The Buenos Aires Province has become a producer of premium wines during the first decade of the 21st century. Vineyards are located at the southern part of the province, specially around Médanos. The activity was pioneered in lands previously dedicated to garlic and pastures. Wine from Médanos won a Silver Medal in the 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards, the world's largest wine contest celebrated in London.[1]
Climate and geography
editThe Médanos terroir has unique conditions ideal for quality vineyards. The soil is sandy, and given its latitude (around parallel 39° South, where the Pampa region and Patagonia converge) vineyards receive long hours of sun light, which result in grapes with high sugar contents. Windy springs help develop thicker skins that contribute to the intense color of these wines.[2] [3]
The new Argentine wine-producing area is located far east from traditional vineyards which are grown at the west of the country, mostly near the Andes range.[4]
Wine regions
editMédanos appellation is a geographic indication applied to wines produced in Médanos (Buenos Aires, Argentina) whose characteristics are a function and a direct result of the geographic area and the terroir in which the grapes are grown and the wines are produced and aged.
Médanos appellation wines include:
Given its proximity to the ocean, the Médanos terroir consists of sandy soil over a limestone plate with long sun hours and a resulting high termic amplitude during the day.
Médanos is the only Argentine terroir dedicated to production of premium wines with oceanic influence.[5]
The closeness to the ocean and the strong winds in the area develop thick skins in the grapes that contribute to complex wines with intense colors.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ decanter.com "Recommendations - Decanter World Wine Awards 2009: the top 10s, 20s, and more... - Top 26 Chardonnays under £10"
- ^ mdzol.com Vitivinicultura en el sur de Buenos Aires Archived 2009-07-14 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
- ^ a b lanacion.com.ar Vinedos en lo Medanos (in Spanish)
- ^ awpro.wordpress.com Pusimos en marcha la vitinicultura en Buenos Aires (in Spanish)
- ^ ar.news.yahoo.com Se suma una nueva region al mapa vinicola[permanent dead link] (in Spanish)