Argentinian Wines - the best wines from Argentina

Best of Wines: Specialist in exclusive Argentinian wines

At Best of Wines, you have come to the right place if you are looking for exclusive Argentinian wines. We have an extensive stock of these wines from Argentina. The regions Mendoza, Patagonia and Tulum Valley are famous worldwide for their wines. 

History of wines from Argentina

Argentina's winemaking dates to the 1600s, gaining global recognition in the 1990s. Shaped by the ancient Andes Mountains, vineyards owe their uniqueness to these terroirs. From ancient settlements starting early agricultural practices in the Calchaquí Valley, to Incan influence, utilizing Andean rain and snow melt via canal systems.

The arrival of Malbec in Mendoza in 1868, introduced by Michel Pouget alongside French varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, marked April 17th as 'World Malbec Day. Despite the global devastation caused by Phylloxera in 1878, Argentina's distinctive Mendoza soil shielded its vineyards.

In the 1960, political upheavals led to the replacement of many vineyards. The 1990s saw Argentina shift to exclusive wines, with foreign investments transforming wineries in Mendoza.

Malbec: the grape of Argentina

The Malbec grape has its origin in the Bordeaux region, where it is one of the permitted grape varieties, though it never became a widely grown variety as it is seen as a complicated grape to grow due to the susceptibility to mildew and sensitivity to frost and after a frost spell in 1956 in Bordeaux where 75% of the harvest was lost, affected growers greatly abandoned the grape in favor of the more dominant varieties of the region. Meanwhile, in Argentina after the first introduction of the Malbec grape in 1868 it started to flourish adapting greatly to the environment of its new home. Becoming the dominant variety and elevating it status after the Malbec Boom.

During Latin American debt crisis, the 1980s are referred as ''The Lost Decade'', Argentina experienced a severe crisis, issues such as stagflation, falling prices, inflation and unfavorable exchange rates led to a decline in exports and a significant decrease in the country’s Malbec vineyards from 40,000 to 15,000 hectares. Despite these challenges Argentine winemakers saw an opportunity in the market, they understood the importance of improving grape quality and refining winemaking techniques which resulted in the Malbec Boom. This expansion led to increased cultivation and production of Malbec in Argentina focusing on their unique terroir and climate conditions which greatly improved the quality of the Malbec wines, which led to countries like Chile, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and more who followed suit.

Grapes and wine regions of Argentina

Argentina's grape diversity thrives in its unique climatic conditions. Hotter climates suit certain varieties exceptionally well; Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah demand abundant sunshine and heat to reach full ripeness. The top varieties that are cultivated in Argentina’s wine country are Malbec, Cereza, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Criolla Grande, Syrah, Pedro Ximinez, Torrontés Riojano, Chardonnay.

Argentina can be subdivided into four wine producing areas in the North as well as the Atlantic region, and the areas named Patagonia and Cuyo.

• The northern area: consists of the Jujuy region, with some of the highest altitude vineyards in the world, and the Calchagui valley and Catamarca valley, including Salta and Santa Maria. The harsh conditions makes winemaking a real effort. But despite these challenges some of the best Argentinian wines come from these regions.
• The Central and Atlantic region: commercial winemaking is relatively recent, with the majority of vineyards established since the 1990s. While historical vines existed in Santiago del Estero and Cordoba, recent years have witnessed significant growth in the central and eastern areas. Cordoba, especially, shows promise with the development of new vineyards in its surrounding hillsides. A leading winery is Trapiche with its Costa y Pampa vineyard. 
• Patagonia:  favours varietals like Pinot Noir and Merlot. Despite representing less than 2% of Argentina's vineyards, its appellations, such as Río Negro and Neuquén, yield exquisite Pinot Noir. Further south in Trevelin, the climate challenges the growth of slow-ripening grapes but presents intriguing cool-climate whites like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewürztraminer.
• Cuyo: As Argentina's largest winemaking zone, it stands as the epicentre of wine production, particularly renowned for classic Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon expressions. Nestled beside the Andes, Cuyo encompasses Mendoza and San Juan, collectively dominating 95% of Argentina's vineyards.

Terroir of wines from Argentina

Argentina's expansive wine regions, spanning 3,800 kilometers across the country, showcases diverse terroirs shaped by varying geological and climatic conditions. From Salta's northern province to Mendoza's Andean foothills and Patagonia's plains, each area offers distinct viticultural advantages.

The key geographical factor setting Argentinian wines apart is the altitude, shaped by the towering Andes. Starting in Mendoza the elevations vary from 2,800 feet up to 5,000 feet, in the Northwestern regions of Catamarca, Jujuy and Salta they vary from 4,900 feet to 9,800 feet.

Together with high temperature differences between night and day and the arid landscape result in unique conditions, where some of the highest quality wines come from the Mendoza region where producers Zuccardi, Catena Zapata, Per Se and El Enemigo have received 100 points for their wines from Robert Parker.

Mendoza

Wines from Mendoza have a worldwide reputation. Producers like:

• Catena Zapata. A world famous domaine producing high scoring and sometimes very limited release wines.
• Cheval des Andes. Pierre Lurton (founder and director of Château Cheval Blanc), discovered a Malbec vineyard in Las Compuertas in 1929. It was a vineyard where the original, ungrafted Malbec vines still stood. His dream was to make excellent and high scoring wine from these vines and he succeeded.Zuccardi: The Zuccardi family has eight vineyards in the Valle de Uco and are a leading winemaker in Mendoza; 
• Cobos. Viña Cobos was founded by Paul Hobbs, the famous winemaker from Napa Valley. He took on the challenge of making wines at a level never before achieved in Argentina. And he did.

are producing some of the best wines worldwide.

Check all Mendoza wines on the Mendoza wines page.

Classifications of wines from Argentina

In the late 20th century, Argentina introduced a wine appellation system, initially with Indicaciones Geográficas (GIs). It is currently managed by the National Institute of Viticulture and entails three classifications:

• Indicación de Procedencia (IPO)
• Indicaciones Geográficas (GIs)
• Denominación de Origen Controlada (DOC)

These classifications serve to authenticate wine origins, ranging from national to localized scales, ensuring transparency, and preserving regional identity.

The "Denominación de Origen Controlada" (DOC) serves as a marker for products originating from specific regions or entities within a nation's borders. Much like European appellations, it outlines geographic boundaries, regulates winemaking methods, and imposes yield limits per hectare. In Argentina, as of 2023, only two certified DOCs exist: DOC Lujan de Cuyo and DOC San Rafael. These DOCs are reserved exclusively for Malbec wines.

Argentina is home to only a handful of IPOs and more than 100 GIs. "Indicación Geográfica" (Geographical Indication) is attributed to wines originating from regions within national territory boundaries, although not exceeding provincial limits. It signifies a geographical tie to a specific area, preserving origin integrity within a larger territorial scope. "Indicación de Procedencia" (Indication of Provenance) refers to wines sourced from smaller geographic entities below the national scale, applicable to table or regional wines. An example is the IP Mendoza, highlighting this classification for wines from a defined, smaller region.