Despite the fact that it is referred to as ‘New World Wine’ the truth is that wine has been made throughout South America since the early 16th Century. Franciscan monks began the grape pressing practice in regions throughout South America, the problem was that it tasted terrible and as such, there wasn’t much demand from the rest of the World for the wine which South America produced.
As the years rolled on and practices and techniques improved, the wines produced by the continent, specifically in its southern countries, swiftly became renowned for their rich flavors and their originality. If you are a wine lover and want to experience a tour of the best South American wine regions then read on for the most important ones you should visit.
Mendoza, Argentina
Not only highly considered in terms of South American wine making but across the World, Mendoza is regarded as one of the Premier wine producing regions. Both the reds and whites that come from the Mendoza region are World-acclaimed and here you will find some outstanding Cabernet, Chardonnay, Malbec and Torrentes. Thanks to the popularity of the region, there is a real wine scene here in Mendoza and there are plenty of tours for the wine lover to indulge in.
Casablanca Valley, Chile
Chile is second only to Argentina in South America for the most highly regarded and the largest wine producers in the continent and the Casablanca Valley is where the very best comes from. This region has been a real up-and-comer for sometime now and the first vineyard here wasn’t created until the mid-eighties. Despite its youth, the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Casablanca Valley is sold in some of the World’s very finest restaurants and hotels.
Cafayate, Argentina
Mendoza may be the heavyweight when it comes to Argentinian wine-producing regions, but Cafayate is not far behind. This region produces, amongst others, Torrontes which regularly picks up Worldwide awards thanks to its delectable taste. Wine tourists will not only find beautiful wines in this region but some of the most scenic landscapes that can be found throughout the country.
Uco Valley, Argentina
The Uco is actually set within the Mendoza region of Argentina, although it is further south of Mendoza city. As a result of the incredibly high number of excellent calibre wines in this region, it is often considered as being separate from Mendoza and an area in its own right. It is the white wines of this region which have really helped to put it on the map and a blend of cool climate plus a sandy and stony soil is what creates the acidic Chardonnay’s and Torrontes which are found here in Uco.
If you wish to take a wine tour in South America then you will be best served if you head down to Chile and Argentina. Whilst there are some great wines coming out of Uruguay and Colombia right now, they are not quite up to the standard of their southern counterparts.
