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Question: Discuss about the Wine Industry of Argentina. Answer: Introduction Worldwide Argentina is fifth behind France, Italy, Spain and USA in the volume of wine produced but it tops in South America. Argentina has been growing wine grapes since the sixteenth century with Mendoza being the largest producers of the grapes. In recent years the industry has embarked on developing the methods of wine production to really compete with the other four countries. They are now being backed with major wine companies internationally and thus the quality of their products has been improving and the industry now produces some of the best products. One of the reasons behind the success of Argentinas wine industry is its heritage that includes old vines and peculiar geographical conditions. Argentina produces a variety of wines stemming from various types of grapes. These types of grapes include Malbec that produces the largest percentage of the best Argentine wines, Bonarda that is of Italian origin and Toronts which produces the aromatic white wines. Keywords Grapes; Wine; Geographical conditions Argentinas Wine Industry Argentina started producing wine as early as the 16th century but most of it was used domestically. As a result producers were more concerned about quantity over quality and this led to collapse in the industry(Barnes, 2016). Until in the 90s when the urge to export wine outside South America increased did they start improving the quality of wine. This was aided by business men both local and foreign who developed the industry towards producing small volumes of wine but of high quality for both domestic use and export(Mount, 2013). New technologies have also been incorporated to improve the quality of wine produced. Geographical Conditions Mendoza is Argentinas biggest wine producer with up to 80% of wine being produced in this region. It is located in the west central area of Argentina along Andes Mountains. The high altitudes plus irrigation from the mountain favor the growth of grapes. High altitudes imply that the grapes are subjected to cooler temperatures thus improving their growth. The warm climate improves maturity and also increases the aroma concentration and color of the grapes(Catena, 2011). The soil in Mendoza is alluvial with sediments of clay and sand. This soil has a low percentage of organic matter and this limits the growth of the grapevines and thus leading to production of quality grapes. Other wine making regions include San Juan, La Rioja, Catamarca and Salta among others. San Juan is the second largest wine producers after Mendoza in Argentina. It is drier than Mendoza and produces the best wine. La Rioja is among the first establishments of wine production in Argentina(Dougherty, 2012). It is considerably warmer and has facilities like drip irrigation systems that facilitate the growth of Toronts grapes that are used in the manufacture of white wine. Types of Grapes There are several types of grapes that are used to manufacture a variety of wine. The main types include the following; Malbec It is the most popular grape type in Argentina common in Mendoza. It covers a wide vast of land of about 35% of total vineyard area(J. Patrick Henderson, 2012). It has high tannin content and characterized by inky-dark color. It is used in the manufacture of red wine. Bonarda It is of Italian origin and it is black in color. It is the second most popular grape after Malbec with most planting done in Mendoza. It is used to make Italian red wine(Oz Clarke, 2015). Wines made of Bonarda are very fruity but has low tannin content compared to Malbec but offers more acidity. Toronts It is of Spanish origin and is used to manufacture aromatic white wine whose acidity is moderate. Normally originate from high elevated vineyards of Salta. Conclusion Argentine wine has grown in popularity and is being exported to many countries outside South America thus improving trading activities between Argentina and other countries. This has also increased tourism in Argentina as a lot of tourists visit to have a taste of their famous brand of wine. The wine brands are numerous with the common ones being the Toronts, Bonarda and Malbec that were introduced to Argentina by the Spanish, Italian and French respectively. Wine is among Argentinas biggest exports and is thus a top drawer in the countrys economic growth. Argentina has become a major world wine producer thus competing favorably in the market with other countries. References Barnes, C. (2016). Conversations with Winemakers: Mendoza, Argentina. Rome: Pronoun. Catena, L. (2011). Vino Argentino. Chicago: Chronicle Books. Dougherty, P. H. (2012). The Geography of wine. Rome: Springer Science Business Media.Patrick Henderson, D. R. (2012). About Wine. Marseille: Cengage Learning. Mount, I. (2013). The Vineyard at the End of the World. New York: W. W. Norton, Incorporated. Oz Clarke, M. R. (2015). Grapes Wines. New Jersey: Pavillion Books.