Wine Journey to the Extremes: Argentina Makes the Most of Altitude

Argentine wine is often defined by its extremes – heaven-scraping altitudes, bottom-of-the-earth latitudes and dramatic contrasts in climate and landscape. These conditions, in turn, create singular winegrowing environments, shaping the country into a complex viticultural mosaic. It is a dynamic milieu for winemakers and viticulturists, where new regions are constantly being explored and older ones reimagined, yet where history and tradition still hold a place.  

We spent two weeks traveling mostly by road earlier this year through the northern half of Argentina’s wine country – exploring the diverse subregions of Mendoza, making a brief stop in Barreal, San Juan, and continuing north through Salta before finishing in Jujuy. Along the way while tasting more than 700 wines (out of the more than 2,000 we tasted in total) from about 60 producers, we experienced the remarkable extremes and contrasts that define Argentine wine.

What makes Argentina especially compelling is the fusion of passion and deep technical knowledge that its growers bring to the land – an approach that is both captivating and, at times, perplexing. Among the many variables at play, one stands out for both its importance and its complexity: altitude. 

“We don’t think higher altitudes make for better wines – just different styles,” said Alejandro Vigil, the head winemaker at Catena Zapata and one of Argentina’s leading figures on wine, when reflecting on the relationship between altitude and quality in Mendoza. 

Sebastian Zuccardi, who heads his family-owned Zuccardi winery and is also the winemaker for the project he co-owns, Piedra Infinita, said that altitude does play a key factor in winemaking because at between 950 and 1,400 meters, “the structure [of the wine] changes completely. The fruit profile changes.” 

Our own tastings supported this idea – but also challenged the assumption that extreme altitude alone correlates with some of the best wines. Our top-scoring wines came from Altamira and Gualtallary, two regions that sit at different elevations within the Uco Valley. What they share is the same kind of herbal aromatics, attractive severity and a seductive, wild structure that seems to define Uco’s finest wines. 

The Zuccardi Malbec Valle de Uco Paraje Altamira Finca Piedra Infinita Gravascal 2022, planted at 1,100 meters in Altamira, is dark, mysterious and deeply layered. Fermented and aged entirely in epoxy-free concrete, it unfolds slowly in the glass, revealing depth and a focused structure. El Enemigo Malbec Semillon Valle de Uco Gualtallary As Bravas 2017, from vines at around 1,550 meters in Gualtallary, offers a striking contrast – its nervy red fruit framed by taut, focused tannins and a virtuous structure that gives the wine a multidimensional focused element. 

Though distinct in tone, both wines embody a severe regional typicity, speaking in different voices. Their vineyard sites are pivotal to their identity. Austere and bright, precise yet powerful, these are wines of reflection.

“Just 25 years ago, which isn’t much in the life of a wine region, we thought the Uco Valley was only good for white varieties grown for sparkling,” said Matías Michelini, the owner and winemaker of his eponymous project. “In 1998, I remember using about 20 percent of Uco fruit to bring brightness and color to malbecs from Lujan. Today, it’s one of the greatest sites in Argentina. So much has happened in so little time,” he added, reflecting on the region’s transformation. 

Michelini, along with his brothers Gerardo and Juan Pablo, is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of the new wave of Argentine wine – and one of its most intuitive voices. His work across Gualtallary, San Pablo and other subregions reveals not only a deep understanding of place but also an expressive charm that sets his wines apart. The Matías Michelini Sauvignon Blanc San Pablo Irma Liberata 2022, named after his grandmother, is a standout sauvignon blanc from San Pablo, produced only in select vintages and aged under flor (a thin veil of yeast that protects the wine from oxidation and contributes a distinctive saline character). His Matías Michelini Chardonnay Gualtallary Caos 2022, by contrast, is electric and vibrant, yet carries a voluminous, energetic charm. 

In a similar spirit, German Masera, the co-owner and winemaker at Escala Humana, is impressed with focused, expressive whites that balance volume and brightness with restraint. His Livvera bottlings from old-vine parcels of rare varieties, like the Escala Humana Bequignol Valle de Uco Livvera 2024 and Escala Humana Malvasia Valle de Uco Livvera 2024, are textured, thoughtful wines that quietly command attention. 

The next generation of Argentine winemakers is also making its mark. Michelini’s daughter, Paula Michelini, recently debuted an outstanding semillon through her Descendientes de Viticultores project. The Descendientes de Viticultores de Montaña Semillon Tupungato El Peral 2022 is an offering that highlights semillon’s potential in the Uco Valley and in Argentina – where it was once one of the most widely planted varieties – in general.

What these wines share is their origin in distinct sites across the Uco Valley, in different subregions, all planted at elevations above 1,100 meters. While soil types vary, their proximity to the Andes in Uco brings cooler conditions and wide diurnal shifts, which is key to their freshness, precision and structure. 

Altitude, however, is a tricky and partial variable when it comes to linking origin and quality. While it certainly plays a role, it’s far from the whole story. What altitude does influence directly is the vine’s behavior in specific ways – particularly how the plant adapts to environmental stress. 

As elevation increases, so does UV radiation, prompting the grape to produce more polyphenols, especially in the skins, as a natural protective response. Polyphenols, which come primarily from the grape skins, seeds and stems, play a crucial role in shaping how a wine tastes, feels, looks and ages.

This is can especially be seen in malbec wines, according to a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature which highlighted how malbecs from different regions of Mendoza can be reliably distinguished by their phenolic composition, underlining the strong influence of geographic origin on wine chemistry and character.  

In essence, while the subject is broad and complex, higher altitudes – combined with increased UV exposure and lower temperatures – tend to produce wines that are more structured, with fresher acidity and more distinctive aromatics.

But all the variables that shape the character of each vineyard – beyond altitude – must be carefully considered when planting. As Marcelo Belmonte, the head of winemaking and viticulture at Trapichee, emphasized, “each site is unique and must be interpreted before designing a vineyard so that the wine profile reflects the place.” Elements such as orientation, soil profile, irrigation and vineyard management all play equally vital roles in shaping a wine’s identity.

And nowhere is precision in the vineyard more evident than in Gualtallary, which has a mosaic of vineyard training systems. Within just a few hectares, you might encounter trellised rows, bush vines and echalas – a traditional vine-training method in which each vine is individually staked to a single vertical post, found predominantly in the Northern Rhone.

This convergence of some of the world’s most significant training systems is not driven by tradition, but rather by the specific demands of each site. In Mendoza’s main wine-growing area (the Primera Zona), for example, terroirs with deeper soils and slightly warmer microclimates can produce wines that are as equally compelling, though in different styles, as those grown in cooler, higher-altitude regions. 

Gerald Gabillet, the general director and head winemaker at Cheval des Andes in Mendoza, explained how the terroirs behind two of their Mendoza winemaking operations differ.  “We make wine in both Altamira [Uco Valley] and Las Compuertas [Lujan de Cuyo],” he said. “They’re at roughly the same altitude – 1,070 and 1,080 meters – but in Las Compuertas, the Central Precordillera shields us from the Andes creating a warmer microclimate.” 

The Uco Valley’s distinction, in a broad sense, stems from the absence of a precordillera (mountains that lie in front of a bigger range); it is directly exposed to the Andes. As a result, temperatures – especially as you move closer to the mountain range – are notably cooler. 

The Cheval des Andes Mendoza 2022 is a soft, velvety blend of malbec and cabernet sauvignon showcasing what multiregional blends can achieve. It is as expressive and complex as any single-origin wine. 

And a couple aged wines we tasted with winemaker David Bonomi of Bodega Norton show how offerings from slightly lower altitudes in Mendoza can still evolve beautifully, with depth, elegance and balance. The Bodega Norton Cabernet Sauvignon Luján de Cuyo 1950 stood out as a pristine example.

With the same care and attention in the vineyard, he believes wines of today can age just as beautifully. “They mature earlier, but with proper canopy work and timing, it’s possible," Bonomi said.

Into the North

Salta is approximately 1,200 kilometers north of Mendoza – about the same distance as driving from Jerez de la Frontera in Spain to Bordeaux in France. Its proximity to the Tropic of Capricorn means the climate is generally warmer, which is why most vineyards in the region are planted at higher altitudes – to offset the heat and preserve freshness. 

The shifts in climate and landscape here are nothing short of surreal. One moment you're in the Lerma Valley, a lush, humid zone known for tobacco farming, but take the turn into Quebrada de las Conchas and the world transforms. The terrain becomes arid, lunar, rugged and vividly colored, dotted with cardones cactus and sculpted multicolored sandstone formations. The contrast between cultivated and untouched land is dramatic. 

One of highest-altitude vineyards in Argentina is Altura Maxima, owned by Bodega Colomé. Planted at a staggering 3,111 meters above sea level in Payogasta, Salta, it saw its first vintage in 2012 and remains one of the most extreme sites under vine anywhere in the world. 

Thibault Delmotte, Colomé’s head winemaker, sees the dry climate there as a key advantage, lending structure and depth to the wines but then “evolving toward elegance and vibrancy.” That is apparent in the Colomé Malbec Altos Valles Calchaquíes Altura Maxima 2022, which balances concentration with freshness. The Valle Arriba Malbec Valle de Pucarà El Pucareño 2023 is another wine that shows its own singular character and sense of place, yet with darker fruit and greater intensity.

At this altitude and latitude, where humidity is low and rainfall is scarce, water management becomes essential, according to Alejandro Sejanovich, the co-owner and winemaker at Mil Suelos in Cafayate, the high-altitude region in Salta.

“If the vineyard isn’t properly irrigated, the stoma closes and the plant consumes its malic acidity,” he said referring to the tiny pore found on the surface of the leaf that allows gas exchange.

The result? Flatter wines with diminished freshness. In such a desert-like, continental climate, precise, well-timed irrigation is crucial to maintaining the balance, tension and vitality in the fruit.

Sejanovich and his partner, Jeff Mausbach, are among Argentina’s quietly influential winemakers, crafting wines from a wide range of regions – from Uspallata and the Uco Valley to Cafayate and Quebrada de Humahuaca – each showcasing a unique high-altitude expression.

Quebrada de Humahuaca is a dramatic, high-altitude valley located about 130 kilometers north of Salta city, carved over millennia by the Río Grande as it winds through the province of Jujuy. Stretching for more than 150 kilometers, the valley sits between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level and is flanked by steep, vividly colored mountain slopes that feel almost otherworldly.

One of the most fascinating projects emerging from Quebrada de Humahuaca is El Bayeh, led by Daniel Manzur in collaboration with Matías Michelini. Together, they have been rescuing and reviving criolla varieties – including criolla grande, criolla chica, criolla blanca, and muscatel – from small, traditional acequia-irrigated gardens tended by local growers.

El Bayeh Quebrada de Humahuaca Pequeños Parceleros de la Quebrada Maimará 2023 is the equivalent of a village wine, made exclusively from century-old, pergola-trained vineyards located in the village of Maimará. The wine is vibrant and transparent, with a particular brightness. [For more on Argentina's criolla wines, please see our recent report on the subject.]

Jujuy’s altitude and arid climate also bring striking temperature swings – day-to-night differences of up to 20 degrees Celsius – and occasional warm seasonal winds during winter. Sejanovich said such conditions help  produce deep-colored wines with structure, low pH, and high natural acidity, creating uniquely balanced profiles.

A prime example is his Huichaira Vineyards Jujuy Cielo Arriba 2022, a cofermentation of malbec, cabernet franc and syrah. It captures a rare combination of linearity and flesh – a wine that’s both concentrated and precise.

Across Argentina, winemakers understand the importance of interpreting the dynamic between latitude with altitude. In Salta, elevation brings balance to wines grown near the Tropic of Capricorn. Further south, it’s latitude that takes over. As Juan Pablo Murgia, the head winemaker at Otronia in Patagonia, put it, these extremes are “conditions that create positive qualities in wine.”

Otronia, located in the southernmost vineyard in the world, produces sharp, tensile wines – proof that just as Salta’s altitude offsets heat, Patagonia’s extreme southern latitude, at lower elevation, achieves a similar effect, offering freshness as well as luminosity.

The Otronia Torrontés Patagonia Lagunar 2023 is a striking example of how extreme conditions can subdue the variety’s typically expressive aromatics, resulting in a uniquely restrained interpretation of Torrontés. The Otronia Chardonnay Patagonia 2022 is also well worth seeking out.

What emerges from all of this is a portrait of a country whose wines are shaped by extremes in the context of the world's viticulture, yet defined by nuance. Argentina is a dynamic and exciting place to make wine, driven by teams of passionate people, many of whom have worked together for years, like extended families. That sense of unity and long-term collaboration brings something intangible yet essential to the wines.

Whether it’s a lone vigneron meticulously tending a tiny parcel, or a well-synchronized team refining their craft over decades, both ways of working have a deep cultural relevance that is reflected in the wines. These relationships – built on trust, precision, and shared experience –  shape the character and quality of the wines they produce.

– Jacobo García Andrade, Senior Editor

The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated by the tasters at JamesSuckling.com. Note: You can sort the wines below by vintage, score and alphabetically by winery name. You can also search for specific wines in the search bar.