High-Altitude Viticulture

Temperature is the first lever of high-altitude viticulture. WSET (2021) states that for every 100 metres (328 feet) you climb above sea level, the temperature drops approximately 0.6 degrees Celsius, and that in warmer climates altitude can provide some relief from the heat. Sources differ on the rate: Decanter's 2021 report on Italy's high-altitude wines gives a drop of about 1°C for every 100m gained, while its 2023 high-altitude Malbec report gives 1°C for every 150m. WSET (2021) adds that optimal conditions are generally found between 30 and 50 degrees latitude, and that closer to the equator, cooling influences such as sea breezes or mountain air may be needed to prevent the vineyard from getting too hot. It names Argentina's Mendoza, where vineyards can be found at well over 1,000 metres above sea level, as a region where this is particularly important. Catena Zapata describes the pattern it found in the Andes: as one climbs, the average temperature decreases and the amplitude between day and night temperatures increases. For the Adrianna Vineyard, Laura Catena writes on the Catena Zapata site that the weather is between Winkler zone 1 and zone 2 depending on the year, which would put it between Burgundy and a very cool part of Bordeaux. In Lebanon, Serge Hochar of Château Musar told Decanter in 2003 that the height of Musar's Bekaa vineyards, at 33° latitude, gives them a climate equivalent of ten parallels further north.

• WSET (2021): temperature drops approximately 0.6°C for every 100 metres climbed; Decanter gives about 1°C per 100m (2021) and 1°C per 150m (2023)
• WSET (2021): closer to the equator, cooling influences such as sea breezes or mountain air may be needed to keep the vineyard from getting too hot
• Catena Zapata: Adrianna Vineyard weather sits between Winkler zone 1 and zone 2 depending on the year, between Burgundy and a very cool part of Bordeaux
• Château Musar (Decanter, 2003): Serge Hochar said the height of its Bekaa vineyards at 33° gives a climate equivalent of ten parallels further north

Sunlight changes with altitude as well as temperature. Decanter (2023) reports that grapes receive more UV rays the higher you go, encouraging the development of thicker skins and thus more colour, tannic structure and body in Malbec, and that for years intense solar radiation was believed to be the main determining factor at altitude, although temperatures also get cooler. On the Catena Zapata site, Laura Catena writes that the levels of polyphenols and tannins at Adrianna were much higher than for similar plant populations at lower altitude, and that Federico Berli, a PhD student at the local Mendoza University, found that sunlight intensity caused significant increases in the skin tannins of high-altitude Malbec. He separated the effect of sunlight from that of cool climate by covering the vineyard with transparent sheets that shielded only the intense high-altitude rays. Bodega Colomé says that at its Altura Máxima vineyard the grapes receive more sun and less UV protection, producing thicker-skinned grapes. Writing on Bolivia, GuildSomm (2017) reports that ultraviolet exposure promotes photosynthesis, heightens the development of phenolics and improves stem lignification, resulting in riper tannins, and that research suggests higher altitude wines contain more resveratrol than lower altitude wines. Decanter (2021) notes a downside, the risk of sunburned grapes, and reports that Nerello Mascalese on Etna and Cannonau in Mamoiada, Sardinia, are grown on shaded bush vines to protect the grapes.

• Decanter (2023): more UV rays at higher altitude encourage thicker skins and thus more colour, tannic structure and body in Malbec
• Catena Zapata: Mendoza University PhD student Federico Berli found sunlight intensity caused significant increases in the skin tannins of high-altitude Malbec
• GuildSomm (2017), on Bolivia: UV exposure heightens the development of phenolics and improves stem lignification, resulting in riper tannins
• Decanter (2021): sunburn is a risk at altitude; Etna's Nerello Mascalese is grown on shaded bush vines

Catena Zapata links higher altitude to a wider gap between day and night temperatures. Gregory Jones, writing for GuildSomm (2015), explains that the majority of cooler climate cultivars achieve greater typicity in ripening periods with higher diurnal temperature ranges, where daytime temperatures are high enough to facilitate ripening while nighttime temperatures slow respiration and metabolism. Decanter reports large swings at altitude: in Bolivia's Cinti Valley, at an elevation of 2,400m, daytime highs of 35°C can drop to 15°C around harvest (2026), and in Ribera del Duero, marked day/night temperature variations come with an altitude of 800 metres-plus (2003). Decanter (2016) describes Cafayate's vineyards, between 1,600 and 2,100 metres, as lying in a sunny, desert environment, and its 2026 Cinti report says frequent winds and a semi-arid climate foster vine health. At Adrianna, Laura Catena writes that the volcanic subsoil drains so quickly that it is impossible to get very high yields or botrytis rot. Frost and hail are risks. Gregory Jones (GuildSomm, 2015) describes radiation frosts forming on calm nights, with a warmer thermal zone upslope, generally found 30 to 300 meters off the valley floor, that protects from the coolest valley bottom sites. Bodega Colomé reports late frosts in spring and early ones in autumn at 3,111 metres, and GuildSomm (2017) reports that hail is such a threat in Bolivia that a 2005 law required all vineyards to adopt systems to mitigate its effects.

• GuildSomm (2015): cooler climate cultivars gain typicity with higher diurnal ranges; warm days facilitate ripening while cool nights slow respiration and metabolism
• Decanter: daytime highs of 35°C dropping to 15°C around harvest in Bolivia's 2,400m Cinti Valley (2026); marked day/night variations in Ribera del Duero at 800 metres-plus (2003)
• Decanter (2026): frequent winds and a semi-arid climate foster vine health in Cinti; Catena Zapata says Adrianna's drainage makes very high yields or botrytis rot impossible
• Risks: radiation frost on valley floors, with a thermal zone 30 to 300 meters upslope (GuildSomm, 2015); late and early frosts at Colomé's 3,111m vineyard; a 2005 Bolivian law on hail mitigation (GuildSomm, 2017)

Argentina shows the altitude effect across a wide elevation range. Decanter (2003) reported that in Mendoza vines are planted along the eastern edge of the Andes from 900m up to 1,500m above sea level, and Laura Catena told WSET in 2025 that Argentina has very different climates between 900 and 1,500 metres elevation, in vineyards that might only be an hour apart. Catena uses that spread: she describes its Catena Malbec as blending riper components from slightly warmer climates and sandy soils with more mineral, floral, high-acidity components from the very high altitude. According to Catena Zapata, Nicolás Catena established weather stations throughout the Uco Valley and in 1992 settled on Gualtallary Alto, the westernmost and highest district inside Tupungato, where the land sat at almost 1,500 meters or around 5,000 feet; he named the vineyard after his youngest daughter, Adrianna. Catena reports that Adrianna has been subdivided into over 200 distinct parcels, that its soils mix calcium carbonate covered stones, gravel and layers of limestone, and that it vinifies between 200 and 300 separate lots there. Compared with lower-altitude sites further south such as Altamira, La Consulta and Eugenio Bustos, Catena says Adrianna consistently gave more minerality and more acidity. Further north, Salta's Calchaquí Valleys go higher. Decanter (2016) places Cafayate's vineyards between 1,600 and 2,100 metres and the Colomé and Tacuil wineries in Molinos at 2,500 metres, and Decanter (2018) describes the Calchaquí Valleys as higher than 2,000m with 300 days of sun. Bodega Colomé states that its four vineyards sit at altitudes ranging from 2,300 to 3,111 metres, with the Altura Máxima vineyard at 3,111 metres.

• Mendoza: vines planted from 900m up to 1,500m along the eastern edge of the Andes (Decanter, 2003); very different climates between 900 and 1,500 metres (Laura Catena, WSET, 2025)
• Adrianna Vineyard: Gualtallary Alto, Tupungato, chosen in 1992 at almost 1,500 meters; over 200 distinct parcels; 200 to 300 separate lots vinified (Catena Zapata)
• Catena Zapata reports more minerality and more acidity at Adrianna than at lower-altitude sites further south such as Altamira, La Consulta and Eugenio Bustos
• Salta: Cafayate vineyards at 1,600 to 2,100 metres, Colomé and Tacuil at 2,500 metres (Decanter, 2016); Colomé's four vineyards at 2,300 to 3,111 metres (Bodega Colomé)

Altitude shapes wine well beyond Argentina. In Chile, Decanter (2003) reported vines planted up to 975m above sea level along the Andean foothills and up to 600m on the slopes of the coast range. In Bolivia, GuildSomm (2017) reports that 99% of the country's vineyards lie between 1,600 and 3,000 meters, that 93% of grapes for wine production are centred on the Tarija Valley, where altitudes range from 1,600 to 2,150 meters, and that the Cintis Valley reaches up to 2,400 meters. It describes singani as a clear brandy distilled from Muscat of Alexandria, and Tannat, Petit Verdot and Malbec as the darlings of Tarija. In Lebanon, Decanter (2013) places most production in the Bekaa Valley, with vineyards at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,200m. Its 2003 Musar report puts Château Musar's red-grape vineyards, on the western side of the Bekaa, between 900m and 1,050m above sea level, with white-grape vineyards at 1,400m in Ain Arab and 1,500m in Baqaâta. In Spain, Decanter (2003) links Ribera del Duero's acidity to its 800 metre-plus altitude. In Italy, Decanter (2021) lists Valle d'Aosta, Alto Piemonte, Valtellina, Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany, Campania, Sardinia and Sicily as regions that produce wines at altitude, and describes altitude on Mount Etna as essential for cooling Nerello Mascalese.

• Chile: vines up to 975m along the Andean foothills and up to 600m on the coast range slopes (Decanter, 2003)
• Bolivia: 99% of vineyards between 1,600 and 3,000 meters; Tarija Valley 1,600 to 2,150 meters; Cintis Valley up to 2,400 meters (GuildSomm, 2017)
• Lebanon: Bekaa Valley vineyards at 1,000 to 1,200m (Decanter, 2013); Château Musar's red-grape vineyards at 900m to 1,050m (Decanter, 2003)
• Spain and Italy: Ribera del Duero at 800 metres-plus (Decanter, 2003); CERVIM's 500m threshold and altitude cooling Etna's Nerello Mascalese (Decanter, 2021)

Decanter (2023) reports that producers of high-altitude Malbec are increasingly opting to bring out the fruity, floral and herbal qualities of the grape, supported by juicier, tarter palates. At Adrianna, Laura Catena writes that the Cabernet Sauvignon had more pyrazines, the Malbecs had more grip and denser tannins, and the Chardonnays were both mineral and fat, and that slow ripening in the cooler climate allows fully mature tannins with alcohols in the 13% range. For Salta, Decanter (2016) describes Cafayate's reds as known for their structure and spice notes, and its Torrontés as featuring citric, floral and tropical aromas. Decanter (2018) counts around 3,300ha of vineyards in the Calchaquí Valleys, led by Malbec (1,300ha), Torrontés (970ha) and Cabernet Sauvignon (about 500ha). Bodega Colomé plants short-cycle varieties such as Pinot Noir at 3,111 metres because of the frost risk. In Bolivia, GuildSomm (2017) reports that the strength of the UV exposure calls for thicker-skinned varieties and that red wines make up 77% of the country's production. In Italy, Aldo Fiordelli writes in Decanter (2021) that the acidity of altitude wines can seem quite firm and upfront on the palate, and that they often have a floral touch.

• High-altitude Malbec: producers increasingly bring out fruity, floral and herbal qualities with juicier, tarter palates (Decanter, 2023)
• Adrianna (Catena Zapata): more pyrazines in Cabernet Sauvignon, more grip and denser tannins in Malbec, Chardonnay both mineral and fat; alcohols in the 13% range
• Calchaquí Valleys: around 3,300ha led by Malbec, Torrontés and Cabernet Sauvignon (Decanter, 2018); Colomé plants short-cycle Pinot Noir at 3,111 metres
• Bolivia: strong UV exposure calls for thicker-skinned varieties; red wines make up 77% of production (GuildSomm, 2017)

Laura Catena writes on the Catena Zapata site that she started a research department in the mid 1990s, the Catena Institute of Wine, which does over 1,000 microvinifications per year and has worked with PhD students at the local Mendoza University. Catena reports increasing its Adrianna soil study from 5 soil pits per hectare to 70, and following forty separately vinified parcels to evaluate their ageability. Decanter (2023) reports that over the past 20 years Argentine growers and oenologists have worked to better understand high-altitude terroirs, and that many have concluded that plantings need to go even higher up the mountains to obtain fresher, more precise styles. Decanter (2021) calls climate change a key factor in the increased popularity of high-altitude sites, and reports that Alto Adige producer Hofstätter has planted Pinot Noir at more than 1,000m, in an area where the temperature has risen by 1°C in the past 30 years according to the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche di Trieste.

• Catena Institute of Wine: started in the mid 1990s; over 1,000 microvinifications per year; work with Mendoza University PhD students (Catena Zapata)
• Adrianna soil study rose from 5 to 70 soil pits per hectare; forty separately vinified parcels followed for ageability (Catena Zapata)
• Decanter (2023): many Argentine growers have concluded plantings need to go even higher to obtain fresher, more precise styles
• Decanter (2021): climate change is a key factor in the popularity of high-altitude sites; Hofstätter has planted Pinot Noir at more than 1,000m in Alto Adige

Primary sources: https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2021/august/24/how-does-geography-affect-a-wine-s-style, https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2025/how-malbec-went-global-laura-catena-on-altitude-myths-and-versatility, https://catenazapata.com/adrianna-vineyard/, https://bodegacolome.com/en/shop/altura-maxima-pinot-noir/, https://catenazapata.com/the-story-of-the-adrianna-vineyard/, https://catenazapata.com/wines/white-bones/, https://bodegacolome.com/en/. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/premium/high-altitude-malbec-top-20-to-seek-out-509823/, https://www.decanter.com/premium/italys-high-altitude-wines-460029/, https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/articles/b/aubrey-terrazas/posts/bolivian-wine, https://www.decanter.com/wine/cinti-valley-bolivias-magical-secret-wine-garden/, https://www.decanter.com/features/peak-practice-248440/, https://www.decanter.com/features/regional-profile-lebanon-245998/, https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/understanding-musar-2-103656/, https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/south-america/decanter-travel-guide-salta-argentina-296940/, https://www.guildsomm.com/public_content/features/articles/b/gregory_jones/posts/climate-grapes-and-wine, https://www.decanter.com/premium/experts-choice-calchaqui-valley-reds-399848/, https://www.decanter.com/features/ribera-del-duero-has-wines-with-altitude-248458/. Last verified 2026-09-28