Argentina is another main producer in South America. Argentina has built a formidable presence in many export markets abroad, especially the U.S.
Argentina is the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, with 15.8 million hectoliters produced from 188,000 hectares of vines. Wine production has a long history, and domestic demand is strong. Because there was little need to export, the style of Argentinian wine for many years remained quite rustic. Now with renewed interest in the country, this is beginning to change.
The focus on Malbec has also served to provide a point of difference to consumers, and there are other local specialties, including the white Torrontes, and the red Bonarda. These grapes are transplants from Portugal and northern Italy, respectively.
However, in spite of these differences and renewed foreign investment and the concurrent surge in quality, the country is only now beginning to produce truly exciting wines, such as Cheval des Andes and Terrazas.
Most of wineries have focused production around Mendoza, the main center of wine production in Argentina. Two other regions that have been building a reputation for quality are Cafayate, about 500 miles north of Mendoza, and Rio Negro, near Patagonia. Winemakers are doing very interesting wines in these remote, cool climate areas.
Other wine producing countries in South America include Uruguay, who has focused on the Tannat grape from southwest France, and Brazil, where it is possible to bring in two crops of grapes per year.
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The climate of Chile is cooled by air currents both from the very cold south Pacific as well as by cold air coming down from the Andes. The coolest of the regions in Chile is the Casablanca valley, known for its white wines. It is located west of the capital city of Santiago, closest to the ocean. To the north of Casablanca lies the Aconcagua, which provides a much warmer climate, and is known for Cabernet and Merlot.
Merlot is the specialty in the subregion of the Rapel valley known as the Colchagua, where Lapostolle has a winery producing its award winning Clos Apalta from old-vine Carmenère, what has become Chile’s specialty and signature grape.
