Region Guide
Mendoza
Mendoza dominates Argentine winemaking — the vast majority of the country's wine comes from this single province. Vineyards are planted in desert conditions sheltered from rain by the Andes (west) and the Argentine Pampas (east), with altitudes from 600m on the eastern plain up to 1,500m+ in the Uco Valley. Altitude is the whole climate story here. Brutal sun by day, cold nights, huge diurnal range, no rainfall. Grapes ripen fully and hold acid simultaneously, which is the engine of Mendoza's success.
The Malbec altitude ladder is what to teach guests. Basic Mendoza Malbec ($12-$20) is fuller and richer from Eastern Mendoza fruit. Luján de Cuyo Malbec ($25-$60) is the old-vine prestige tier with soft round structure and sweet spice. Uco Valley and Tupungato Malbec ($30-$80) is the high-altitude elegant tier, fresher and more floral. Same grape, three different expressions.
Key Grapes
Malbec is the foundation across all altitudes — the country's flagship and largest single variety. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives at altitude (often Malbec-blended). Bonarda is the under-rotated second variety, late-ripening with deep color and structured fruit when yields are controlled. Syrah from lower Maipú is increasingly serious. Pinot Noir works in the coolest Uco Valley sites. For whites: Chardonnay from the highest Uco sites is the under-rotated cool-climate white; Torrontés from Salta dominates the country's whites but Mendoza grows it too; Tempranillo and Merlot also planted; San Rafael in the south has Argentina's most significant Chenin Blanc plantings.
What to Buy
Basic Mendoza Malbec $12-$20 — Alamos, Trapiche, Norton. Luján de Cuyo Malbec $25-$60 — Catena, Achaval-Ferrer, Norton Reserva, Luigi Bosca, Bressia, Fabre Montmayou. Uco Valley / Tupungato Malbec $30-$80 — Bodega Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard, Cheval des Andes, Salentein, Zuccardi, Clos de los Siete, Vines of Mendoza. Maipú Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon at $25-$50 are the under-rotated alternatives. Uco Valley Chardonnay at $25-$45 is the cool-climate Argentine white. Old-vine Bonarda from Maipú at $20-$40.
Food Pairings
Mendoza Malbec is the steakhouse wine of the world — built for Argentine asado and beef-forward menus everywhere. - Basic Mendoza Malbec with grilled steak, beef empanadas, chimichurri - Luján de Cuyo Malbec with rare beef, lamb, or aged hard cheese - Uco Valley Malbec with venison, duck, or refined preparations of red meat - Maipú Syrah with smoked meats or grilled lamb - Maipú Cabernet with steakhouse cuts or aged cheese - Uco Valley Chardonnay with lobster, scallops, or chicken in cream sauces - Old-vine Bonarda with charcuterie or BBQ - San Rafael Chenin Blanc as a discovery white
Sommelier's Take
Mendoza is the cleanest sub-region story in Argentina because the altitude ladder is so legible. Eastern Mendoza for everyday, Luján de Cuyo for prestige, Uco Valley for elegance. Tupungato is the wine-geek site within Uco Valley. Maipú Syrah is the under-rotated alternative to Malbec. Uco Valley Chardonnay is the surprising cool-climate Argentine white. Whole region rewards a sommelier who can teach the altitude pattern instead of just recommending "Mendoza Malbec."