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The 2023 Harvest in Argentina: Throwing Out the Playbook
featured, Argentina
, 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.
Luján de Cuyo: Old Vines and a Patchwork of Soils
featured, Argentina
, 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.
Argentina: Making It Work with Resilience and Stylistic Ingenuity
featured, Argentina
, 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.
Vibrant Whites from the Cool Terroirs of Argentina
featured, Argentina
, 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.
2022 Argentina: A Harvest That Challenged Producers’ Skills
featured, Argentina
, 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.
Patagonia: A Dispatch from the End of the World
featured, Argentina
, 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.
Argentina on the Couch: Malbec, Terroir and Other Trends
featured, Argentina
, Nov 2021
In this extensive report, I take a look at the current state of the wine scene in Argentina, a country where creativity is necessary for survival. Malbecs have grown increasingly diverse and reflect the range of terroirs, while a number of new trends are developing. From Cabernet Franc to Pinot Noir, high altitude vineyards are lending real energy and quality to a host of different reds.
Enduring Precision: The Latest Cellar-Worthy Wines from Argentina
featured, Argentina
, Nov 2021
Precise management of high-altitude vineyards has resulted in new, attractive, balanced reds with excellent cellar potential that draw on Argentina’s long winemaking heritage. Some négociants from Bordeaux are already selling a few of them across the world, paving Argentina’s way into the fine wine market. In this report, I present an overview of the latest cellar-worthy wines.
2021 in Argentina: An Unusual Year That Ended in Balance
featured, Argentina
, Aug 2021
The 2021 season in Argentina undermined the long-held idea that nothing much changes year by year. With higher than average rainfall and lower temperatures, those who interpreted the conditions well are celebrating a sublime equilibrium in their wines. Producers also reported substantial differences between the various regions up and down the Andes. Early indications are that 2021 was an excellent year for Cabernet Sauvignon, the best of the past eight, and for reds in general.
Argentina: New High-Altitude, High-Precision Whites
featured, Argentina
, Jun 2021
Captivating. That’s the word for many of the white wines being produced in Argentina today. A new kind of Chardonnay is being crafted in the mountain vineyards of Argentina based on lively freshness and pure, ripe fruity flavors. The interpretations of these extreme terroirs being developed by an insightful group of producers are raising the bar for the variety in a country best known for its Malbec. Meanwhile, old Sémillon vines are being rediscovered in the more traditional regions and some excellent sparkling wines are popping up all over the country.