WINE HISTORY IN ARGENTINA

Wine is a traditional element of Argentine gastronomy, followed by ingredients such as olive oil, lemon, garlic, onion and bay leaf, all typical of the Mediterranean diet. It would be difficult to imagine an Argentine dinner or lunch, especially the typical Argentine asado, without wine. Strictly speaking, until the great transatlantic immigration from Italy, Spain, Occitania and even Greece began in the second half of the 19th century, the taste of the Argentine urban Creole population was centered on red table wines, such as those of Priorat origin, while the rural and semi-rural gaucho population drank certain types of fermented grape syrup, and on certain occasions real grape ales. In the artisanal production of Argentine wine, the so-called "vino patero" was outstanding (and deservedly so). Almost all these wines, in terms of their fermentation content and color, fall into the broad classification of red wines. Due to their roots in predominantly European cultures, Argentines are good wine consumers: in 2006, consumption was 45 liters per capita per year.

The most traditional wine among Argentines is red wine, full-bodied and very astringent. Because of its color it is colloquially called quebracho, in allusion to the Schinopsis balansae, a southern tree with reddish wood and, like red wines, rich in tannins. In the second half of the 20th century, the middle classes of the country favored the so-called "rosé wines", with a bouquet intermediate between the intense and harsh red wines (popularly called "totíns" or "tintardos" by the porteños) and the softer "claretes" of the Italian type, or even the very soft white wines (although sometimes with high alcohol content). Likewise, in a similar period, common white wines became generalized among the population; such generalization entailed a negligent elaboration, from which the excellent and original torrontés wines, of honeyed color, pleasant and fruity taste, excellent aroma and strong alcoholic content, were spared.

Wine production in Argentina dates back to 1551, when the presbyter Juan Cedrón (or perhaps Cidrón) planted in Santiago del Estero (province), the first muscatel and "country grape" vines, coming from Spain and in turn brought from the city of La Serena, Chile. The purpose of the clergyman was to use the product in the Catholic ritual of the mass. Approximately half a century later, the Franciscans imported malvasia grapes from the Canary Islands to Salta, the purpose of these missionaries was to obtain a white and smooth wine, also suitable for this ritual. Thus, varieties of mistela were obtained from grapes such as vitis rupestris and vitis labrusca, or from the so-called "chinches grapes," which give rise to wines with a harsh and acid taste. The Jesuits and Franciscans were also responsible for the early importation of excellent strains of Vitis vinifera. At the end of the 16th century the religious orders introduced vines along the Río de la Plata, and today the interfluvial zone of Concordia is an important production center.

In the last decade, Argentine wine has achieved well-deserved prestige in the world market. This is due both to the efforts of local wineries and to the care and guidance of renowned winemakers such as, for example, Alberto Antonini, a great promoter of the robust and exquisite Malbecs from the Southern Cone. With the exception of the wines from the Coast and the Sierras de Córdoba, practically all of Argentina's vineyards are grown in irrigated oases. These take advantage of the fresh water produced by the thawing of the high mountains. Such water is pressurized from the rivers and carried by irrigation canals or aqueducts to the vineyards.