Alta Vista farms vineyards in the areas of Lujan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, the best winegrowing areas within Mendoza, and Cafayate, the prime area in Salta. Mendoza is the most highly reputed area for top quality Malbec, as is Cafayate for Torrontés.
In the altitude’s more intense sunlight, radiation and photosynthesis are greater, which increases ripeness in the grapes. Mendoza’s proximity to the Andes Mountains causes day/night temperature shifts of up to 72°F, a quality shared by many of the world’s best wine growing regions, which helps to increase acidity levels and flavor complexity in the grapes. With low rainfall (10 inches/year), very warm summers and cold winter temperatures, Mendoza is quite similar to a Continental climate in Europe; relatively extreme but exceptional for wine growing.
Argentine grapes have the longest “hangtime” of any grapes grown in the world, which results in balanced wines with fruit-forward flavors and smooth tannins. The grapes here contain a high level of beneficial polyphenols relative to grapes from other wine regions. The high altitude and desert-like climate provides a natural protection from insects, fungi, molds, phylloxera and other diseases so pesticides and herbicides are rarely used.