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Wine from Luján de Cuyo

A Famous Wine Region in Argentina

As most of the wine lovers should be aware, Mendoza is one of the notable wine regions in Argentina.

This large wine region of Argentina has Luján de Cuyo as one of its wine-producing sub-regions.

As such, Luján de Cuyo is the district capital of the Luján de Cuyo Department on the western side of the Mendoza Province.

Geographically, this region is located just south of the Mendoza City and is home to a few notable Argentinean wines.

It’s to be noted that this region was the first delineated appellation for the wine production and was recognized by the International Organization of Vine and Wine during the year 1993.

Now, let’s see more about this wine-producing region here…

Geography and Location of Luján de Cuyo

When topographically seen, Luján de Cuyo is found to be a small town that has its location on the northern banks of the River Mendoza in the river’s upper valley.

It’s from this area that the viticultural zone of Luján de Cuyo starts from where it stretches in a southern direction for about twenty miles.

The path it takes is found to be lying between the mountains of Andes in the west and the hills of Lunlunta in the east.

As mentioned above, this is the first officially recognized wine appellation in Argentina, which includes the following wine-producing zones:

  • Vistalba
  • Las Compuertas
  • Perdriel
  • Agrelo
  • Ugarteche
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Viticulture in Luján de Cuyo

When it comes to viticulture activities in Luján de Cuyo, the vineyards of the sub-region are found to be planted at the altitudes of about 1000m.

Having placed in the rain shadow of the giant Andes Mountains, the region is experiencing a dry, desert-like climate. It is the Mendoza River that makes vine cultivation feasible here.

The pure meltwater from the Andes brings an abundant source of water, thereby, providing the source of irrigation here.

In the Luján de Cuyo, flood irrigation is the traditional-adopted method of irrigation.

But, today, more and more winegrowers are changing to drip irrigation in order to gain more control over the vine growth.

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Climate and Soils in Luján de Cuyo

Given its position on the edge of the Andes Mountains, the Luján de Cuyo region is found to be experiencing a hot, dry type of climate, which is being moderated by the higher altitudes.

At these higher altitudes, the vineyards would tend to receive more-intense sunlight exposure during the daytime when compared to the low-lying regions.

However, the effects of the intense solar radiation will be balanced by the evening temperatures, which are lower.

In the evenings, the cooler alpine winds are blown from the Andes Mountains. This kind of diurnal temperature difference has a positive effect on the wine grapes by slowing down the ripening process and extending their growing season.

Thus, the wine grapes are ensured that the full phenolic ripeness is developed when at the same time being able to retain their acidity levels.

The placement of Luján de Cuyo on the edge of the mountains has its impact on the soils too. Thus, the soils in the region are mostly alluvial – have been deposited by the rivers for centuries.

This rocky and sandy type of soil is found to contain only a little organic matter, thereby, making them ideal for viticulture.

These conditions would stress the vines and these stressed vines will give concentrated flavours in the wines produced.

Wine Grapes in Luján de Cuyo

As one might have already guessed, Malbec is the king of wine production in Luján de Cuyo.

The red wines that are produced from Malbec are found to be bold and intensely flavoured.

Besides Malbec, the wines are also being produced from the following grape varieties here:

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Chardonnay
  • Torrontes

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Author

Tharani Rajamanickam

Tharani Rajamanickam

Winewriter

I am Tharani, I have Bachelors degree in Biotechnology. I am passionate about the wine industry and continue to explore, learn and share and I bring in a wealth of knowledge and expertise to help you keep updated with best wines in the world. Stay tuned..

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Vineyards in Lujan de Cuyo

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