There are over 1100 wineries in Argentina, and Argentina has a wine
history that goes back to 1557.
So how many Argentine wineries have you heard of? How many of the wines have you tasted?
Argentina consumes most of the wine it makes, and it makes some
great wines, most of those wines go undiscovered. In the last 10 years Malbec
was discovered, and it’s widely recognized that Torrontes is becoming the new “it”
white wine, converting fans who don’t drink whites. Bonarda is also on the
horizon and Tannat isn’t far behind. Argentina’s many wineries produce these undiscovered
and exotic varietals with the rich flavors from the high deserts regardless of
the untapped US market.
How can an importer find these and the wineries that make them? You
probably have to go there, and probably have to have a translator for both
language and culture.
Argentina is European in every way with Buenos Aires often called
the Paris of South America. But like any culture it has its uniqueness. An
Asado (Argentine Barbeque) is almost required to develop a relationship, Mate
is a brew the gaucho’s drink out of a dried gourd and it’s loved as much as
coffee, and “Oh! The coffee!” I don’t care who you are, drinking café and
eating facturas (sweet croissant) at a street café in Mendoza is as good as
Paris any day!
So if an importer wants to find those hidden, family wineries and
small batch boutique wines he is going to have to go, meet people, walk around
and talk to the wine makers, the farmers, the owners. He is going to have to
eat the best beef in the world, free range and as organic as organic gets. He
is going to have to sip mate from a bombilla (metal straw) and eat 3 hour
lunches after which a siesta is required (at least for impresarios in Mendoza).
It doesn’t sound so bad does it? So what’s keeping you? I have room
for a few more importers on my next trade only wine tour – 10 wineries in 5
days coming this March, which is harvest time (Vendimia) in Argentina.
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