When you visit Mendoza, you’re sure to encounter a wine varietal you may have never heard of before: Torrontés. This unique grape is indigenous to Argentina and can only be found there. It produces a pale yellow wine with green and golden hues, offering an enticing bouquet of rose petals, jasmine, and citrus fruits. Despite these sweet-sounding aromas, the wine itself is refreshingly crisp and light, making it the perfect choice to keep you cool on hot summer days.

In Argentina, there are three distinct types of Torrontés: Mendocino, Sanjuanino, and Riojano, with the latter being the most widely grown and produced. The unique terroir of the Cafayate Valley in Salta has played a significant role in shaping the identity of Torrontés, though it’s still only helped define its broad characteristics. Torrontés remains an enigmatic varietal—it’s like a three-headed monster that hasn’t yet been fully tamed or brought to a harmonious balance in production, unlike the more established and iconic Malbec.

Achieving the perfect balance for Torrontés may be challenging, but it’s certainly not out of reach. As vineyard practices and winemaking techniques continue to evolve, the potential for this varietal to reach new heights in Argentina is growing. The Riojano, the most widely cultivated type of Torrontés, is already capturing attention with its unique flavors and characteristics, making waves in the international wine scene.

Torrontés is a wine that evokes nostalgia, sparking fascination among winemakers and critics alike due to its complexity. While it has yet to be fully perfected, its vast potential suggests it will continue to evolve into something exceptional. As one of Argentina’s oldest white wine varietals, Torrontés is poised to solidify its place as one of the country’s finest and most iconic wines.

The Riojano variety of Torrontés showcases the immense potential hidden within this grape, but winemakers still believe there’s much more to uncover. Similar to its darker counterpart, Malbec, Torrontés has yet to reveal all of its secrets. As winemakers continue to experiment and refine their techniques, there’s a sense that the true essence of Torrontés is still waiting to be fully realized, offering exciting possibilities for the future.

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Pulling a cork from a bottle of wine may seem mundane, but there’s much more to it than meets the eye. Your main goal is the delicious liquid within, and you’re left with two scenarios: the cork glides out effortlessly, or you find yourself fishing for bits. This simple process lasts about 10 seconds, yet that cork has undergone a complex journey before reaching your glass.

Corks are harvested from oak trees, primarily found in Portugal and Spain. The cork extraction process is labor-intensive; farmers strip the bark every 9 to 10 years, allowing it to regrow while the trees thrive. Once harvested, the bark is cut into sheets, dried, and boiled to clean and flatten it. This preparation enables the wood to be punched into precise cork shapes, with leftover material repurposed into other types of cork.

Mariana Onofri, Wine Director at The Vines of Mendoza, emphasizes that they use the highest quality cork for most of their red wines. This choice is crucial for two reasons: natural corks expand to create an airtight seal and allow for micro-oxygenation, which enhances the wine’s aging process.

This quality comes at a cost, reflected in the wine’s price. When they can’t use perfectly cut corks, they opt for matted cork, a blend of various cork parts that retains the same benefits. For white wines—except Chardonnay—they use screw caps that also create a secure seal. At Vin Vineyards, synthetic corks made from rubber or other materials are avoided, as they don’t provide the same airtight protection as natural cork or screw caps.

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Globally, rosés now account for over 15 percent of total still wine production, with a significant impact seen in Argentina. In the past two years, the country has seen a notable increase in the number of wines entering this category. When you visit any wine bar, you’ll quickly realize that rosés are no longer limited to Malbec or Pinot Noir, nor are they just single varietals. Consumption has surged alongside the creativity of winemakers and their ongoing pursuit of innovation.

Consequently, you’ll encounter rosés crafted from grapes that are less common in Argentina, such as Mourvèdre and Garnacha. Additionally, wineries have stepped up their game with more striking packaging and labelling to draw in new consumers.
What’s happening with rosés in Argentina right now is quite promising, as it shows that consumers are increasingly choosing their beverages based on the season or time of day. Rosé, in particular, offers a range of production possibilities, making it appealing both to winemakers and to those who enjoy tasting it.

In terms of the rosés available in Argentina, many are inspired by those from Provence in southern France. These wines often feature colours reminiscent of onion skin or salmon. They tend to be pale and offer a smooth, refreshing palate
They’re perfect as an aperitif, such as at the start of a conference, and they pair wonderfully with popular dishes that have gained traction in recent years, like ceviche, guacamole, and spicy curry.

Although it’s common in Argentina to enjoy red wine with a roast, a refreshing rosé can actually enhance the flavour balance between bites. Rosés also pair excellently with seafood salads and pasta dishes featuring rich sauces.
In terms of production, rosés can be made directly from red grapes that are lightly macerated with their skins. The key focus is always on achieving the right colour. To preserve those delicate hues, winemakers often employ carbonic maceration techniques.

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Originally hailing from the Bordeaux region of France, Cabernet Franc has made a name for itself as an internationally acclaimed variety, showcasing impressive diversity in vineyards around the world. In Argentina, this hardy, early-ripening grape occupies nearly 2,300 acres, with Vines of Mendoza dedicating 115 acres specifically to Cab Franc. While most people typically associate Argentina with the beloved Malbec grape, Cabernet Franc is quickly earning recognition and appreciation from wine enthusiasts both locally and abroad. Although more than half of the country’s Cab Franc is still enjoyed domestically, the export market is rapidly expanding as producers increasingly plant this delightful red grape.

Cabernet Franc – The Grape

Surprisingly, it was Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that were unintentionally crossed in the 1700s, leading to the creation of the renowned Cabernet Sauvignon. This versatile and vibrant grape truly shines in many Bordeaux blends, contributing aromatic complexity and bright acidity. When crafted as a single varietal, Cabernet Franc showcases an elegant and stylish character, quickly winning over fans with its approachable nature, softer palate, and a delightful mix of sweet and savory aromas.

In the glass, it typically presents pale ruby to deep purple hues, with a medium body and dry profile. It often features lively acidity and lower tannin levels, especially in cooler climates.

Cabernet Franc – Flavor and Aromatic Profile

Cabernet Franc offers a soft, velvety texture on the palate, characterized by a vibrant blend of red and black fruits. Expect to find notes of blackberry, red currant, raspberry, and cherry, often complemented by peppery spice, tobacco leaves, and floral, herbal, or mineral undertones. A distinctive feature of many regionally produced Cabernet Francs is the spicy aroma of green bell pepper, which can shine through in blind tastings. This green quality makes it an excellent pairing for bold dishes such as wild game, lamb, or duck.

Cabernet Franc – Easy Pairing Partners

With its elevated acidity and moderate tannins, Cabernet Franc excels in pairing with a wide variety of cuisines. This remarkably food-friendly wine harmonizes beautifully with dishes that feature fresh, seasonal herbs, vegetables, or mushrooms. It’s also a delight for meat lovers, as its rich body and mouthwatering acidity complement roasted lamb, grilled steak, and pork tenderloin. The zesty acidity makes it a perfect match for tomato-based barbecue sauces, enhancing poultry, beef, or pulled pork sliders.

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Becoming a great ‘pruner’ is almost like becoming a great artist. It requires great effort, care and sensitivity.

Every year hundreds of men and women face the cold winter in order to prune the vineyards, preparing each vine for a long and fruitful life.

Most of the pruning isn’t something that you would learn in a classroom. Generally, it is learned in the field through repetition and practice, and is often passed down from generation to generation. Perfecting this process requires passion and practice.

Pruning is one of the most difficult and important tasks in a vineyard. But more than just a mechanical task, it’s like a dialogue with nature. We must interpret what each plant is telling us through their age, vigor and color of the branches that we prune. Only then can we make the right decisions going forward.

What is pruning exactly? we cultivate the vines – trimming branches off to ensure the plant is growing with the right shape, in order to invigorate the vines’ growth, and also to influence the amount of fruit they produce — that is to say the yield desired.

After the harvest, the leaves weep sap, and this becomes concentrated on the vine trunk and branches, making them thicker. The unused leaves fall and the branches without water become parched. Meanwhile the roots in the ground ‘stop working’ and the whole plant enters winter dormancy.

Dormancy is the ideal time for pruning as it gives the plant time to recuperate and to ‘heal’ for the oncoming spring season. Ideally pruning should happen 15 days after the leaves fall – not too close to the spring as late pruning delays sprouting.

Pruning should not be a routine operation. As mentioned, we need to reflect on what the vine is telling us and have clear objectives when pruning. One objective is the vines’ training, especially in the first years of a vine’s life and also in very old age. Do not forget the vine is what we call ‘a creeper’ which we must guide properly so that it develops high quality fruit with good aeration and sin exposure But other important pruning objectives are to provide vigor and help to increase, decrease or regulate production.

Now that the vineyard is asleep it invites us to explore it to get to know its soul. Its needs are met and it is prepared for the next harvest. We don’t have to be afraid to face the cold days of winter. On the contrary we can use the snowy mountains as inspiration.

Becoming a great ‘pruner’ is almost like becoming a great artist. It requires effort,
care and sensitivity.

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Originally planted in Argentina in the 1850s side by side with other beloved Bordeaux varieties, Malbec functioned first as a blending grape to bring balance and harmony to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. As time and taste marched on, Malbec has taken centerstage as a single-variety offering that showcases a range of styles ranging from powerful to elegant and medium to fuller-bodied with black fruit character, generous color pigmentation and a savory spice that consistently kicks the innate palate pep up a notch. Mendoza has courted the Malbec grape with considerable intention, promising dry, high elevations with numerous microclimates, which happily give rise to virtually pest and fungus-free growing conditions, along with a generous and ultra-clean source of fresh irrigation water courtesy of the Andes’ snowmelt. Thick-skinned Malbec delivers considerable tannins to the bottle and the dramatic change in day to night time temperatures that permeate the Uco Valley, both slow the ripening process down helpfully preventing over ripened grapes while promising to keep the fresh-faced, food-friendly acidity vibrant.

Flavor Profile

Malbec is an extrovert. Dry, full-bodied, leaning higher in alcohol, with robust tannins, and decidedly forward fruit – this grape is hard to miss in the glass. Plenty of Mendoza sunshine at altitude gives the grapes a chance to carry considerable sugar levels, which converts to elevated alcohol levels in the bottle, with higher levels of innate acidity as well. Malbec grapes tend to sport thicker skins that give way to firmer tannins in the wine, thankfully this tighter structure is well balanced by engaging aromatics and rich dark fruit character. In terms of aromas and flavors, expect a Malbec berry medley to take the spotlight with plenty of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and plum to dominate initial impressions. Delicious, warm vanilla spice, pepper, dark chocolate, exotic mocha notes along with the earthier aspects of leather, smoke and tobacco may all make their way into the heady palate profile of this versatile grape. While tannins may be considerable, the textures tend to round themselves out to a rich, velvety touch.

Pairing Picks

Malbec is a meat-lover’s wine. Perfectly happy with all sorts of red meat, and a natural with burgers, brats, wild game, sausage, ribs, braised lamb and roasted pork, Malbec’s innate tannins and bright acidity slice through the fat and protein structure with considerable ease. Versatile with veggies too, Malbec can find its way around vegetarian cuisine without a hitch, the earthy side of the grape welcomes the complementary character of root vegetables, wild mushrooms, and pungent (often blue) cheese. Given the higher alcohol levels and firmer structure, Malbec typically shows best when served at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Malbec’s Place

Mendoza is home to more than 70% of Argentina’s vineyards and is the regional host to many of the most well-known Argentinean producers. The most important and familiar growing region around Mendoza is the Valle de Uco (Uco Valley). A combination of well-drained soil, consistent sun and significant altitude give the growing zones surrounding Mendoza a significant edge on the viticultural front. Most vineyards capture close to 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, and average around 3,000 feet in elevation, while showcasing the classic alluvial soil structure – a combination of sand and clay. Tucked into the distinguished Valle de Uco, The Vines of Mendoza cultivates over 1,500 acres offering wine lovers the exclusive experience of vineyard ownership and hands-on winemaking for the ultimate introduction to Malbec from grape to glass.

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