2001 Argentina (Mendoza) Vintage

The 2001 season ran from spring 2000 through the autumn 2001 harvest. No official harvest report from the period was found; this account rests on Wine Spectator's reporting. In its June 2001 harvest report, Wine Spectator described the Mendoza growing season as generally very favorable. An early, mild spring and a hot, very dry summer helped to produce small, concentrated berries. Scattered precipitation at the end of March, when the harvest would normally begin, caused some problems: both rain and hail hurt some vineyards and caused some rot, while other vineyards went undamaged. Wine Spectator added that, since the summer had been very hot and dry, the March rain helped alleviate some of the vines' stress without causing any dilution or bloating of the grapes. Some growers who waited until after the rains to harvest said they brought in excellent fruit, thanks in part to the extended hang-time. The report gives no Mendoza yield or crush figure.

• Spring: early and mild in Mendoza
• Summer: hot and very dry, helping to produce small, concentrated berries
• End of March: scattered rain and hail hurt some vineyards and caused some rot; other vineyards went undamaged
• Harvest: Susana Balbo said rain delayed the picking of red varietals for some; growers who waited reported excellent fruit

Wine Spectator's report carried two Mendoza voices. Susana Balbo, winemaker for both BenMarco and her own eponymous wines, said: "We saw isolated and scattered rain at the end of March, delaying the harvesting of the red varietals," adding: "The scattered nature of the rain allowed for extended hang-time and, in many instances, the harvesting of ripe, fully developed grapes." Laura Catena, vice president of Catena Wines and head of her own label, Luca, told Wine Spectator: "Overall, we're very happy with the juice we have. It was a challenging harvest, though no more challenging than '99 or 2000."

Wineries in San Juan, north of Mendoza, began harvesting as early as mid-February thanks to fine weather conditions. San Juan is a little warmer than Mendoza and typically harvests earlier, which in 2001 let the region avoid the variable weather that hit Mendoza in March. Oscar Biondolillo, winemaker at Bodegas y Vinedos Santiago Graffigna, told Wine Spectator: "This year's San Juan vintage was outstanding."