Argentina: more than just the M word
Okay, Argentina didn’t invent Malbec, but it took it to new heights (literally). What started as a blending grape in southwest France became a single varietal sensation in high-altitude Mendoza.
And then there’s the Merlot, the Cabernet, the Syrah… frankly tons of incredible red and white wines. A special shout out to super-floral Torrontés – Argentina’s signature white grape.
In terms of the climate, Argentinian vineyards climb up into the foothills of the Andes in arid, desert-like conditions, basking in sun-drenched days and cooled by mountain air at night. The result? Wines with big flavours and aromas.
Argentina, at a glance:
🗺️ Wine regions: split into 3 main zones – the North (including Salta), the Cuyo region (Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja), and Patagonia in the south
🍇 Top grapes: Malbec and Torrontés are the local favourites
🤓 Wine fact: over 75% of all Argentinian wine comes from Mendoza – the country’s wine capital
🥂 Say cheers: ¡Salud!
🍷 Must-try wine: Malbec from Mendoza – rich, fruity and incredibly smooth. There's a reason it's so iconic.
Mauricio Lorca in his natural habitat – at the winery, red in hand, and probably dreaming up his next masterpiece. Stay tuned for more from this Argentinian legend.
Explore – the hotspots:
Mendoza: this desert-high plateau in the foothills of the Andes is where Argentinian Malbec made its name. It’s a viticultural paradise – with over 300 days of sunshine, low rainfall (meltwater from the Andes provides the irrigation), and wide swings between hot days and chilly nights that helps grapes retain acidity and aromas. Which is why Mendoza Malbec is so bold and fruity, yet still so smooth.
Oh and let’s talk steak. Mendoza is cattle country, and the region’s smoky asados are practically cultural heritage. No wonder Malbec became its soulmate – the grape’s deep, ripe fruit and soft tannins are a perfect match for flame-seared beef.
📍Top tip: Marcelo Bocardo makes rich, velvety Malbecs from hand-harvested, old-vine fruit (up to 100 years old) in Mendoza’s Maipú region. Whether it’s an oak-aged Reserve or one of his fruitier editions, his bottles always over-deliver.
Uco Valley: Mendoza’s sneaky overachieving younger brother, the Uco Valley has become Argentina’s hottest address for fine wine – and luckily, you don’t need a big budget to get involved (for now at least).
It sits even higher up – with vineyards reaching 1,200m above sea level (taller than Mount Etna, for reference). The altitude slows ripening, stretches the growing season, and results in grapes packed with flavour and natural freshness. Malbec is still the headliner, but Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah also shine here.
📍Top tip: Mauricio Lorca’s new Reserve range shows off the Uco Valley at its best. His Malbec is plush and elegant, the Cabernet rich and spicy, and the Syrah is fresh, peppery, and packed with vibrant fruit.
Salta: up in Argentina’s far north, Salta is home to some of the highest vineyards in the world – soaring up to 3,100m. The extreme altitude and intense sunlight here give white grapes in particular a serious boost. Torrontés, a uniquely aromatic native white, thrives in this environment, producing wines that smell like a tropical flower shop and taste like citrus sorbet.
📍Top tip: Torrontés grows beautifully across Argentina. Look out for its perfume and zing – a dream with grilled halloumi.
Patagonia: head way down south and you’ll find the cool, windswept plains of Patagonia. A world away from Mendoza’s intense desert heat, the climate here is ideal for finesse-first grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
📍Top tip: if you like your reds silky and your whites citrusy and lean, keep an eye out for this southern gem. It’s the closest you’ll get to Burgundy in South America.
Grab your Argentinian wines – and taste what the Andes do best
Remember Marcelo from Mendoza? This is his most special wine – handpicked each year from the very best of his 300 barrels and aged to perfection. Basically, steak-night royalty.
Chile: a little bit of Bordeaux down south
Flanked by the Andes on one side and the Pacific on the other, Chile’s vines enjoy lots of the same high-altitude benefits as Argentina (long sunshine hours, cool nights) while also benefitting from cool sea breezes of the Pacific.
It’s the spiritual home of Carmenère, a grape once thought extinct in Bordeaux that Chile adopted as a local specialty. It’s rich and plush with a real herbaceous note. A genuine must-try.
Add in world-class Cabernet, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, and you’ve got something for every palate. And in case you’re noticing… yes, Chile is full of Bordeaux’s best grapes. Who does them better? Honestly, it’s a close call.
Chile, at a glance:
🗺️ Wine regions: divided into 6 main wine regions, each with sub-regions often named after their defining valleys (like Maipo, Colchagua, Rapel)
🍇 Top grapes: Carmenère, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot lead the charge
🤓 Wine fact: Chile’s natural borders act as a barrier against pests like phylloxera – meaning many vines still grow ungrafted, which is rare these days
🥂 Say cheers: ¡Salud! (sensing a theme here…)
🍷 Must-try wine: Carmenère – rich and velvety with black fruit, spice, and a leafy, peppery lift. Like Merlot with a master's degree in herbology.
Chile’s got a thing for valleys. Colchagua, Casablanca, Maipo, Maule… if there’s a dip in the land, they've probably planted vines in it. Sun above, breeze below, and Bordeaux grapes living their best life.
Explore – the hotspots:
Central Valley: this is the engine room of Chilean wine – stretching from Santiago southward and encompassing star regions like Maipo, Rapel, Cachapoal and Colchagua. Picture a patchwork of river valleys and rolling hills, where vineyard altitude and proximity to the ocean vary wildly, creating a rich tapestry of (don’t say it) terroirs.
Bordeaux grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are king here. The region’s warm days and cool nights are especially great for Cabernet, helping to build ripe fruit with nice, firm tannins.
📍 Top tip: Bordeaux-born JP Lacaze has made wine in both hemispheres, but Chile is where he found his fame. His vineyards near Peumo in the Cachapoal Valley craft Cabernets with serious structure and depth. And yes, you can visit him on the Naked Cellar Door.
Casablanca and Coquimbo: further north, Chile’s coastal regions specialise in crisp, aromatic whites. Here, ocean breezes and morning fog keep things cool, preserving acidity and building complex flavour.
In Casablanca, the focus is on zesty, mineral Sauvignon Blancs – a must for fans of Marlborough style, but with a Chilean twist. Meanwhile, places like the Limarí Valley (in Coquimbo) benefit from limestone-rich soils and a semi-desert climate – ideal for delicate, floral whites like Pedro Jimenez.
📍 Top tip: most of us know Connie Schwaderer for her crowd-pleasing reds from the Central Valley, but her coastal whites deserve the spotlight too. Her Pedro Jimenez from Limarí is bright and refreshing. And her Casablanca Sauvignon punches well above its price tag.
Maule Valley: one for the history fans – Maule is the oldest winemaking region in Chile, where European settlers first planted vines back in the 16th century. It’s a place of tradition, but also of innovation – thanks to a new wave of low-intervention winemakers.
The climate here is more Mediterranean – hot summers, cool nights – with granitic soils and old, dry-farmed bush vines that produce low yields and intensely flavoured fruit. So expect less Bordeaux grapes and more fresh, soft reds, often made from Carignan, Garnacha or Pais.
📍 Top tip: Luca Hodgkinson and Edgard Carter are two names to know. Both make wines that are wild, complex and deeply expressive. Bonus charm points for Edgard’s Carignan, where the vineyard is still ploughed by horse.
Explore all Chilean wines – from smooth Cabernets, to spicy Carmenères and zesty whites
Carmenère 101? Start here. Irene Paiva’s a legend down in Chile – and this bottle shows exactly why. Smooth, smoky, a bit special... and a total crowd-pleaser.
Uruguay: Tannat’s all, folks…
Sitting quietly on the Atlantic coast, nestled between two South American giants, Uruguay’s wines sometimes get overlooked – but they absolutely shouldn’t.
This lush, green country has a totally different vibe to the high-altitude, dry-climate vineyards of Argentina and Chile. Here, it’s all about careful vineyard management to combat rain, humidity and ocean breezes, honestly… not unlike Bordeaux (again!).
When it comes to grapes, Uruguay does one thing better than anyone else – Tannat. Originally a bold, burly French variety from the foothills of the Pyrenees, Uruguay took it, softened the rough edges, and made it their own. It’s now the national grape – and in the right hands, it can be something truly special.
Uruguay, at a glance:
🗺️ Wine regions: 6 official regions, with Canelones (just north of Montevideo) being the biggest and most important
🍇 Top grapes: Tannat is the adopted national icon
🤓 Wine fact: it may be small, but Uruguay has more vines per capita than any other country in the Americas!
🥂 Say cheers: ¡Salud! (you know the drill)
🍷 Must-try wine: Tannat – dark and brooding. Once famously tannic… now super silky with the right winemaker
Caught red-handed! Diego Spinoglio makes some of Uruguay’s finest Tannat. This is what hands-on winemaking looks like… and yes, it stains.
Explore – the hotspots:
Canelones: just north of Montevideo, Canelones is Uruguay’s main wine-producing region – home to over 60% of the country’s vineyards. It’s all gently rolling hills and fertile soils, constantly caressed by cool breezes from the Atlantic. That coastal influence helps keep the vines healthy, the grapes balanced, and the alcohol levels in check. Think plush, food-friendly reds and zippy fresh whites.
📍 Top tip: Diego Spinoglio’s family were part of a huge wave of European grape growers who moved to Uruguay at the end of the 19th century. He’s the latest generation – quietly making knockout wines here for nearly 30 years. His 100% Tannat is dark and intense – all ripe blackberries, smoky herbs, and spice. It’s rustic in the best way, like the wine equivalent of cooking on open flames. Now there’s an idea!
Maldonado: further east along the coast, Maldonado is Uruguay’s rising star. Here, the vineyards climb into rocky hills and granite-streaked slopes, where well-drained soils and salty ocean breezes create the perfect storm for premium winemaking. It’s ideal for expressive whites and elegant, mineral-driven reds.
📍 Top tip: You won’t see many Maldonado wines on UK shelves (yet) – but it’s only a matter of time. If you’re a fan of coastal Albariño, sleek Syrah, or just like to say “I tried it before it was cool” – keep an eye on this region.
Colonia: in the far west of the country, Colonia hugs the border with Argentina – and feels more sun-drenched and open than its coastal cousins. The vineyards here are planted on flatter plains and limestone-rich soils that give the wines a slightly riper, rounder feel.
📍 Top tip: Colonia’s sunny days and cooler nights make it a great zone for balanced reds – especially Tannat and Merlot. If you love medium-bodied wines that still pack a punch, you’ll want to explore this corner of Uruguay.
Discover Uruguay – the delicious underdog of South America
Diego's Tannat in all its dark, delicious glory – brooding berries, smoky spice, and smooth tannins. Best served with something sizzling and a second glass on standby.
Hasta la vino, baby!
And that’s a wrap on your South American tour. A continent that saw Bordeaux’s greatest hits (and hidden gems alike), said “hold my Malbec” and made them dance a whole new tango.
So whether you're after a smooth red for steak night, a zippy white for summer sipping, or something wild, smoky and Tannat-fuelled for your next BBQ – there’s a world of flavour waiting at your doorstep (and across the Atlantic).
Plus, if you're lucky enough to visit in person, don’t miss a visit to the Cellar Door of winemaking legends like JH Toso in Mendoza or JP Lacaze down in Cachapoal Valley. Their wines travel well – but you might not want to come home.
Salud!
PS. Keep an eye out for more travel tips (and bottles worth booking a flight for).
