The most important and largest wine-growing region in Argentina. In terms of area, it largely coincides with the province of the same name, Mendoza, in the west of the country, which is one of Argentina's 23 provinces. It covers an area of 148,827 km² and borders Chile to the west. The capital is the city of Mendoza, which is also the cultural and economic centre. The vineyards stretch along the foothills of the Andes from Lavalle in the north for around 300 kilometres to San Rafael in the south. Almost three quarters of Argentina's wine is produced here.
Don Tiburcio Benegas (1844-1910) is regarded as a decisive driving force and Argentinian winegrowing pioneer. After the devastating earthquake of 1861, which almost completely destroyed the city of Mendoza, he took on a central role as a banker in the financial stabilisation. In 1883, Benegas acquired an estate in Godoy Cruz, which he called "Trapiche", and dedicated himself to viticulture. He promoted the introduction of French grape varieties and modern technologies. As governor of Mendoza in 1886, he campaigned for a modern irrigation system, which still forms the basis for viticulture in Mendoza today. Benegas had a decisive influence on the development of Argentinian quality viticulture. His son Pedro Benegas continued his work.
![]()
The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena