When talking about Argentina wine regions, most people will think about Mendoza and its famous Malbec. Few people might know that Cafayate and its Torrontés are just as fantastic as Mendoza and Malbec.
Cafayate is located in the Salta Province at the far northwest corner of Argentina in the foothills of the Andes mountain range. It is such a quaint little colonial town with a population of only 12,000 people. Local people are warm and hospitable to visitors and love to answer any questions you may have. The town has a lively square in the center of town, nice restaurants and a very interesting museum about this wine region. Being only eight square blocks, you can easily stroll around and visit the shops, restaurants, church, and the ten or so wineries located in the town.
Cafayate is 5,500’ elevation high with vineyards extending up the sides of the valley floor into the foothills with elevations exceeding 6,500’. It is the primary wine growing region in Salta with roughly 35 wineries, most are small family operations. Cafayate is famous for its Torrontés, a white grape varietal exclusive to Argentina and with a very strong personality. It is affectionately nicknamed The Liar, because of its sweet floral and fruity nose of ripe peaches, followed by a surprise of dry crisp finish of grapefruit on the mouth. Torrontés is typically grown in a canopy-style to protect the grapes from the high-altitude sun exposure here.
This is Argentina’s most radical wine region…The vineyards sit on more than a mile above sea level, planted within mountainous jagged red-rock formations, growing unusual varietals such as Torrontés and Tannat, and the winemakers are constantly reinventing how they produce and market their wines as a very progressive endeavor. The wines from Cafayate are strong and flavorful with intense color, because of the high altitude.
This is a land of extremes… extreme altitude, extreme sunlight and extreme beauty…. ultimately, this is one spectacular place to explore. It really is in the middle of nowhere, and you will love it!
There is a lot more to say about Cafayate, its wine, wineries, hotels and restaurants, etc. If you would like to learn more, please get our book, Exploring Wine Regions – Argentina on Amazon or at our website: ExploringWineRegions.com. Our book is a comprehensive guideline for wine lovers who want to learn more about Argentinean wine, travel to Argentina’s wine regions, taste delicious Argentina food and enjoy all the beauties Argentina has to offer.
Thank you for reading and have a beautiful Sunday afternoon!
From Editor & Research Chief, Li Wu at home