Winemaker Carmelo Patti is extremely proud of his self-designed label.  Visit the winery and he will personally point out to you the details that he includes to make his label distinct: the month of bottling (March 2008) and exactly the number of bottles produced (18,300).  Carmelo is thorough with his label design, and he is among many Argentine producers who use the bottle presentation to convey as much as they can about the juice inside.  With more than 800 wineries in Mendoza alone, picking out a wine at a shop or restaurant can mean shopping by the label, which can be helpful, entertaining, or just downright confusing.

With all of the details that local wineries like to include on their labels, you might feel like you need a sommelier just to translate the outside of the bottle, to understand better what you’re getting into before even getting the cork out. Where here I am! And here are some tips for deciphering the Argentine wine label.

Vino Tinto/Vino Blanco

Generally, red wine/white wine. If a varietal name is not found elsewhere on the bottle, this is probably a blend of grapes. Though traditionally used to describe generic table wines, a number of high-end red blends are marked as “Vino Tinto” today.

Cosecha vs Bottling Date

FYI- Cosecha = harvest. Carmelo’s bottle says “Cosecha 2006″, meaning that the grapes for this wine were all picked in 2006. Meanwhile, the wine was bottled in March of 2008.  This means the wine spent roughly two years ageing in tanks and oak barrels. This is an aged wine before it even hits the market. The tannins will be softer and more integrated, and more “secondary” flavor characteristics (like dried fruit and flowers) will be showing.

A note on vintages:

Most Argentine wines are made to be consumed young! Don’t be scared to buy that 2008 Malbec because most likely it’s fresh, fruity, and drinking nicely. Most 2010 whites are also ready to drink now. In high-end blends, look for more bottle age. Because of beautiful weather, irrigation, and few pest problems, it’s tough to have a bad wine year for Argentina. The best vintages include 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007.

Region

Local wine producers vary in how they describe where their grapes are coming from. While some simply state “Mendoza, Argentina” on the label, others include a more specific region of Mendoza (Lujan de Cujo), sub-region (Alto Agrelo) or specific vineyard (Finca Remonta).  This Terrazas label mentions the general region (Mendoza) and the sub-region (Las Compuertas), as well as stating “single vineyard”, which means that all of the grapes for this wine come from one vineyard. There are only two D.O.C. (Denominacion de Origen Controlado) wine regions in Argentina- the Lujan de Cujo and San Rafael. When a label reads D.O.C. it ensures that the grapes meet quality standards for that region and that the wine has been in barrel at least eight months, in bottle at least one year.

Altitude

Argentina”s claim to fame! Home to the highest altitude vineyards in the world (Cafayate, Salta), Argentina has had great success growing grapes in regions 980-3000 meters above sea level.  Because of this, you will almost always find some mention of altitude on a local label.  What does it mean? Basically, lower altitude vines will be more productive and make juicier, more fruit-forward wines while higher altitude vines produce wines with more aromas, concentration, and acidity.

Reserve

Officially, for an Argentine producer to put “reserve” on a bottle of red wine, the wine must be aged one year in barrels and two years for “grand reserve”.  For whites it is half of that- six months for reserve and one year for grand reserve. However it should be noted that this law is still in the process of being implemented, and many wineries are still using the word reserve as a brand or marketing tool. On this Andeluna bottle they include Tupungato, which is a sub-region of the Uco Valley, which is the most southerly region of Mendoza and they note that the wine is estate produced and bottled, meaning that the wine is made at Andeluna’s estate and not sent out for vinification or bottling. Basically, they have a facility where they can do it all.

Alcohol

Yep, these wines are big.  Argentine reds can be anywhere from 13.5-16.5% abv.  Don’t let the percentages on the label scare you- the alcohol can be very well integrated, adding body and sweetness. What’s more, remember that local producers have .5% wiggle room when printing labels, so 14.5% can also mean 14% or 15%.

And now that I’ve said all that, don’t forget that it’s what’s inside the bottle that really counts!

About the author: Cara De Lavallade is a Level II Court of Masters Sommelier from Seattle, Washington. Temporarily relocated to Mendoza, she is smelling and tasting all she can to gain a better understanding of the local juice.  Look for her wine reviews, bodega visits, and other winey musings on The Vines of Mendoza blog this spring.

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