It is perhaps most surprising of all that, despite the outrageous quantity of wine consumption in Mendoza, we actually remember anything !

5 facts we learned about wine in Mendoza

1. The skin of the grape is only really useful for red wine production, as it intensifies the colour, flavour and tannins found in the wine
2. The grape skins are recycled to form manure for the next crop
3. You can see the true colours of your wine by tilting your wine glass 45 degrees over a light surface
4. Wine has three principle aromas; the first can be found straight out of the bottle, while the secondary and tertiary only become available once the wine is oxygenated (by swirling the liquid round the glass)
5. To fully appreciate the flavour of your wine, you should first move the wine around your mouth to balance the PH levels (especially important when tasting multiple wines)

A few notes about the wine-making process:

The wine-making process typically starts in March-April, when the grapes are harvested (often by hand) and rigorously screened to eliminate any that are rotten or damaged.

The good guys are then crushed into must – the freshly pressed juice that contains the skin, seeds and solids. For white wines, the skin and solids are quickly removed but they act as a crucial element for red wine production as they enhance the colour, flavour and tannins.

After crushing, yeast is added which eventually turns the sugar into alcohol and CO2. For sweet wines, often the fermentation process is stopped before all the sugar has converted into alcohol.

Once the fermentation process is complete, the solid parts of the grape are recycled and used as manure. The ageing process can now begin, preferably in French Oak barrels as this gives a better aroma and flavour to the wine.

Check out our review of Mendoza’s best vineyards.

What is your favourite type of wine?

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