Top 100 wines of Salta - Page 6

Discovering the wine region of Salta

Salta, in the far North of Argentina, is home to some of the world's most extreme Vineyard sites. As is the case in Catamarca to the South and Jujuy to the northwest, Salta's vineyards are often located amid mountainous terrain with some reaching altitudes of just over 3,000 meters (9840ft) above sea level. The viticultural area is mainly concentrated to Cafayate of the Calchaqui Valley. Argentina's signature Grape varieties of Torrontes and Malbec are Salta's top performers, producing Bright, intensely flavored wines.

Mulitple vineyards of the Salta region sit at lower latitudes and higher altitudes than anywhere else on earth. Interestingly, these two factors Balance each other out to create an excellent Climate for viticulture as the cold temperatures associated with high altitude are mitigated by the high temperatures found at these latitudes. Salta's mountainous landscape creates a rain shadow over the vineyards below, ensuring Clear skies and low levels of precipitation. Average annual rainfall throughout the region swings between a mere 185 to 250mm (7-10in).

The convenient flipside is that the mountains also provide irrigation, sending a reliable supply of meltwater down from the snowy peaks. This mesoclimate benefits from a wide diurnal temperature variation, which allows the grapes to develop phenolic ripeness while retaining good Acidity. Summer temperatures in Salta reach 38°C (100°F) in the day time, while dropping to as low as 12°C (55°F) at night. Winters here are cold with temperatures reaching -6°C (21°F) which comes with a high threat of damaging frosts.