Mendoza

The largest and most important wine-growing region in Argentina, Mendoza is in the extreme west of the country, significantly separated from the Chilean border by Andes mountains. These mountains are by far the region's most dominant feature, providing shelter for the vineyards which lie at an altitude of between 600-1100m above sea level and receive very low annual rainfall - indeed, many vineyards are irrigated by snow-melt from the mountains themselves.Of the quality wine grapes cultivated, Malbec accounts for more than half of the vineyard area, while Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon also play an important, albeit secondary role. Of the white varieties, Chardonnay and Torrontes are the most common.