Bordered by Paraguay and Bolivia in the north, Brazil and Uruguay in the northeast, and Chile in the west and south, is a country of unparalleled beauty and history. It is best remembered as a nation filled with warm sunshine, abundant smiles and Tango. Argentina is the home of celebrated writers like Jorge Luis Borges and Manuel Puig. Prior to the European exploration, Argentina was inhabited by numerous nomadic tribes. The two main indigenous groups were Diaguita (northwest) and Guarani (southeast).
The culture of Argentina is greatly influenced by its immigrant population. Argentina adapted some aspects of European art, lifestyle, architecture and literature. Nonetheless, there is something that distinctively belongs to Argentina- Tango. Tango can be considered the embodiment of Argentina. Enticing, entertaining and lively. In terms of wine, it is believed that in 1954 two European settlers, a priest named Father Cidrón and Juan Juffré, the founder of the town of Mendoza, planted the first vines in Argentina. Today, 450 years later, Argentina continues to produce wines with the same pioneering spirit.
When Spaniards first set foot in these lands inhabited by the Huarpe Indians, they discovered that the native population grew crops in this desert climate. It was, however, the Incas who had brought the required wisdom to give life to this area. Artificial irrigation was already an established practice among the original inhabitants of western Argentina when the first Europeans arrived.The new settlers invented an even more sophisticated system of water supply than their indigenous predecessors had established. Relying on the thaw of ice and snow from the Andes Mountains, they created a complicated network of dykes and large canals to channel the water until it provided sufficient irrigation for the areas they wished to cultivate.
It is truly amazing that such a huge green oasis has been created and nurtured in the desert. The patience and ingenuity of both the early settlers and those of the last century to design the uniquely intricate method of capturing water and supplying it by a vast network of irrigation canals is as spectacular today as it must have been all those years ago.
In the 19th century, the industry began to grow due to an influx of Italian and Spanish immigrants who brought new vines and a wealth of viticultural and wine-making techniques to the area. The introduction of European varieties such as Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chenin Blanc substantially improved the quality of Argentine wine.
It was the Italian and Spanish settlers that formed the basis of modern Argentine viticulture and wine-making, giving the area the profoundly rich culture it has today.
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