2006 Mendoza Vintage

The winter was cooler and wetter than usual, which delayed budbreak by about seven to 10 days. The rest of the growing season was moderate compared with hotter years such as 2003 and 2004. Overall it was a cool, dry growing season. Cool, dry weather in March slowed the ripening of the grapes; a ripening period of 65 to 70 days is normal in Argentina. April also brought excellent weather, letting vintners pick at optimum maturity, and the harvest ran about one week behind normal. The one blemish was a major hailstorm at the end of December that hit more than 4,000 acres of vines in some of Mendoza's prime spots, including Perdriel, Agrelo, Vistalba and Medrano.

• Winter: cooler and wetter than usual; budbreak delayed by about seven to 10 days
• Ripening: cool, dry weather in March slowed ripening; April weather was excellent
• Hail: a major storm at the end of December hit more than 4,000 acres in Perdriel, Agrelo, Vistalba and Medrano
• Harvest: about one week behind normal

Isolated hailstorms are common in Mendoza, so most wineries there keep vineyards scattered around the area to limit the effect of losing any one site's crop. In the 2006 vintage, for example, Achával-Ferrer lost the majority of its production in the Bella Vista vineyard, while its other vineyards were not affected.

• End-of-December hail: more than 4,000 acres hit in Perdriel, Agrelo, Vistalba and Medrano
• Achával-Ferrer: most of its Bella Vista vineyard crop lost; other vineyards unaffected

Wine Spectator counted 2006 as a continuation of the strong run of recent Argentine vintages that began in 2002. Growers reported excellent results with Malbec, the country's leading variety, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Despite the hail losses, vintners were happy overall with the consistency of the vintage and put it on par with 2002 and 2005. Stefano Gandolini, winemaker of Viña Doña Paula, said: "The very slow ripening, 80 to 90 days from veraison to harvest, enhances colors and aromas and retains natural acidity." Pedro Marchevsky, owner and viticulturalist at Dominio del Plata, said: "All grapes have arrived at the winery in perfect sanitary condition, with great color, aroma and tannins."

• Varieties: growers reported excellent results with Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
• Ripening from veraison to harvest ran 80 to 90 days, Viña Doña Paula's Stefano Gandolini said, against a normal 65 to 70 in Argentina
• Vintners placed 2006 on par with 2002 and 2005