Mendoza
Mendoza is Argentina’s third largest city, with a population of around
1.6 million. It located in the Cuyo region in the west of the country, and
has its special geographic situation gives it great significance. It has
strategic importance because it connects neighbouring Chile with the
so-called Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay).
Its geographic location, with the Andes to the west and plains in the
east, accounts for its climate – warm in summer, quite cold in winter,
and little rainfall. It is temperate and near desert.
The region offers a wide range of activities for tourists, especially
for those who enjoy outdoor activities. There are 10 protected natural
reserves in the province, accounting for about 71,000 hectares. One of the
regional parks includes Argentina’s highest peak, Aconcagua (6962m above
sea level), is in the province.
There are other mountains, as well, for climbing, hiking and trekking,
and skiing. Where there are mountains, there are valleys and rivers.
Uspallata is one of the most beautiful valleys. There are other activities
in the reserves, lakes and rivers: horse riding, white water rafting,
sailing, fishing, canoeing, birdwatching.
That dry weather makes it an ideal climate for growing vines, and
Mendoza accounts for nearly three-quarters of Argentina’s wine
production. The area is also important for fruit and vegetable growing,
producing apples, pears, tomatoes, onions, plums, cherries, quinces, and
also olives.
Low rainfall and dry air mean that vineyards are mostly free of fungal
diseases, virtually eliminating the need to spray preventive chemicals.
Water is provided by irrigation from rivers originating the in Andes, fed
by snowmelt. Irrigation is an old practice here – old irrigation
channels date from the time of the Incas.
The city itself was established in 1561 by the Spanish. It’s now a
city of tree-lined streets, squares and parks. St Martin Park, designed in
1897, is said to contain 50,000 trees, and its man-made lake is popular
for yachting. The Foundation Area Museum contains the relics of the
colonial government building that was destroyed in the great earthquake of
1861.
Other museums include that of Cornelio Moyano, a natural history
museum, and the Wine Museum in nearby Maipu at Bodega La Rural, where the
vineyards were first planted by the Italian-born Felipe Rutini.
Wine is of major importance here. Mendoza is an important centre for
wine education, including viticulture, enology and marketing. There are
about 1200 wineries in the province, spread over four regions that show
great diversity of soils and microclimates. Total production is around 10
million hectolitres, annually. There are been considerable international
investment in the wine industry recently.
Festivals are important in the region, including the annual wine
harvest festival in March.
The wines
Argentina is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, and
until recently, its production was accounted for by domestic consumption.
Economic stability over the last decade has created significant for
development and ambitious plans for export.
There are a number of vineyard areas: Luján de Cuyo (DOC since 1989)
and Maipú (both sought after by international investors) to the north and
east, the Valle de Uco in the centre, and San Rafael and surrounding areas
in the south.
Perhaps the most striking thing about the vineyards of Mendoza is their
altitude, far higher than other wine capitals. In the north, vines are
planted at 600-700 metres above sea-level, and in the Valle de Uco has the
highest altitude, at around 1400 metres above sea-level. The low night
temperatures there ensure an acidity that enables good sparkling wine
production.
The other notable feature is the diversity of grape varieties. Of the
red wine varieties, malbec is the most popular, and may even be considered
a signature grape. It was introduced from France about a century ago, and
has found great expression in the particular dry climate of Mendoza, and
produces a rich and fruity wine with soft tannins. It is sometimes used to
great effect in blends; and it suits the excellent beef found in
restaurants and parilladas (open-grill steakhouses).Other varieties
planted are cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot, and bonarda, which is very
similar to northern Italy’s barbera. Some tempranillo is also grown.
Torrontes is to white wine what malbec is to red - distinctively
Argentinian. Other white wine varieties include riesling, chardonnay,
sauvignon blanc, ugni blanc, and semillon. Improved viticulture and recent
investment have improved the quality and created a strong export market
for Argentinian wines.
See: Mendoza
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Contact: mendoza@greatwinecapitals.com |
