Argentina's White Wine Revolution

BY JOAQUÍN HIDALGO | JUNE 09, 2020

In the spiritual homeland of Malbec, many of the most innovative new wines being produced today are white. One might be forgiven for thinking that winemakers are being deliberately contrary; however, over the past decade and a half, underneath wave after wave of reds, a revolution has been simmering away quietly. Chardonnays and Sémillons are now being produced that are every bit as good as some of the best Malbecs in the country.  

I have been closely following every stage of that revolution. Producers have shifted from uncertainty to curiosity and then from curiosity to confidence that good whites can indeed be made in Argentina. Meanwhile, we have also witnessed the rise of new regions and the development of much greater knowledge about what is possible. 

As California producer Paul Hobbs noted during our interview on Vinous Live!: “The most important changes weren’t to the winemaking processes but the discovery of new terroirs.” That is where we must focus our gaze if we are to understand this stylistic reinvention.

The foothills of Andes fall into zones I (blue), II (green) and III (yellow) on the Winkler scale depending on topography and altitude. Both Gualtallary and San Pablo run East-West, spanning all three zones on the scale.

The Mountains and the Cool Climate

Let’s begin with a hard fact: from 2002 onward, the surface area of vineyards planted with Chardonnay in Mendoza grew by almost 1,173 hectares (a total increase of 31%). Of these, 655 are located in the Uco Valley, in Zones III to I in the Winkler Scale, the classification of winegrowing areas based on heat summation developed by A. J. Winkler and Maynard Amerine at UC Davis.

Today, the province boasts a total of 4,972 hectares, of which 50% are higher than a thousand meters above sea level (masl), a hypothetical boundary defining Winkler Zone III.

That is the stage on which these new developments have taken place, one where “we can offer new styles at a decent volume,” said Sergio Casé, head oenologist at Trapiche. In the case of Chardonnay, the move into cooler areas represents significant progress. But even though all the attention has been on the cool climate, we mustn’t forget the role of the sun: Gualtallary, El Peral, La Carrera, San Pablo and Los Chacayes are areas of the Uco Valley where new vineyards have sprung up at between 1,400 and 1,750 masl in cold, desert landscapes with such unique levels of solar radiation that the rule book for Chardonnay no longer applies.

Some of these new vineyards are so cold but get so much sun that it’s as though Burgundy had been transplanted to Jerez. In such circumstances, one would expect the appearance of curiosities and new flavors. My tastings bear out this hypothesis. For this report I sampled more than 170 Argentinian whites, 70 of them Chardonnays. In each I found concentration, intensity and a fruity, floral but also herbal profile, all of which can be explained by the altitude.

“What’s going on up there is on another planet entirely,” said Matías Riccitelli, a producer responsible for several Chardonnays grown at 1,500 masl. “We don’t get higher than 20 or 21 Brix, but with ripe, fruity profiles.” If the soils are right as well – rocky or with abundant limestone deposits, like lunar landscapes in the shadow of the Andes – the palate tightens up and grows more precise. 

These terroirs are blazing the trail for new Chardonnay profiles in Argentina. The challenge for winemakers is how to bring them out. Some, like Alejandro Vigil, are experimenting with aging techniques. His El Enemigo is made with grapes from Gualtallary: “One-third of the wine is aged in barrels sous voile.” The result is a palate lent generosity by the wood and fruit and austerity by the flor, with the aromas and volume of a very fresh Chardonnay.   

Chandon’s Cepas del Plata vineyard was planted in El Peral, Tupungato, in 2005. At 1,550 masl, it was an early adopter of high altitude methods. The alluvial soil profile is typical for the zone: stony and varied. The color key in the map depicts the different soil types present in the area.  

But while Vigil refines his wines’ character through the aging process, other producers are on a quest for purity. Sebastián Zuccardi is a devotee of that path, and his Zuccardi Fósil is the most accomplished of his white wines. “In San Pablo we get a late ripeness with low pH and heightened acidity, with more herbal than fruity aromas.” His methods are specially tailored to preserve that character. 

Similarly, Alejandro Sejanovich, who makes Chardonnays from several different terroirs for the winery labels Zaha, Teho and Buscado Vivo o Muerto, says: “There are plenty of subtleties waiting to be discovered and brought out by precise aging methods and properly judged harvest times.” This approach is certain to achieve greater precision in the short term. 

But the winemakers mentioned above aren’t alone; other notable producers include Bramare Appellation, Cadus, Salentein Single Vineyard, Trapiche Medalla and Adrianna Vineyard White Bones y White Stones, whose new vintage I wasn’t able to try for this report but is very much a part of the movement.  

The El Tomillo vineyard, located at 1,400 masl in Gualtallary, Tupungato, is owned by Bemberg Winery and was planted in 2013. Tomillo is Spanish for an herb similar to Mediterranean thyme that grows widely in the area.

New Frontiers…

It’s not just altitude that offers cooler climates. Southerly areas may not provide volume or concentration, but they do bring refinement. This year, the first whites made in the extreme south, at a latitude of 45º 30’, right in the middle of the steppes of Patagonia, reached the market. I tried two whites from there; Otronia Chardonnay is very promising. However, the Province of Chubut also contains vineyards in the Andes from which a few bottles are beginning to trickle into circulation – something to keep an eye on. 

Even smaller still, but just as relevant in terms of novel flavors, are the new ocean regions. Vineyards have begun to pop up just a few miles from the sea, meaning that whites from cool, maritime areas are available for tasting. Two producers stand out here: Trapiche Costa & Pampa, in the province of Buenos Aires, and Wapisa in Río Negro.

A late April harvest at Patagonia. Chubut is the most southerly wine producing region in Argentina with vines found as far down as 45º 30.

Old Vines, New Wines

One of the most interesting new developments in Argentina is what producers are doing with old vines. Whereas the pioneering Chardonnays are the result of new terroirs, the change in Sémillon is based on the rediscovery of old vineyards to which modern techniques have been applied, resulting in a chorus of amazement and admiration.

Taking the lead is Roberto de La Mota, a distinguished winemaker who in 2009 produced the first Sémillon of the new era: Mendel. “I wanted to produce the wine I used to make with my father” (another legendary Argentine winemaker, Raúl de la Mota). “And I got the opportunity to buy the same grape,” which came from an 80-year-old vineyard in Luján de Cuyo. De La Mota aged the wine in wood but took special care to preserve the varietal’s weak aromas. The results left critics and many consumers thirsty for more and sparked a minor boom in the grape. 

Other producers have joined the quest for elegant Sémillons made with and without wood. Today, the typical production profile for Sémillon places the emphasis on delicacy with occasionally tricky-to-judge harvest times that allow the fruit to come to the fore. The old vines, meanwhile, contribute a full root system that ameliorates the effect of heat waves and offers subtle flavors in its own right. In all, there are 270 hectares in Mendoza under vine with plants more than 40 years old (including 111 in Tupungato and 93 in Luján de Cuyo) and another 30 hectares in Patagonia. The most interesting products from these areas are Riccitelli Old Vines, Callejón del Crimen Perla de Parcela, Teho and El Enemigo.

Gewüztraminer vines, in the heart of Patagonia, look like a good bet. They can barely be found elsewhere in Argentina.

A New Approach for Torrontés

There are just two reasons that Argentine winemakers insist on promoting Torrontés Riojano as a flagship wine: national heritage and the grape’s distinctiveness. There’s nothing wrong with that, although the wine is likely to appeal more to funkier palates. In common with some of the more eccentric Greek wines, Torrontés offers powerful aromas and a weak body that, when the ripeness is just right, one can begin to describe as elegant.

Like its ancestor Moscatel (Torrontés Riojano is a cross between that grape and Listán Prieto), it’s a terpene-heavy variety. In northwestern Argentina (which contains 2,980 hectares under vine with Torrontés out of a national total of 7,900), that character is seen as a local characteristic and results in the familiar profile of orange blossom, rose petal and a weak palate. In the Uco Valley, however (174 hectares), where cooler regions are being experimented with, the ripening window is very different and Torrontés can be made without those terpenes. The same is true of Patagonia (88 hectares). Torrontés wines from there are citric with orange blossom aromas, medium body and a taut freshness.

Gualtallary is one of the highest white producing regions in Mendoza. New vineyards like this, owned by Lagarde, are springing up throughout the area.

So, in terms of terroir, Torrontés offers a somewhat schizophrenic profile to the consumer. In the north it has one personality, but in the south and in the mountains it reveals a very different character. Oenologist José Lovaglio of Susana Balbo Wines is one of the winemakers trying to create a new profile for Torrontés with grapes from Paraje Altamira. “We’ve had excellent experiences in cool, high-altitude areas where it grows well and takes on more aromas in addition to the typical terpenes. We’ve achieved acidity, greater volume in the mouth and a longer finish too.”   

I also tasted several examples that one might describe as the missing link between Torrontés Riojano’s split personalities. They came from NOA in Cafayate, but were conceived to fit a different profile and thus harvested much earlier than normal. Both Abras and Terrazas Reserva Torrontés  are very much worth a try. The winemaker responsible for the latter, Gonzalo Carrasco, said that 2019 was “an exceptional year for the Calchaquí Valleys. We were able to harvest with a view to a different aromatic profile without the roses that make it so flowery.”

San Pablo is one of the newest Geographical Indications in Argentina. This vineyard, owned by Salentein, is located in the lowest section but is still 1,180 masl.

Sauvignon Blanc & White Blends

Returning to the theme of new terroirs, let’s take a look at other white varieties. While Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t yet seem to have a clear narrative – with the exception of the vines being grown at 1,700 masl, such as Riccitelli Vino de Finca, or those made in an austere manner, such as Eggo de Cal – and initiatives involving grapes such as Verdejo, Gewürztraminer, Marsanne and Albariño range from the erratic to the enticing, it’s the blends that are truly standing out. 

Blends of whites from high-altitude vineyards are getting genuinely exciting. Beginning with the Uco Valley, I tasted a pair of pioneering wines: Gran Lurton Corte Friulano and Susana Balbo Brioso White Blend. They’re as good as ever, with a flavorsome aromatic complexity and increased emphasis on freshness. 

I visited the Cepas del Plata vineyard last spring. It was a clear October morning after a cold night. The area had been hit by a snow storm from the Andes, a rare occurrence for that time of year.

Although those two wines paved the way, they’re no longer the only ones offering rich depth derived from high-altitude grapes: Proyecto Hermanas, Blanco de La Casa y Edad Moderna, Luigi Bosca Blend del Alma and Rutini Antología L from Gualtallary, and Catena Appellation from Luján de Cuyo, are excellent, innovative examples.   

All this excitement at the end of the world is reflected in prices. Similarly to Malbec, Argentina has an interesting range around the $20 price point to offer thirsty consumers in no mood to take risks. However, while spending $50 or more on a South American Chardonnay is a serious investment, one might be persuaded with the following argument: For the moment at least, no other area in the world offers such a rare combination of intensity, maturity and freshness as can be found in these high-altitude vineyards. The payoff lies in some of the best bottles in this report.

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Vinous Live! with Paul Hobbs (Viña Cobos), Joaquín Hidalgo, May 2020

A Revolution of Place: Argentina Classifies Its Terroirs, Joaquín Hidalgo, September 2019