In the wine world, the same names and places pop up constantly: Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Tuscany all come to mind as regions that produce top class wines.
But throughout the world there are other, lesser known regions that make interesting and exciting wines that match up well with various cuisine.
Today I would like to profile one such region: Mendoza
[h/t wikipedia]
Mendoza is one of the most important wine regions in Argentina. Located in the foothills of the Andes, Mendoza has some of the highest altitude vineyards in the world. From The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia:
Many vineyards have been planted at 1500 metres (5000 feet), while Donald Hess, not satisfied with his Colome vineyard at 2,250 metres (7,500 feet), has planted another at 3,000 metres (9,900 feet)!
[h/t atexaninargentina.blogspot.com]
Being in the high desert, Mendoza gets very little rain each year (about 8 inches) and relies on irrigation for the vineyards. Mountain rivers provide water from melting glaciers. The region has a "long growing season and moderate, dry climate." (from Vinismo.com)
The history of viticulture in Mendoza is long. From Vinismo.com
The province's wine history dates to the 1560's, when the province's capital, Mendoza, was founded. Tradition attributes the planting of the first vines in the region to Padre Cidrón, a Chilean friar, who brought cuttings from Chile to the area.
Their modern wine industry started in 1895 when Sir Edmund James Palmer Norton started Bodega Norton.
Mendoza is best known for its red wine production. The Cabernet Sauvignon produced here is very good and matches well with beef, for which, of course, Argentina is famous.
Mendoza is staking its reputation on wines made from Malbec. Imported from Bordeaux in the 1850's, Malbec is:
a soft, juicy grape that gives lovely, dark, damsony, perfumed, purple wine in a dry warm climate...
(from Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Grapes)
In cooler, wetter regions, Malbec can be thin, vegetal, one dimensional and succeptable to extreme frost and rot. Mendoza, with its long growing season and moderate temperatures is ideal for the grape. The best Argentine Malbecs are medium to full bodied and dry with loads of fruit flavors: raspberry, dried red cherries, plum. Often made in the "new world", fruit-forward style, some Malbecs are quite good by themselves or with most cheeses. The dryer ones are very versitile : beef, pork, or anything from the grill will work well with Malbec.
If you have never had wine from Mendoza, I suggest starting with Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon, but I have had some really nice Tempranillo and Syrah ,varietals that adapt well to warm and dry conditions. Another grape of note is the little known Bonarda which more often than not ends up in some steller blends.
One white wine stands out in Mendoza: Torrontes, which is crisp, fruity, and perfumy, reminiscent of Gewurztraminer or Albarino. Chill it and drink with friends poolside on a summer day.