Today we're exploring viticulture on top of the world, the wines of Mendoza which is the most prolific wine-growing region of Argentina. In fact, Mendoza holds 75% of the total vineyards in Argentina and the largest number of wineries in the country. In this episode, we’ll be talking about the diversity within Mendoza in all its corners from Lavalle to San Rafael so you’ll benefit from having a map on hand to follow along. They'll take a deep dive into the Uco Valley from the highest peaks in Gualtallary that reach up to 1600 meters in elevation to the depths of La Consulta at 900 meters and everything in between from
Special guest Joaquin Hidalgo guide the Thieves on their mountainous journey with perils of fist-sized hail, extreme drought and high elevation radiation . Hidalgo is the Argentinian and Chilean contributor to Vinous magazine, a publication created by Antonio Galloni. Like John and Sara, he’s primarily a wine critic and seems to have been destined for this role as he holds a degree in Winemaking from the Liceo Agrícola, and also has a degree in Journalism from the National University of La Plata. For almost 20 years, Joaquín has been living in Buenos Aires where he writes about wine and food for several major media outlets including weekly columns for La Nación, the major national newspaper, and La Mañana de Neuquén. He co-founded vinomanos.com, the first mobile guide to Argentine wines.
The Thieves question Joaquin about the increasing amount of research being undertaken by a new generation of producers that has led to the identification of micro-regions with different terroirs, reflecting the diverse character of Argentine viticulture. In particular, a recent study published earlier this year by the Catena Institute of Wine, founded by Dr. Laura Catena, that demonstrated measurable evidence for the existence of terroir in Argentina. The study led by Fernando Buscema and Roy Urvieta analyzed phenolic compounds in malbec wine to determine markers for vintage, climate and the expression of particular site and soil characteristics. To a very high degree of accuracy, they were able to identify wines from 23 plots, or parcela, over 12 different sites in Mendoza despite differences in vintage conditions. To find out more, join John and Sara with a glass of malbec in hand for a virtual trip to the foothills of the Andes.
This podcast was created in partnership with the Wines of Argentina.