Winederland Ep.5: Scoprendo la Regione vitivinicola dell'Argentina: From Malbec to Torrontes

Welcome back, wine lovers! In episode 5 of Winderland, we embark on a captivating journey through the vitivinicola region of Argentina. Sit down and make yourself comfortable as we delve into the rich history, unique terroir, and diverse grape varieties that make this region a wine lover's paradise.

Argentina's modern wine industry took off in the early 90s, long after its neighboring regions like Chile. The country's wine renaissance has seen traditional sellers rejuvenated and new, fascinating estates built by investors from around the world. Vineyards are now planted higher in the Andes, producing intensely aromatic and full-bodied wines that have gained admiration, particularly in North America.

The episode explores Argentina's most famous vineyard, a green oasis in a semi-desert, thriving due to its altitude. The high-altitude vineyards ensure cool night temperatures, resulting in well-flavored grapes and intense colors for red wines, while the freshest areas produce crisp and succulent whites.

The country's international reputation has largely been built on its most planted red grape, Malbec. Introduced in 1853 along with other French varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Argentine Malbec offers a unique flavor profile distinct from its French counterparts. It thrives at slightly higher altitudes, maintaining its freshness and intensity.

We also discuss Bonarda, an undervalued grape variety unrelated to Italian Bonarda but linked to the Charbono variety in California. As for white wines, Torrontes stands out as the most distinctive, with three different varieties, including Torrontes Riojano, a cross between Criolla Chica and Muscat of Alexandria. Other widely cultivated white grapes include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.

Mendoza, Argentina's dominant wine province, is home to many diverse regions. Central Mendoza boasts the longest tradition of quality wines and hosts a large proportion of the country's most renowned producers. The Luco Valley, named after a pre-Columbian Indian chief who introduced irrigation, is particularly exciting for quality wine enthusiasts.

Finally, we focus on Salta, a unique vitivinicola area in the extreme north of Argentina. One of the highest wine regions in the world, with vineyards above 1800 meters above sea level, Salta is renowned for its intense sunlight, wide temperature variations, and distinct terroir. This region produces full-bodied and concentrated wines, including the highly successful white grape variety, Torrontes.

Thank you for joining me on this exciting adventure through South America. Until next time, cheers!

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Music.

(00:12):
Welcome back wine lovers! Today in episode 5 of Winderland I will talk about
a special place, so sit down and make yourself comfortable for another adventure,
discovering the vitivinicola region of Argentina!
Music.

(00:36):
Argentina to argentina it took us even more time
than other nearby regions like chile to get on with modern wines happy with
the old wine style the argentina has started to emerge only at the beginning
of the 90s and no one has noticed how affordable and economical the Argentine Malbec could be.

(00:58):
In the meantime, the traditional sellers have been rejuvenated,
they have built new and fascinating tenues by investors from all over the world
and the new vineyards have been planted higher and higher in the Andes.
The intensely aromatized and e corposi dell'argentina e alcuni bianchi diventano
prima più familiari né all'estero e poi attivamente ammirati,

(01:22):
particolarmente in Nord America.
Il vigneto più famoso dell'Argentina, tipicamente un osi di verde in un deserto semidesertico,
exists because of the altitude in fact at

(01:42):
the heights that have characterized the Argentine viticulture
the night temperatures are quite low to give well-flavored grapes and intense
colors for red wine and in the freshest area white crunchy and succulent the
reputation of the country abroad was built mainly on its red vitigno more planted,

(02:04):
the Malbec, introduced in 1853 together with other French varieties such as
Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
The Malbec, cultivated today in Argentina, is based on this mass selection.
It not only has a very different flavor from the selected clones that dominated
the vineyard of its original land, but the Caors, in the southwest of France,

(02:29):
makes parire le sue uve del Malbec diverse,
con grappoli molto piccoli e compatti e bacche piccole.

(02:50):
To maintain its freshness and intensity, the Malbec develops better at a slightly
higher altitude than, for example, the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Instead, the Bonarda, which would be a type of intense-colored grape,
not related to any Italian Bonarda, but to the variety called Ciarbono in California,

(03:12):
is probably the most undervalued wine resource in the country.
As for white wine, the most distinct in the country is the Torontes.
The name is applied to three different varieties of wines.
The torontes riojano whose cross between criolla chica and muscat alessandria
other white grapes widely cultivated are the chardonnay chen in blanc muscat and pino gris.

(03:43):
Mendoza in the long run the dominant
winery province of argentina embracing many regions
very different from each other inside the central
mendoza has the longest tradition of quality
wines and a large proportion of the
most famous producers of argentina are based here the
most exciting part of the mendoza from the point of view of the lovers of quality

(04:09):
wine and the valley of luco so called not by a river but by a pre-columbian
Indian chief who is said to have introduced the irrigations here.
Music.
On the other hand, the intensity of the solar light up here acts as a stimulus to photosynthesis.

(04:36):
Phenols as color and flavor mature easily.
It is rare to find a young Argentine wine that is ridiculously astringent.
In fact, the predominant consistency of Mendoza's red is velvety.
Result finally I would like to focus on a
unique and particular vitivinicola area of argentina called

(04:58):
salta located in the extreme north of argentina salta is one of the highest
vinicola regions in the world with vineyards planted at altitudes above 1800
meters above sea level the region is renowned for its intense solar light,
wide variations of temperatures and a

(05:18):
distinto terroir che produce vini corposi e concentrati come il torontes una
varietà di una uva bianca che qui ha un enorme successo di crescita adesso vi
saluto vi ringrazio per avermi accompagnato in questa eccitante avventura in
sud america alla prossima ciao.

(05:38):
Music.