| This area consists of a wide, fan-shaped zone
that surrounds the City of Mendoza to the North, the East and the South.
In the North, altitudes range from 600 to 700 meters above sea level,
with a gentle slope. This area includes the districts of Costa de Araujo,
Gustavo Andrés, Lavalle, Fray Luis Beltrán, Rodeo del Medio, San Roque,
Bermejo, Corralitos, Kilómetro 11, El Plumerillo, El Agarrobal, Nueva
California, El Central, El Divisadero, Tres Porteñas, El Borbollón and
Colonia.
The soils are mainly composed of fine-grained sand, and they frequently
contain saltpetre, as aquifers are found close to the surface. The
ecological characteristics of this region favor the production of white,
young, aromatic wines, as well as fruity red wines for short-term
consumption. The white varieties producers prefer are Chenin, Ugni Blanc,
Torrontés, Pedro Ximenez and Tocai Friulano, and the preferred red varieties are Bonarda,
Malbec, Syrah, Barbera and Sangiovese.
To the East of the City of Mendoza there is a plain irrigated by the
waters of the Tunuyan river. Mendoza’s Eastern region is a true
wine-producing power considering its vine-planted area and the quantity of
wineries concentrated there. Altitudes range from 750 to 640 meters, and
the different zones in this area are substantially distinct in terms of
climate, soil and thermal amplitude.
Soil runoff capability is poor in the sectors located closer to the
City of Mendoza, while well into the East, especially in the departments
of Santa Rosa and Rivadavia, where the environment is typically arid and
soils are sandy, water-retention capability is poor. Also, this area
offers great thermal amplitudes as a result of its desert-like
characteristics.
The region includes the districts of Reducción, La Libertad, Los
Campamentos, La Central, El Mirador, Medrano, Los Arboles, Andrade, Mundo
Nuevo, Santa María de Oro, Rodríguez Peña, Los Barriales, Algarrobo
Grande, Alto Verde, El Ramblón, El Espiño, Chivilcoy, Las Chimbas, Alto
Salvador and Chapanay.
All grape varieties grown in Argentina can be found in Mendoza’s
eastern region, although Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin, Torrontés,
and Viognier stand out among the white varieties, and Sangiovese, Syrah,
Bonarda, and Tempranillo are the preferred red ones. We should stress the
excellent conditions this region presents for the production of punch and
sweet wines (late vintage, fortified wines), which is already underway
thanks to the innovative style of the area’s wineries.
The Departments of Luján de Cuyo and Maipú form part of a traditional
wine-producing region known as the "prime zone" of the Argentine
wines. This designation results from the prestigious labels coming from
this area, historically regarded as being among the best in Argentine wine
production. This region’s location to the South of the City of Mendoza,
its ideal altitudes, and its soils, considered the best in the province,
have certainly played a role the region’s rating. The administrative
division of the municipalities that constitute the region coincide with
two terroirs endowed with outstanding natural conditions for the
production of high-quality wines: Maipú and Luján de Cuyo.
The Department of Maipú includes the districts of Luzuriaga, General
Gutierrez, General Ortega, Coquimbito, City of Maipú, Rodeo del Medio,
Fray Luis Beltrán, Cruz de Piedra, Lunlunta and Barrancas. Altitude
increases from NE to SW, and reaches 1,100 meters in the highest sector
and 600 meters in the lowest sector. This is another area where a true
collection of varieties is grown, although the best results have been
obtained with Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon (particularly in Cruz de
Piedra and Lunlunta), and Syrah (particularly in Barrancas). The region
could well have its own Denomination of Origin when factors such as region’s
ecology, the quality of its wines, and the prestige they’ve gained as
time passes are considered together. Indeed, such a denomination could be
awarded at anytime.
Luján de Cuyo, on the other hand, has its own DOC since 1989
(recognized by the OIV in 1993). This region includes the districts of
City of Luján, Mayor Drummond, Vistalba, Las Compuertas, Carrodilla, La
Puntilla, Chacras de Coria, Perdriel, Agrelo, El Carrizal and Ugarteche.
The altitudes of this region range from 1,067 to 860 meters, and its soils
benefit from old alluvial deposits and the disintegration of minerals from
the Andes Mountains.
Malbec is the most characteristic variety in the region. This grape is
used to produce a wine that is emblematic of the region, the province and
the country. The wine thus produced stands out for its red color with
purplish nuances, its expansive red-fruit bouquet, and its intense yet
docile and fleshy taste, which fills the palate without roughness. Other
varieties with well defined personalities like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling y Viognier have been equally
successful in the region.
Mendoza’s "prime zone" and the Uco valley are two of the
most interesting regions for the foreign investors who have been
continuously operating in the country since 1990. The advanced age and
small size of many of the wine-producing properties in these regions has
led to the development of the small wineries that are so in vogue these
days. |
