Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wine Making
Should your Argentine sojourn take you all the
way to Mendoza, be sure to visit at least one of
its 1,200 wineries. With proper planning you
could visit a different winery each day of your
visit, or spend a day in Maipú and visit several.
Many are within a half-hour's drive of down-
town Mendoza. Some are just minutes away.
Any way you do it, a winery tour(s) is a delight-
ful way to spend a morning, afternoon or even
an entire day.
Mendoza Wines
Wine making is the #1 industry in Mendoza.
70% of Argentina's vineyards are here and
nearly 70% of the country's wine is from the
province. Chances are your local wine shop
stocks at least one or two wines from
Mendoza.
Spanish colonists from Santiago del Estero
introduced the cultivation of grapes and wine-
making to Mendoza in the XVI century.
Winemakers in their native country, they rec-
ognized that the region's sandy soil, dry sunny
climate and pure mountain water were ideal for
the cultivation of grapes, and quickly set about
to develop its great winemaking potential.
Wine making
was introduced
in Chile at the
same time.
As time went on, French, Italian and new Span-
ish arrivals incorporated their own techniques,
and introduced new varieties of grapes such as
Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Semillón and
