The Patagonia wine region of Argentina produces less than 2% of the country’s total wine. So you may be asking, then why do I care about the wines from Patagonia? Well, because they are delicious, rare, and very intriguing. Patagonia is the southernmost region of Argentina and has wineries in the most extreme climates and latitude lines. The grapes, however, are familiar. The main grapes of Patagonia are Malbec and Pinot Noir. There is also Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet in the wine regions of Patagonia. Let’s dig a little deeper into the wine region and see what makes Patagonia wine so special.
Where is Patagonia?
Patagonia is the southernmost region of South America governed by Chile and Argentina. Patagonia has a huge land area though it is scarcely populated. The bottom part of the Andes Mountain range creates a boundary between the two countries.
Location of the Wine Regions of Patagonia
The wine regions of Patagonia are in the northern half of the region, though they are the southernmost wineries in the southern hemisphere. The vineyards are creeping further and further south as winemakers push the boundaries of the growing area. Grape growing in Patagonia is very young; most vineyards and wineries are less than 20 years old.
The three main wine producing regions of Patagonia are Neuquén (southwest of Mendoza), La Pampa (south east of Mendoza) and south of both is Río Negro. Now Río Negro is already pushing the limits of southern vine growing areas yet wineries are popping up in Chubut, which is located south of Río Negro.
Climate and Terroir of Patagonia
What makes growing grapes in Patagonia so special and exciting? It’s the extreme climate. Extreme from both winter to summer but also from day to night. The winter months are very cold and snowy. The summer growing season is very long and warm. This allows the grapes to ripen very slowly locking in aromas. The diurnal shift, the change in temperature from day to night, locks in the grapes’ acidity. The climate is ideal for growing high quality grapes.
Patagonia’s wine regions are around 300m to 500m above sea level. The total land under vine in Patagonia is less than 10,000 acres or about 4,000 hectares. The wine regions are essentially deserts with very little rainfall. The vines are only able to grow near the rivers that are formed from melting snow from the Andes and from irrigation. The soils are sandy with varying sizes of pebbles and stones mixed in. These soil conditions are ideal because they provide the vines with drainage they need to produce quality wines.
Patagonia Wine Regions (North to South)
Neuquén Wine Region
Neuquén is located in central Argentina between Mendoza to the north and Buenos Aires to the east. The Andes mountains take up its western border and the Río Negro wine region its southern. It’s a very young wine region with its first commercial wineries popping up in the early 2000’s. The vineyards are clustered in the town of San Patricio del Chana on the Neuquén River. Production and wineries are gaining momentum and growing exponentially.
Malbec is the main grape of the Neuquén wine region followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. The wines produced in the Neuquén wine region have intense aroma profiles and great structural acidity. The best part? They are incredible values! The wines are generally under $20.
Wineries of Neuquén Wine Region
There are few but mighty wineries in Neuquén. Since the success of the wines of Mendoza, investment in wineries in Neuquén has increased considerably. (FYI- Bodega means winery or cellar)
- Bodega del Fin del Mundo
- Familia Schroeder
- Manos Negras
- Jelu Estate
La Pampa Wine Region
La Pampa lies south of Buenos Aires. The north of La Pampa has grasslands that slowly turn to deserts as you head south where the grapes are grown. The wine region surrounds the Colorado river in the town of 25 de Mayo. The La Pampa wine region is a desert at about 330m above sea level with only 1 winery, properly named Bodega del Desierto, winery of the desert. In the winter, it is a snowy wonderland.
The Winery of La Pampa
Bodega del Desierto was founded by siblings, Maria and Armando Loson in 2001. Along with their team they’ve planted red grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and eventually Malbec and Pinot Noir. They also have white grapes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier. Though its the lone winery in La Pampa, it is by no means small. They have the capacity to produce wines from 1.5 million kilos of grapes.
Río Negro Wine Region
The wine region of Río Negro is by far the most popular, oldest, and densely populated region for wineries in Patagonia. Río Negro is sandwiched between the Andes mountains and the Atlantic ocean with valleys, glacial lakes, and plateaus in between. La Pampa is to the north, Neuquén to the west, and Chubut to the south. As the name suggests, the wineries are concentrated around the fertile land by the river. The riverbanks are divided by three, the Upper Valley, Middle Valley, and Lower Valley; most of the wineries are in the Upper Valley.
Río Negro had established vines in the late 18th century. It was planted with rare grapes like Trousseau and Refosco, and now with Malbec, Pinot Noir, and other international varieties. The wines of Río Negro are especially interesting because they come from the oldest vines of Patagonia and reflect the terroir and potential of the area.
Notable Wineries in Río Negro
There are about 40 wineries in Río Negro. Here are the most popular on the export market.
- Bodega Chacra
- Humberto Canale
- Bodega Noemia de Patagonia
- Bodega Aniello
- Matias Riccitelli
- Bodega del Rio Elorza
Chubut Wine Region
The southernmost Patagonia wine region is Chubut, located south of Río Negro. Chubut is pushing the latitude limits at 45º and boast the southernmost vineyards in the world. The region is quite tiny with only 160 acres or 65 hectares under vine. The first vines were planted in 2000 and it is growing quickly. It is the wettest and coolest region of Patagonia. The soil is clay as opposed to the sandy soils of the other wine regions of Patagonia. Because of the colder climate, the grapes struggle to ripen. Naturally, the area is dedicated to cool-climate grape varieties like Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Pinot Noir.
Notable Wineries in Chubut
- Otronia
- Casa Yagüe
- Contra Corriente
- Viñas del Nant y Fall
The Grapes of Patagonia
The differences between Patagonia Malbec and Pinot Noir and these varieties grown elsewhere are worth noting. The climate in Patagonia brings out intense characteristics in these grapes. Patagonia wine has a lot to offer but the Malbec and Pinot Noir stand out the most.
Patagonia Malbec
Malbec is the main grape variety in Patagonia. Malbec from Patagonia benefits from the long growing season and large shifts in temperature. The climate of Patagonia creates Malbec with intense aromatics, firmer tannins, and sharper acidity. The fruit structure of Patagonia Malbec has more intense red fruit characteristics.
Patagonia Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is another shining variety in Patagonia. The cooler climate is ideal for growing quality Pinot Noir. The extreme climate of Patagonia turns up the volume of Pinot Noir’s acidity, color, and tart red fruit flavor. Pinot Noir from Patagonia is bolder and more full-bodied than what we’ve come to expect from the grape.
