2009 Argentina (Mendoza) Vintage

Alta Vista's figures cover Mendoza above 1,000 meters and may not apply to every producer in the region. Waves of cold preceded the 2008 winter. The first, on 14 and 15 April 2008, caused a frost that affected most of the region's vineyards, destroyed many new plantings and left defective buds on productive vineyards, which lowered 2009 production. The winter set in early, and the last frost came on 6 September. From mid September to the end of November only 23 mm of rain fell in Mendoza, the climate was temperate without notable Zonda wind events, and flowering was good for all varieties, particularly Malbec. At Achaval-Ferrer's old-vine Finca Altamira Malbec vineyard, bud break came on 20 September 2008 and 85 percent veraison by 31 January 2009. A warm, but not hot, spring gave a fruit set more even than normal, finished in a few days instead of 10 to 14. Summer in Mendoza was constantly warm without high peaks of heat, with only 9 days above 35 C, a hottest day that did not pass 38 C, and particularly cold nights. Average day-night differences were 15.7 C in January, 15.1 C in February and 14.9 C in March, similar to 2007 and 1.5 to 2 degrees above the average of recent years. January highs reached up to 98 F, and some vineyards had hail damage. The end of summer and autumn were the driest monitored since 1998: one rain event of 1 mm in February, four rains totalling 32 mm in March and no rain in April. General grape production in Mendoza was below average.

• Frost: 14 and 15 April 2008 frost lowered 2009 production; last frost on 6 September
• Spring: only 23 mm of rain in Mendoza from mid September to the end of November, with no notable Zonda wind events
• Summer: 9 days above 35 C, hottest day not above 38 C, day-night differences of 15.7 C in January to 14.9 C in March
• Harvest weather: 1 mm of rain in February, 32 mm over four rains in March, none in April; very dry throughout harvest, giving fruit in great condition

Alta Vista works in two areas: Mendoza above 1,000 meters and Cafayate, further north and higher up. In Cafayate a hailstorm destroyed almost 300 hectares on 28 November, never before seen to that extent, and drizzly days in January and February caused sanitary problems in March, making a green harvest of bunches necessary. In Mendoza, Achaval-Ferrer had finished its last green harvest in its Uco Valley vineyards, which sit higher and ripen later, by 10 February 2009, and expected around 1 ton per acre from its Finca Bella Vista Malbec vineyard in Lujan de Cuyo.

Alta Vista began picking on 4 February with Chardonnay for its Premium Extra Brut base wine, harvested Malbec between 20 March and 4 May and Cabernet Sauvignon from 10 to 30 April, all by hand. Apart from a little hail damage in Temis, its vineyards were unaffected, and yields were higher than usual at around 8,000 kg per hectare. Rolet said Malbec seemed to be the great champion of the vintage. Despite the late harvest dates, the style tended toward fresh fruit and intensity with good length, and acidity was higher than usual. At Achaval-Ferrer on 24 April 2009, the team could choose the date to pick every vineyard; with temperatures not too high, the two to four days some vineyards waited for tank space did no damage to the sugar and acid balance, and the winery spent nothing on tartaric acid and added back no water. JancisRobinson.com's Argentina vintage chart calls 2009, for some, one of the best vintages of the decade in Mendoza, and its 2010 entry refers to the exceptional 2009s.

• JancisRobinson.com vintage chart: for some, one of the best of the decade in Mendoza; dry spring, warm summer, diurnal variation of over 15 C (27 F)