Tulum Valley is a wine-growing sub-region of San Juan, Argentina. Vineyards surround the city of San Juan in the east of the province of the same name at the foot of the Andes Mountains.
Syrah is fast becoming the region's flagship Grape variety, producing Dense, peppery red wines with Rich fruit characters. High quality red and white wines are also being produced in the region from grape varieties such as Malbec, Chardonnay and Viognier.
In the past the Tulum Valley has been seen as the workhorse region of San Juan. The latter has a similar reputation and wines made here are often destined to become a component of more regional blends, but this is changing.
The valley can be found between the western slopes of the Andes and the much lower Pie de Palo hills 30 kilometers (20 miles) to the east. The San Juan River curves through the Tulum Valley on its way toward the ocean, and the city of San Juan provides a gateway of sorts for Tulum Valley's embryonic wine tourism industry.
The Zonda Valley sits directly to the west of Tulum Valley, in the foothills of the Andes themselves.
The Tulum Valley sits at a latitude of 31°S, and viticulture is only possible because of the water supplied by the San Juan River and the region's topography. Most regions at this latitude are desert or semi-desert (Northern Egypt is the same distance from the Equator, to the north) and are prohibitively hot.
However, the average altitude of Tulum's vineyards, at 650m (2200ft), moderates the high temperatures and promotes healthy grape development by ensuring greater duration and intensity of sunlight.
Pinot grigio is a grey grape variety mutated from Pinot Noir. It has its origins in Burgundy, where it is called pinot-beurot in reference to the colour of the grey robes worn by the monks of the region. Established in Alsace since the 17th century, pinot grigio was called tokay until 2007. It is made up of bunches of small berries that vary in colour from pink to blue-grey. It is particularly well suited to the continental climate because it is resistant to the cold in winter and to spring frosts. This variety also likes dry limestone soils with plenty of sunshine in the summer. pinot grigio is well suited to late harvesting or to the selection of noble grapes, depending on the year and the concentration of sugars in the berries. Pinot grigio wines are distinguished by their aromatic complexity of white fruits, mushrooms, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, etc., and their great finesse. In the Loire Valley, pinot grigio is used in the Coteaux-d'Ancenis appellations. It gives dry or sweet wines with pear and peach aromas.
wines from the region of Tulum Valley go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or poultry such as recipes of autumn beef bourguignon, gypsy sauce or clopinettes in field dresses.
