Mendoza produces the large majority of Argentina's wine, planted at altitudes most other countries would consider extreme — many vineyards sit above 900 metres, some well over 1,500. The desert climate, irrigated by snowmelt from the Andes, gives huge sunshine hours and cool nights, concentrating flavour while preserving acidity. Malbec, largely abandoned in its native Bordeaux after phylloxera, found its true expression here: deeply coloured, velvety and richly fruited, especially from the high-altitude Uco Valley sub-region.

Key grapes: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Torrontés