Click on the menu bar for additional selections from Mendoza and Rio Negro. |
Notes on Argentina's wine country
Mendoza is situated in western Argentina, and is the gateway to the high Andes and the Chilean border at Aconcagua National Park. Known for it’s passionate people, the liveliness of the tango, and the beauty of the language, Argentina prides itself on its energy and its penchant for sumptuous living.
Mendoza may not be one of the first places you think of when it comes to great wines, but it should be. There are only a handful of places capable of producing truly exceptional wines – the most well known being Bordeaux and Napa. Recently, the world has recognized Mendoza as a member of this elite group.
Mendoza has a long and proud winemaking history and is known as the “Tierra del Sol y del Buen Vino” or “country of sun and good wine”. Today its many vineyards cover more than 490,000 acres, helping make Argentina the world's fifth largest wine producer.
The winemaking tradition began as early at the mid 1500’s, when Spanish settlers brought their vines to Argentina. Several later waves of immigration brought settlers from Italy, Spain and France, and these pioneers brought vines to supply their taste for European wine varieties.
Argentines take their wine seriously, so it was no surprise that Argentina's prestigious School of Agriculture was founded in Mendoza in 1853. The school taught the European model of winemaking including grafting and other modern cultivation techniques, and introduced Argentina’s winemakers to French varietals. Finally in 1884, the area underwent several large irrigation projects, and the dams and channels that were constructed transformed the dry land into rich soil that could allow modern viticulture to flourish.
Today Mendoza has a unique advantage for making world-class wines. Located in the foothills of the Andes at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level, the Tupungato Valley combines high altitude, alluvial sandy soils, minimal precipitation with controllable mountain snowmelt and almost constant sunshine with cool nights to produce an ideal environment for growing the perfect grapes.
With its rich history and dedication to the craft of winemaking, Mendoza has been a premier winegrowing area for over 150 years. Many of the world's great wine producers now have operations here. Mendoza is putting Argentina on the map as the place to cultivate world-class wines. |
|  
| 
| Country: Argentina Region: Mendoza Grape Varietal: Malbec Type: Still wine
Wine Spectator: 91 points
Bodega Norton Malbec Lujan de Cuyo Reserva 2004. "Made from 80 year old vines (some of the oldest malbec vines in Argentina), this years’ version of Norton’s signature grape from Argentina is easily it’s best to date. Very creamy, with layers of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and black currant fruit followed by cocoa, mocha, a touch of dark chocolate and a splash of coffee. Juicy and plush, with a solid core of integrated tannins, this outstanding wine is complex enough to improve over the next few years. It has a fine focus and structure. A do not miss classic! Drink now through 2008. Smart Buy." (Wine Spectator: Top wine for 2006!) | | 
| Country: Argentina Region: Mendoza Grape Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Type: Still wine
Wine Spectator: 87 points
2006 San Diego International Wine Competition
 Bronze Medal
Andeluna Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Its intense purple and red tones are characteristic of the very best Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of sweet pepper, cassis, black olive and morello cherry with notes of tobacco and smoke are balanced with flavors of red pepper, morello cherry liqueur and cassis to complement the sweet tannins and great structure of this full bodied wine. Food. The perfect companion to many foods, including hearty cheeses, spicy pastas and roasted or grilled meats.
| | 
| Country: Argentina Grape Varietal: Bonarda, Sangiovese Type: Still wine
Vina Antigua Sangiovese-Bonarda 2005 ($6) Robert Parker: 86 points
This is the wine to keep on hand for all occassions! Food. Fruit driven, smooth, and well structured, Vina Antigua is the perfect accompaniment to summertime barbeques and cold weather comfort foods such as hearty soups, stews, and roasts. Robert Parker says: "I'll admit to having made a couple of double-takes at this wine's price, thinking maybe that importer Dan Kravitz had mistakenly provided me with his cost or possibly the wholesale price ... it's been that long since I've tasted a $5 wine that was worthy of recommending! (This) is a stunning value! It bursts from the glass with spicy red fruits and coats the palate with blackberries as well as red cherries. There is nothing complex about this fruit-forward effort, it is exactly what a consumer would wish it to be at this price point: a satin-textured, light to medium-bodied red for enormously pleasing quaffing. Drink it over the next 8-12 months."
|  The two Reina brothers of Finca El Peral harvest fruit from a 70 year old vineyard at 950M in Tupungato and a 10 year old vineyard planted in pure sand at 1100M. High altitude and hot days produce inky black wines of enormous character at rediculously low prices.
Finca El Peral is one of Pinnacle International’s most exciting discoveries. The Reina family has been growing grapes on this site for almost 70 years. They sold their grapes to top wineries in the region for most of three generations until the current owners decided to try their hand at winemaking. They now keep the best portion of their harvest for themselves to use under the El Peral label. Finca El Peral roughly means “the pear orchard”, and the Reina brothers are farmers first and foremost. There are still pear orchards on the original family property.
The Tupungato region is located in the Andes foothills to the South of Mendoza. The original family vineyard is almost 70 years old and planted along the Tupungato River. Soils are sandy clay and irrigation is by the traditional surface method. The younger vineyard shows the future in Tupungato. It is planted high above the river valley in the Andes foothills themselves, in pure sand. Even though the vineyard is younger, the poor soils and higher elevation produce superior fruit. The Reserva blend of the top lots in the winery is inevitably produced entirely from the younger vineyard. Irrigated by drip irrigation (a necessity in this desert climate), the vines struggle to produce 2 tons/acre in prolific vintages. |  Country:
Argentina
Grape Varietal: Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Type: Still wine
($14.99)
The Reserva from Finca El Peral is produced from the best lots of the Reina’s estate, located in Tupungato, a sub-region on Mendoza. This blend of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon comes from vines that are 60 years old. These old vines produce incredibly concentrated, fruit filled wines. Inky purple color, with waves of black and red fruit completely coating the palate. The tannins are present, but buried under the flood of sweet fruit. This wine would cost $30 if it came from CA. Although it is the winery’s Reserve Wine, its price tag screams value! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(For more selections please choose a region from the menu bar) |