Barbera Blended Scotch Tannat White Zinfandel Argentina Salta 750ml

For centuries now, the beautiful red grapes of the Barbera varietal have been grown in Italy, where they are prized for their unusual high acid content and low tannins, brought about by their thin skins. The Barbera grape varietal thrives in warmer climates, and has had some success overseas in the new world, where its strongly aromatic flavors of intense hedgerow fruits make it a favorite with wineries and wine drinkers looking for a grape which offers plenty of interesting characteristics. Interestingly, the differences between young and aged wines made from this varietal are quite significant, with younger bottles holding a plethora of berry flavors, including blueberry and raspberry notes, and oak aged wines made from the Barbera grape being much loved for their ability to become extremely complex and spicy, and picking up vanilla flavors from the wood they are barreled in.

As the world's fifth largest producer of wine, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States, Argentina has plenty to offer the international wine market in regards to both quantity and quality. Despite this being the case for several decades now, it has only been since the end of the twentieth century that the Argentinian wine industry has really begun to up their game when it comes to the methods and techniques required to produce world class wines, which are both representative of their country and region of origin, and which stand alone as complex, interesting and delicious wines to drink. As Argentina became a serious contender in the international wine market, wineries previously concerned primarily with high volumes began to change their priorities, and formerly struggling small bodegas and independent wineries began to find success. Nowadays, well crafted wines from smaller vineyards in Argentina are being lauded as some of the finest in the world, and the country is starting to reap the benefits of its heritage, which include some very old vines, and up to four centuries of experience in wine production.

For lovers of New World wine, the region of Salta is generally regarded as being amongst the finest and most geographically interesting in the world. Situated at the extreme north of Argentina, Salta is a wine region which is both at an impressively high altitude, as well as an extremely low latitude, being a mere twenty four degrees from the equator. However, these two factors cancel each other out when it comes to viticulture, producing a superbly warm and fertile environment for the cultivation of vineyards. The mountainous landscape of Salta reaches elevations of up to 3,000 meters above sea level, an astonishing figure which demonstrates just how unique the region is. Within the main wine provinces of Cafayate and Molinos, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes (the region's flagship varietals) grow to full ripeness in the blazing sunshine, and produce exceptionally flavorful wines.