Wine in Argentina + Great Wine Bars & Tastings in Buenos Aires 🍷
Learn about the different wines of Argentina and where to sample them in Buenos Aires.
There was once a time when, across Europe and the USA, the only South American wine you’d find in restaurants and supermarkets was produced in Chile. Nowadays, however, Argentina is proving to be more than a match for its smaller neighbor – in production amounts, price, and quality. In 2022, the country’s wineries produced 11,451,000 hectoliters of wine, which was 4.48% of total worldwide production.
Like local cuisine, wine in Argentina has close ties with the Spanish colonial years. During the mid-1500s, grapevines were brought to and planted in Santiago del Estero, a province in the country’s north-central region. The culture soon spread to neighboring provinces, most notably those set on the western edge of the country and in the valley of the Andes mountains. A combination of geography (high altitude) and climate (low humidity) has created near-perfect winemaking conditions. The nation’s vineyards seldom suffer from the grape diseases that affect other major winemaking countries, allowing for mass cultivation and production.
The Grapes
Argentine wine is almost always associated with the Malbec grape. It’s the flagship and quintessential grape of the nation, the one used to produce the red wines that have put Argentina on the world’s wine map. Brought here by the French, the Malbec produces a full-bodied wine with cherry and blueberry flavors. It’s a superb accompaniment to that other great facet of Argentine food and drink, steak. The other grape strongly associated with Argentina is Torrontés. This is the nation’s emblematic white-wine variety, characterized by fresh, aromatic, and floral flavors and a slightly acidic and smooth texture. While Malbec is the most well-known, Torrontés is unique in that it’s currently grown only on Argentine soil.
Just as there’s much more to this country than Buenos Aires, there’s much more to its wine culture than Malbec and Torrontés. There’s an overriding emphasis on red wines, and Bonarda is the second-most-grown red grape. For many years, this grape was solely used to produce cheap table wine, but today, it’s witnessing a renaissance. The grape produces wines with notes of dark-red fruit (strawberries and cherries) and smoky features. A grape grown here – and all over the world – is Cabernet Sauvignon, which produces bold and assertive red wines. This varietal grows well from Patagonia all the way up to Salta. Other red-grape varieties to look out for include Syrah, Merlot, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Tannat, which is the flagship wine of Uruguay. Of these, Merlot is frequently blended with Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot grapes yield softer and fresher characteristics, similar to Bordeaux wines.
Because the hot, dry climate of Argentina’s traditional wine-producing regions is more favorable to growing red grapes, more than 50 percent of the country’s vineyards are dedicated to these varieties. The rest are split between white and rosé grapes, including Chardonnay, Chenin, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Viognier. As winemakers move farther south, however, a boom in the production of white wines is becoming more likely.
Wine Regions & Wineries
Argentina’s main wine regions sit in the foothills of the Andes. The most important of them all is Mendoza, a province that is responsible for around 80 percent of the country’s wine production. It’s the go-to place for wine tourism, and the arid, sunny, and almost rain-free climate makes it the ideal place for growing Malbec grapes. The province has four distinct regions: Eastern Mendoza, Luján de Cuyo, Uco Valley, and Maipú. In March, the provincial capital, Mendoza, hosts Argentina’s biggest wine festival, Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia. Unsurprisingly, there are abundant wineries to choose from in this province, such as Bodega Dolium (Luján de Cuyo), Luigi Bosca (Luyán de Cuyo), Finca Flichman (Maipú) and Bodega Navarro Correas (Mendoza). All offer tours of picturesque vineyards in addition to tastings of varying descriptions. An alternative way to visit the wineries is with Martin’s Bikes and Wines in Maipú, which arranges tours to boutique, family, and mass-market bodegas.
Second to Mendoza in terms of production is San Juan, a neighboring province situated immediately north. The climate in this region is markedly hotter than in Mendoza, making it ideal for growing Bonarda and Syrah grapes in addition to those used for the production of brandy, sherry, and vermouth. Wine production in San Juan is concentrated in the departments of Calingasta, Ullum, Zonda, and Tulum Valley. Bodegas to check out include Merced del Estero (Rivadavia), Finca Sierras Azules (Zonda), and Viñas de Segisa (La Rinconada). North of San Juan is the province of La Rioja, a region known for growing Torrontés and Muscat of Alexandria, a white grape used to make sweet Muscat wines. Although La Rioja is one of Argentina’s oldest wine-producing regions, its severe lack of water has hampered the development of the industry. If you’re in the area, stop by Bodega Chañarmuyo (Famatina), Finca Vista Larga (El Huaco), and Bodega Sacavino Arrieta (Los Palacios).
In Northwest Argentina, the provinces of Catamarca, Jujuy and Salta have earned recent fame in international winemaking. The wineries here are some of the highest in the world – many planted at 4,900 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level or higher – and are famous for producing intense white wines and heavily fruited Tannats and Cabernet Sauvignons. Arguably, the best place to visit is the scenic town of Cafayate, 117 miles (189 kilometers) south of Salta city. Here, you’ll find Argentina’s best Torrontés and a plethora of closely grouped bodegas, including Bodega El Esteco, Bodegas Etchart, Piattelli Wine Resort and Vasija Secreta. In neighboring Jujuy, the Valles Templados and Quebrada de Humahuaca are prime wine-growing areas. Visit Bodega Amanecer Andino (Purmamarca), Bodega Kindgard (Purmamarca), and Viñas de Uquia (Uquia) when passing through.
If you like to explore up-and-coming areas of wine tourism, make your way to the south of Argentina and the Patagonia regions of Río Negro and Neuquén. The cooler climate provides good conditions for growing grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sémillon, and Torrontés. The region is also perfect for growing grapes used in producing sparkling wine, and several bodegas here offer tours and tastings. Bodega Humberto Canale (General Roca, Río Negro), Bodega Agrestis (General Roca, Río Negro), and Bodega Familia Schroeder (San Patricio del Chañar, Neuquén) are a few examples.
Great Wine Bars in Buenos Aires
Palermo Wine Bars
True to its drinking and nightlife culture, Palermo has the highest concentration of wine bars. Pain et Vin (Gorriti 5132) is the project of an Argentine sommelier and her Israeli chef husband. Relaxed and welcoming, it eschews any wine snobbery. A sign saying “There’s Always Time for a Glass of Wine” greets you as you enter, followed by a large shelf of handpicked wines. Accompanying the wines is a commendable selection of home-baked bread and delicious cheeses, sandwiches, and salads.
After Pain et Vin, you could easily make a night of wine bar-hopping