From the northeast of the country down to Patagonia, Argentina’s vineyards dot a 2,000-kilometre stretch along the Andean cordillera. The Mendoza region is the main centre for Argentine wine—and one of the world’s eight wine capitals, according to the Great Wine Capital Global Network.

With 150,000 hectares of vineyards and more than 1,000 bodegas, the Mendoza region produces 70% of the country’s wines. Mendoza is centred around a city of the same name and is located at the foot of the mountains that stop the humid Pacific wind. Here, the climate is dry and sunny, with a broad temperature range; winters are glacial and summers are scorching. In fact, to protect the grapes from this intense heat, many winegrowers have erected pergolas. With low precipitation levels, irrigation is a must.

Malbec, which is originally from Cahors, is Argentina’s best-known grape variety, though others —such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc—have been gaining ground in Mendoza since the 1990s, when inspired winemakers completely reinvented their methods.