Argentina
Argentina for food and wine lovers: Malbec and the Mendoza wineries at the foot of the Andes, with Catena Zapata’s guided tour priced in pesos.
At a glance
- The country’s largest wine region, Mendoza, lies at the foot of the Andes
- Malbec, the red grape Argentina made its own
- Catena Zapata’s guided tour with five wines costs 143,000 pesos (October to December 2026)
- Asado, the beef barbecue, at the centre of the table
- The Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia in Mendoza, 27 February to 7 March 2027
- 1food festival
- 1culinary experience
Food festivals in Argentina
Javinaselli, CC BY-SA
Culinary experiences in Argentina
Bormidayanzon, CC BY-SARegions in Argentina
David, CC BYMap of Argentina
What to taste in Argentina
Malbec
The red grape of Mendoza, grown at altitude below the Andes.
Asado
Beef and other meats grilled slowly over wood or charcoal, the national barbecue.
Empanadas
Baked or fried turnovers, with fillings that change from province to province.
Dulce de leche
Caramelised milk, in pastries, alfajores and ice cream.
Argentina runs from the subtropical north to Patagonia, and its wine country follows the eastern foot of the Andes, with Mendoza the main region. In late February and early March, Mendoza celebrates the grape harvest with the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (27 February to 7 March 2027), with free parades and a ticketed show at the Teatro Griego Frank Romero Day.
Wine at the foot of the Andes
- Mendoza: the main wine region, in the west, around the city of the same name.
- Altitude: many vineyards are planted high, on the slopes below the mountains.
The national wine institute, the INV, counted 199,946 hectares of vines in 22,039 vineyards at the end of 2024, 4,901 hectares fewer than a year before. Grapes for wine and must cover 92.2% of that area. The rest grows table grapes and raisins.
| Province | Vines in 2024 | Share of the country |
|---|---|---|
| Mendoza | 142,785 ha | 71.4% |
| San Juan | 39,684 ha | 19.8% |
| La Rioja | 7,010 ha | 3.5% |
| Salta | 3,700 ha | 1.9% |
| Catamarca | 2,694 ha | 1.3% |
Malbec, from 17 April 1853
On 17 April 1853, a project to found a Quinta Normal and a School of Agriculture was put before the provincial legislature of Mendoza. The French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget brought in several European vines, Malbec among them, and the date became World Malbec Day.
- The leading grape: 47,064 hectares in 2024, 23.5% of the country’s vines, the most planted variety.
- Growth: plantings up 19.2% in ten years, while the national vineyard shrank.
- Where it grows: 84.7% in Mendoza, then San Juan (6.1%) and Salta (3.6%).
- Its origin: a variety from the Bordeaux area, born of an old cross of Magdeleine Noir and Prunelard.
Malbec grows in 18 of the 20 Argentine provinces that have vineyards.
Argentina’s other grapes, other provinces
- Cereza and Bonarda: the next most planted varieties, 11.9% and 8.4% of the vineyard, ahead of Cabernet Sauvignon (6.4%).
- Torrontés Riojano: a white grape on 6,867 hectares, about 3,200 of them in Mendoza, then La Rioja, Salta and San Juan.
- Salta: Malbec covers 46.3% of the province’s vines, and the department of Cafayate holds 77.4% of that Malbec.
Before you go
- Currency: prices are in Argentine pesos (ARS) and change often. Catena Zapata publishes its rates by quarter, with their dates of validity.
- Distances: Mendoza is in the west, by the Chilean border, far from Buenos Aires. Most visitors fly.
- Seasons: the seasons are reversed. The grape harvest falls in late summer, around March, and Mendoza celebrates it with the Vendimia, from 27 February to 7 March 2027.
- Alcohol: the minimum legal age to buy alcohol in Argentina is 18.
Frequently asked questions
Where is wine made in Argentina?
Mostly in Mendoza, in the west of the country at the foot of the Andes.
What wine is Argentina known for?
Malbec, a red grape from south-west France that found its second home in Mendoza.
How much is a winery tour in Mendoza?
143,000 Argentine pesos for Catena Zapata’s tour with five wines, from 1 October to 31 December 2026. The other wineries in this guide sell through booking modules.
When is the grape harvest in Argentina?
In late summer, around March, in the southern hemisphere.