Argentina: Terrazas de los Andes – The Influence of the Andes

In this video, Hervé Birnie-Scott, estate director of Terrazas de los Andes as well as Chandon in Mendoza, explains the importance of malbec in Argentina. For him, the prevalence of the grape in the South American country is critical, particularly because although it is known as a New World winegrowing region, one must remember that the grape has been there for 150 years now. For all this time, wine has been produced and consumed only in Argentina; but today, the wine is exported, and this has added perspective to what was already engraved in the culture in everyday life – perspective, because winemaking today has adopted different techniques and styles, allowing malbec to express itself to its full potential. 

Hervé also emphasizes the pivotal importance of the Andes in shaping the wines from Mendoza. The altitude, the diversity of soils, and the water used for irrigation wholly define the unique yet diverse wines produced in the region. But Argentina is not only about malbec; as Hervé says, "We should sell less malbec and more Argentina." What he means is that Argentina should also be a mosaic of terroirs represented by malbec and other grape varieties.

Watch the rest of the video and find out more about Hervé’s fascinating insight.

-JGAL