Some background on Argentina, the 5th largest producer of wine in the world. As with some aspects of their cuisine, Argentina has its roots in Spain, who colonized the Americas back in the mid-1500s. The most important wine regions are Mendoza, San Juan and La Rioja. Salta, Catamarca, Rio Negro and Buenos Aires are also producing wines. Mendoza produces more than 60% of Argentine wine and is the source of the highest percentage of exports. Due to the high altitude and low humidity, Argentine winemakers rarely face the problems of insects, fungi, mold, and other grape diseases that affect other countries. This allows cultivation with little or no pesticides and a large number of organic wines produced.
Argentina has also become THE place for Malbec, formerly thought of as a French grape, and other traditionally French and Spanish grapes do extremely well there. Torrontés, an aromatic, moderately acidic grape has come to the forefront of white wines made in Argentina.
