Starting with the province of Salta near the Tropic of Capricorn, the region continues through San Juan and Mendoza and ends at the 39th parallel south in the Province of Rio Negro. Such contrasting latitudes and the great differences in the altitudes where the Wine yards are planted provide an incredible variety of ecological conditions which allow the cultivation of almost any type of wine grape. The wine yards are located in the western valleys and plateaus of the Andes, just opposite Chile's main wine region. Spanish missionaries planted the first grape wines in 1562. As in all Argentina's wine regions, the climate is dry, making irrigation a necessity.
Soils are semi-sandy and gravelly, ideal for producing quality grapes.
In contrast to Europe and the more humid wine regions, grapes grow healthy here, making the use of pesticides very rare. Grapes mature naturally, making addition of sugar unnecessary. A large number of top Champagne firms, such as Moet et Chandon, Piper-Heidsiech and Mumm, are producing sparkling wines of exceptional quality in Mendoza. Most of the 19th century wineries are located in these two districts south of the capital of Mendoza.