What Argentine and Chilean wines should you know?
Quick answer
Argentina is best known for Malbec from Mendoza, grown at extraordinary altitudes of 600-1,500 metres, producing wines with deep colour and plush dark fruit. Chile's stars include Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley, Carménère (a grape thought extinct in Bordeaux until rediscovered in Chile in 1994), cool-climate Pinot Noir from Casablanca, and crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Leyda. Together, these two countries produce some of the New World's most exciting and best-value wines.
Detailed answer
Argentina and Chile are South America's wine superpowers, and despite sharing the Andes mountain range, they produce remarkably different wines. Understanding their differences — and their individual strengths — opens up a world of exciting, affordable drinking.
Argentina is all about altitude. Mendoza's vineyards climb from 600 metres to a staggering 1,500 metres (some experimental plots even higher), making them among the highest in the world. This altitude is the secret to great Argentine Malbec: intense UV light deepens colour and concentrates flavours, while cool nights preserve acidity and freshness. The result is a wine that's simultaneously rich and vibrant — dark plum, blackberry, violet, chocolate, with a mineral backbone in the best examples.
The Uco Valley is where the excitement is now. Sub-regions like Gualtallary (1,400m) and Altamira (1,100m) are producing Malbecs with a precision and terroir expression that's converting even the most Burgundy-focused drinkers. Don't miss Torrontés from Salta either — an aromatic white (rose petals, jasmine) that has no equivalent anywhere else.
Chile's wine map is defined by its unique geography: squeezed between the Andes and the Pacific, with the cold Humboldt Current creating cool coastal zones. Maipo Valley (near Santiago) is Cabernet Sauvignon's spiritual home in South America — the best examples have a Bordeaux-like structure with riper fruit.
Chile's unique contribution is Carménère, a grape that virtually disappeared from Bordeaux after phylloxera but thrived unrecognised in Chilean vineyards for over a century. It was only identified in 1994, and today it's Chile's signature red: ripe bell pepper, blackcurrant, chocolate, and silky tannins. Look for examples from Peumo or Rapel.
The cool coastal valleys (Casablanca, Leyda, San Antonio) have revolutionised Chilean whites — crisp Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay that rival New Zealand. And the emerging southern regions of Itata and Bío Bío, with their century-old País and Cinsault vines, are producing some of the most exciting natural wines in the world.
Both countries deliver extraordinary value. Top-quality wines cost 12-30 euros, and even the icon wines rarely exceed 150 euros.
| Country | Region | Key Grapes | Character | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Mendoza — Luján de Cuyo | Malbec | Round, plush, velvety | 10-40 EUR |
| Argentina | Mendoza — Uco Valley | Malbec, Cabernet | Mineral, fresh, altitude | 15-80 EUR |
| Argentina | Salta — Cafayate | Torrontés | Aromatic white, floral | 8-18 EUR |
| Chile | Maipo Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon | Structured, cassis, cedar | 10-50 EUR |
| Chile | Rapel (Colchagua, Cachapoal) | Carménère, Cabernet | Ripe pepper, spice, silky | 10-35 EUR |
| Chile | Casablanca, Leyda | Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir | Fresh, citrus, mineral | 8-25 EUR |