At the southern tip of the Americas, where the wind blows from the Andes towards the Atlantic, Patagonia has earned its place on the wine map. These are cool-climate wines: whites with a delicate expression and reds with intense colour and fruity aromas, all with a personality of their own. Traditional production is in the valleys of the Negro, Neuquén and Colorado rivers, and in recent years vineyards have also appeared in the Andes and on the plateau of Chubut.
Why Patagonia makes unique wines
Sunny days and cool nights during ripening give grapes a good balance between sugar and acidity.
The constant wind keeps the air dry and prevents many vine diseases, which makes it possible to produce wines with very little or no chemical intervention.
Stony, alluvial soils, little rain, low humidity and irrigation with snowmelt water: conditions the vine makes the most of.
The vine reached Argentina with the colonisation and only later moved south into Patagonia. In the Upper Valley of Río Negro there are wineries founded in the early 20th century and malbec vineyards several decades old.
Wine regions
The most traditional area, around General Roca and towards Valle Azul, with century-old wineries and old vineyards.
San Patricio del Chañar, northwest of the city of Neuquén, is the heart of winemaking in the province, with modern wineries open to wine tourism.
The southernmost vineyards: in the Andes, around Trevelin and El Hoyo, and on the plateau, in Gualjaina, with small farms and wineries that welcome visitors.
Among reds, malbec, pinot noir, merlot and cabernet sauvignon stand out; among whites, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, semillon and torrontés.
Wineries and vineyards to visit 6
Tips to enjoy wine
Many wineries only take visitors by appointment and their hours change with the season: check before you go.
Argentina has a zero-alcohol limit for drivers. If you plan to taste, let someone else drive or visit the wineries on a tour.
Look at the colour, smell the aromas and only then take a sip: taking the time to think about what you are drinking is the basis of tasting.
White wine needs to be cool to be refreshing and red is served slightly warmer. In summer, a lightly chilled red is also enjoyable.
Learn about the grapes in Red varieties and White varieties, the wineries of Argentine Patagonia and Chile, and how to taste, serve and buy wine. To understand labels and tasting notes, see The wine in words.
