Region Of The Week: Mendoza

Argentina is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, with Mendoza being Argentina’s largest wine region. Spanning across roughly 147,000 hectares, Mendoza accounts for 76% of the vineyards found in Argentina. The first people to practice viniculture in Mendoza were Jesuit missionaries who were producing wine for communion in the 1500s. When the Spanish and Italians immigrated to Argentina in the 1800s, they brought their winemaking skills and vine cuttings with them, influencing and shaping the wine culture of Mendoza.

Mendoza Wine Region Map From The Greene Grape

Located in the central west of Argentina, Mendoza is nestled at the foot of the Andes Mountains, which act as a barrier to rain and the Pacific winds. With a hot and dry continental climate, the vineyards in Mendoza are typically elevated anywhere from 1,400-6,600 feet where the weather is cooler. This allows them to grow stunning varietals like Malbec, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Torrontés, and Criolla Grande.