The Uco Valley (Valle de Uco) is a key winegrowing region of Mendoza, Argentina. An hour's drive South from the city of Mendoza, it is home to some of the region's most famous wines.
Argentina's primary Grape variety of Malbec shines here, producing terroir-driven red wines with a distinctive Floral">floralAroma. Cabernet Franc is much less widely planted, but some great results have been achieved.
In addition, some of Mendoza's finest white wines made from Chardonnay and Torrontés come from Uco Valley Vineyards. The relatively cool Climate allows the requisite slower ripening period.
Although considered Part of the Mendoza region, the Uco Valley can be recognized in its own right on several counts. Not only is the vine-growing area quite distinct; the region is also home to several of Argentina's top producers.
Attracted by the excellent climate and soil, newcomers such as the Bordeaux-based names Lurton, Dassault, Rothschild and Rolland have raised the region's profile. The vineyards of Vista Flores have produced some particularly successful wines.
Among Uco's specific merits is its high elevation at the foot of the Andes mountains. The valley's La Consulta and Tunuyan sub-regions sit at altitudes of 850 meters (2000 ft) and 1100m (3600 ft) respectively.
Roussane is a white grape variety, planted on an area of more than 700 ha. Originally from Montélimar, it is also found in Savoie, Languedoc and Roussillon, and grows very well in calcareous, poor, stony soil. It prefers to be pruned short. Roussane is also called fromenteau, barbin or bergeron. The young leaves are bubbled with fine down. When adult, they become thicker. It flowers in June and matures in mid-September. The grapes are cylindrical in shape, the berries are small and turn red when ripe, and the wine produced from pure Roussane is of extraordinary quality. It has a delicate aroma reminiscent of coffee, honeysuckle, iris and peony. The taste of this wine improves with age. It is part of the blend of the appellations Vin-de-Savoie, Côtes-du-Vallée du Rhône or Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
white wines from the region of Uco Valley go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or shellfish such as recipes of ham and cheese macaroni gratin, tuna catalan style or mussels with cream.
On the nose in the region of Uco Valley often reveals types of flavors of citrus, tree fruit or citrus fruit and sometimes also flavors of apples, pineapple or oaky. In the mouth in the region of Uco Valley is a powerful with a nice freshness.
