Mendoza Province is Argentina's most important wine region, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the country's entire wine production. Located in the eastern foothills of the Andes, in the shadow of Aconcagua, vineyards are planted at some of the highest altitudes in the world, with the average site located 600–1,100 metres (2,000–3,600 ft) above sea level. The principal wine producing areas fall into two main departments-Maipú and Luján, which includes Argentina's first delineated appellation established in 1993 in Luján de Cuyo. The pink-skinned grapes of Criolla Grande and Cereza account for more than a quarter of all plantings but Malbec is the region's most important planting, followed closely by Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Chardonnay.[1] Mendoza is considered the heart of the winemaking industry in Argentina with the vast majority of large wineries located in the provincial capital of Mendoza.[2][3]
- ^ J. Robinson (ed.) "The Oxford Companion to Wine", third edition, pp. 29–33, Oxford University Press, 2006 ISBN 0-19-860990-6
- ^ A. Domine (ed.) Wine, pp. 840–844, Ullmann Publishing, 2008 ISBN 978-3-8331-4611-4
- ^ J. Jimena "Sipping and celebrating in Mendoza" Globe and Mail, Jan 17th 2004