not fared so well.

5 by april 22  the weather was autumnal at the piedra infinita vineyard in paraje altamira. the different colors reveal changes in the soil make up.

2022 Argentina: A Harvest That Challenged Producers’ Skills

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, May 2022

It is pretty unusual that in mid-April there aren’t many grapes left to harvest in Argentina, where winery doors typically close in early May. For better or worse, unusual weather makes for an unusual vintage. Overall, the 2022 harvest can be summed up as one of great quality. Bumps in the road could be overcome by good decision-making and precise timing.

Trevelin is a forested region where summer frosts aren%e2%80%99t uncommon. this photo was taken at casa yagu%cc%88e on march 11  2021  a month before harvest. the snow on the peak in the background fell that afternoon.

Patagonia: A Dispatch from the End of the World

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Mar 2022

From the Río Colorado to Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia spans the southern half of Argentina. The wine industry here has waxed and waned at different periods over the 20th and 21st centuries. One can find old vineyards planted in former riverbeds alongside brand-new vines growing right out on the steppe. With the historic allure of an ancient frontier, wines from these southern terroirs offer a range of different characteristics. Following three separate trips and 164 wines tasted in December 2021, this is my dispatch from the end of the world.