Argentina Flashcards

1
Q

2023 Argentina harvest

A

Smallest Argentinian harvest since 1960, down 23% from the year before
* devastating late spring frost
* hottest summer in a century
* irrigation water shortage

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2
Q

Most planted Argentinian grapes

A

1 Malbec

#2 Cereza
#3 Bonarda
#4 Cab Sauv
#5 Criolla Grande

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3
Q

Cereza is a crossing of?

A

Criolla Chica (Listan Prieto) x Moscatel de Alejandria

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4
Q

Listan Prieto - Argentina name

A

Criolla Chica

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5
Q

Bonarda - origins/synonyms

A

Douce Noire/Corbeau, once widely planted in Savoie

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6
Q

Torrontés - types, most planted, crossings

A
  1. Torrontés Riojano (moscatel x criolla chica)
  2. Torrontés Sanjuanino (moscatel x criolla chica)
  3. Torrontés Mendocino (moscatel x unknown)
    *Riojano is the best and the most planted (with about 7650ha. Torrontés Sanjuanino is 2nd with 1620ha)
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7
Q

Argentina vine training + irrigation

A
  1. Modern: VSP with drip irrigation
  2. Old: parral (pergola) with flood irrigation

52% trained on pergola systems, especially Criolla grapes;
47% is VSP-trained (espaldera); 1%
is a mishmash of other training methods.

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8
Q

Main viticultural threats in Argentina (4)

A
  • Esca
  • frost, hail, Zonda
  • nematodes
  • mostly… lack of irrigation water
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9
Q

3 Argentina GI’s created on basis of geography, climate, etc

A
  • Paraje Altamira GI (alluvial cone of Rio Tunuyan)
  • Pampa El Cepillo GI (basically the plains below Paraje Altamira)
  • Cordon El Cepillo GI (22; the ridge of the foothills)
  • San Pablo GI (climate - cool, humid & 20in/rain; proximity to Portillo Ridge)
    Pampa El Cepillo GI
    [Tapiz, Salentein, Zuccardi]
  • Los Chacayes GI: ‘17, geographical, not political (need to verify this)
    [Lurton Bros]
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10
Q

Quebrada de Humahuaca GI

A

Jujuy (northernmost GI)
* Argentina’s highest vineyards.. up to 3329
* 42ha.. isn’t that important

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11
Q

Salta subregions

A

Cafayete
Molinos
Cachi
San Carlos

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12
Q

Salta’s subregions - most planted to least

A
  1. Cafayete - 2683ha
  2. San Carlos - 657m
  3. Molinos - 130ha
  4. Cachi - 91ha

[N-S: Cachi, Molinos, San Carlos, Cafayete]

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13
Q

Salta’s important river

A

Rio Salado

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14
Q

Molinos

A

Subregion of Salta; 130ha
* gravel, sand, volcanic soils
* Altura Maxima Malbec / Colomé @ 3111M

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15
Q

Finca Altura Maxima

A

Colomé’s star vineyard in Molinos in the Salta. It sits at 3111M
Labels under the Valles Calchaquies GI

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16
Q

Diurnal Shift
- main factors

A
  1. Clouds: blanket effect. Block sunlight to moderate daytime temps, traps heat to moderate nighttime temps
  2. Humidity: water vapor in air absorbs heat. Humid places trapped warmth moderates day/nighttime temps
  3. Elevation: thinner air is less efficient at holding heat. Cools quickly at night
  4. Proximity to water: water heats/cools more slowly than land. smaller shifts
  5. Vegetation: plants/trees release moisture and impede rapid heat loss from ground at night
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17
Q

Frost factors

A

Cool climates: highest risk in spring with tender buds, young shoots

High diurnal shift areas: clear calm nights let heat radiate quickly from ground

Areas near water: water moderates day temps but doesn’t release enough heat at night to counterbalance rapid radiation cooling that leads to frost

Valley floors: cold air is denser; settles

Clear skies, lack of wind

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18
Q

UV ray + elevation relationship
- Methods to protect grapes

A

UV rays increase 4% per 100M. Grapes need more “sunscreen”
* N-S orientation to minimize sun
* train shoots vertically
* create a more diffused canopy with trellising system
* shade cloth
* Kaolin clay

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19
Q

Kaolin clay

A

natural mineral sunscreen for grape bunches

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20
Q

Cafayete - latitude, elevation, climate, grapes

A

26ºS; 1700 - 2000M
* Arid continental / 7.3in rain
* largest/southernmost Salta subregion
* poor rocky soils with high sand
* lots of old vines.. 1/3rd of vineyard is 100+

Torrontes #1, Malbec, Cab Sauv

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21
Q

Top Cafayete producers

A

Amalaya
Bodegas Etchart
El Esteco
Piatelli
El Porvenir de Cafayete

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22
Q

Valles Calchaquíes
- provinces/dept GIs

A

4200ha total
PROVINCES:
* Salta (Cafayete, Molinos, San Carlos, Cachi)
* Tucuman (Amaicha del Valle, Colalao del Valle)
* Catamarca (Santa Maria)

Oldest productive vines in Arg - Etcher’s 1862 Torrontes vyd

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23
Q

GI subregions of Catamarca (5)

A

Tinogasta
Poman
Belen
Santa Maria
Catamarca (dept GI within region GI)

[hot, semi-arid. 7in rain/yr. Abaucan River, Andes Mountain]

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24
Q

Tinogasta
- location
- mountain
- river
- grapes

A

most planted GI subregion of Catamarca Valleys; holds 1480 of 1721ha
* 1100 - 2050
* Fiambala Mountain Range, Abaucan River
* Cereza, Torrontes, Syrah

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25
Q

Cuyo subregions - meaning of name?

A
  1. Mendoza (149k ha)
  2. San Juan (31,960 ha)
  3. La Rioja (6539ha)
    (San Luis - 107ha, if we count it)
  4. San Luis (est 2019)

[N-S: La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza, San Luis (east)]

95% of Argentina’s vineyard area
Cuyo = “land of sand” in native Huarpe

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26
Q

Argentina word for irrigation channel

A

Acequias

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27
Q

La Rioja Argentina - most planted grapes

A

1 Torrontes Riojano

#2 Malbec
#3 Cab Sauv

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28
Q

La Rioja (Argentina) 3 most important sub-GI’s

A

Chilecito (5219ha)
Felipe Varela (532ha)
Famantina (359ha)
*90% of production

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29
Q

La Rioja Argentina - mountains

A

Famatina + Sierra de Velasco Ranges
* Chilecito lies in between them w 5219 of 6539ha
* 770 - 1850M; Deep sandy alluvial soils (rockier at altitude, fertile in lower valleys

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30
Q

Zonda
- type
- benefits
- timing
- regions w heaviest impact

A

Foehn wind: comes from polar maritime air; warms over the crest of its descent
* hot and dry in lower lands but catalyst of snow precipitation in higher elevations (critical for irrigation)
* May to Nov; typically 12pm to 6pm

Most heavily impacts La Rioja, San Juan, N Mendoza

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31
Q

San Juan

A

Cuyo; 31.5ºS. #2 region for production
* hail; Zonda is particularly fierce here
* potassium = high pH/alkaline soils. Sandy-loam with patches of limestone.
* Malbec, Syrah, Torrontes

Basically everything here is an IG: Valle de Tullum, Calingasta, Sarmiento, Pedernal, Zonda

Bodegas Callia, Finca las Moras, Graffigna, Pyros

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32
Q

San Juan (important) subregions (5)

A

Tulum (largest)
Ullum (table grapes)
Zonda (testament to the wind in San Juan)
Pedernal (grand cru)
Calingasta (old vine Criolla, Bonarda)

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33
Q

Pedernal GI

A

Grand Cru of San Juan
“flint”
* 1150 - 1500M
* Limestone rich soils + cooler temps (Gualtallary-ish)

Nothing in 1992, 800ha now. Grape prices 2x other regions in San Juan.

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34
Q

Las Heras, Lavalle

A

Northern Mendoza

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35
Q

Maipú
- District GI (4)

A

Mendoza; 11,120ha
Lunlunta GI
Las Barrancas GI
El Paraiso GI
Russell GI

Flatter, softer, siltier soil, generally warmer bc lower altitude - an easy and productive region to cultivate
* key to the foundation of the industry but vineyards now on decline

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36
Q

Lunlunta GI

A

Maipú, Mendoza
Mendoza River
“rolling stone” in native
* 880 - 930M

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37
Q

Las Barrancas GI

A

Maipú, Mendoza
Mendoza River
* 680 - 840M; warm, low altitude

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38
Q

Agrelo

A

Lujan de Cuyo
* 930 - 1100M
* sandy clay loam soils (rockier in Alto Agrelo)
* Malbec is over 1/2 plantings
South of Mendoza River, not directly on it tho

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39
Q

Lujan de Cuyo districts

A

Ugarteche
Perdriel
Carodilla, Chacras de Coria, El Carrizal, Mayor Drummond

GIs:
Agrelo, las Compuertas, Vistalba

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40
Q

Viticultural hazards in Lujan de Cuyo?

A
  • water availability
  • destructive Zonda winds
  • spring frost
  • hailstorms
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41
Q

Argentina’s 1st DOC

A

Lujan de Cuyo, approved in 1989
* political boundary GI’s were created from the start; additional GI’s and DOCs are at grower/region expense

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42
Q

Los Cerrillos Hills

A

Boundary between….
Lujan de Cuyo (Ugarteche)
Uco Valley

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43
Q

Uco Valley
- climate
- diurnal range
- rainfall

A

Arid continental
- ~30º diurnal shift in the summer
- 7 - 11in

44
Q

Lujan de Cuyo GI district GIs (3)

A

Agrelo IG
Las Compuertas IG
Vistalba IG

45
Q

Argentina’s DOC

A

San Rafael
Lujan de Cuyo

46
Q

Requirements for wines applying the Lujan de Cuyo DOC?

A
  • must come from authorized vineyards
  • vines 10+ years old
  • min. 5000 vines/ha
  • wines age at least 2 years before sale including 1 in barrel
47
Q

Lujan de Cuyo DOC aging requirement

A

1 year in barrel, 2 years total before sale

48
Q

3 founding wineries of Lujan de Cuyo DOC

A

Chandon
Lagarde
Nieto Sentenir
Luigi Bosca
Norton
Otero Ramos
(Mendel, Brescia, Caesarean, Vistalba, Trivento joined later)

49
Q

Perdriel

A

*not a GI
Lujan de Cuyo; 910 - 980M
Mendoza River
* alluvial soils w river gravels, clay, sandy silt
* south side of Mendoza River = cooler than the other subs

50
Q

Las Compuertas GI

A

Lujan de Cuyo; 950 - 1080M
Mendoza River
* “floodgates” - closest to the mountains, closest to the acequias
* housing pressure = expensive land

51
Q

Chandon in Argentina

A

Lujan de Cuyo, 1959
* planted 1st vines in Gualtallary, 1992

52
Q

Achaval Ferrer

A

Lujan de Cuyo (based); Stoli group

Top wines:
1. Finca Altamira (La Consulta GI/Paraje Altamira) * 1999 vintage kicked off this GI’s ascension
2. Finca Bella Vista(Lujan de Cuyo)
3. Finca Mirador (Mendoza)

53
Q

Catena Zapata
- winery location, top vineyards/wines

A

Lujan du Cuyo-based; significant sourcing from Uco Valley
* Adrianna Vineyard (Alto Gualtallary): Whites Bones, Whites Stones, Fortuna Terrae Malbec

54
Q

Cheval des Andes

A

Lujan de Cuyo (based) + Paraje Altamira
* Cheval Blanc x Terrazas de los Andes
* 1 wine - Malbec, Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot from Las Compuertas (Lujan) & La Consulta (Uco)

55
Q

Susana Balbo Wines

A

Dominio del Plato
“Queen of Torrontes”
Lujan de Cuyo, est 2000

56
Q

Terrazas de los Andes
- ownership
- based in?

A

Chandon Argentina
LVMH, est 1996
Based in Perdriel, Lujan de Cuyo
Varietal wines only.

57
Q

Viña Cobos

A

Perdriel, Lujan de Cuyo
Paul Hobbs,1st Cobos vintage 1999

58
Q

Uco Valley departments + district GIs

A
  1. San Carlos GI (661ha)
    [Paraje Altamira, Pampa El Cepillo, Cordon El Cepillo, La Consulta]
  2. Tupungato GI (639ha)
    [El Peral]
  3. Tunuyan GI (485ha)
    [Los Chacayes, Vista Flores, San Pablo]
59
Q

Uco Valley viticultural hazards

A
  • Frost
  • Hail
  • Zonda
    Quite exposed - these things have easier access
60
Q

Gualtallary
- location
- river
- elevation
- soils

A

Tupungato, Uco Valley; no GI, trademark dispute
* 1080 - 1600M
* River Tunas crosses the south

SOILS:
- Alto: limestone
- Central/Lower: sandier as elevation decreases

Varies enormously in soils/micoclimates but…
SPECIAL BC: cool climate + limestone in the upper reaches

61
Q

Important Gualtallary wines

A
  • Catena Zapata: White Bones, White Stones, Fortuna Terrae
    (Adrianna Vineyard)
  • Ben Marco Expresivo
  • Gran Enemigo Gualtallary
62
Q

Monasterio
- elevation
- soils
- wines

A

Alto Gualtallary
* ~1300 - 1500M
* Cool.. Winkler 1,2 vs 3 lower down
* SOILS: “Indian Cement” - sands, clay, gravel, chalk - calcium carbonate; up to 40% active limestone (unique for Argentina)

  • Catena’s Adrianna Vineyard (Whites Bones, Stones Fortuna Terrae)
  • Zuccardi Aluvional Gualtallary/ Poligonos Gualtallary
63
Q

Indian Cement

A

soil type key to Gualtallary’s Monasterio area

Sand, clay, gravels, chalk
High proportion of active limestone

64
Q

Uco Valley rivers

A
  • Tupungato on north bank
    Tunas River
    Tunuyan sits between the two
    Tunuyan River
    *San Carlos on south bank
65
Q

Mendoza most planted grapes

A

1 Malbec: 35,300 ha (Lujan de Cuyo has the most)

#2 Bonarda: 15,680 ha
#3 Cabernet Sauvignon: 11,455 ha
#4 Syrah: 8.684 ha
#5 Pedro Giménez: 8,219 ha (most planted white)
#6 Tempranillo: 5,718 ha

66
Q

Tunuyan department GIs

A
  • Los Chacayes GI
  • San Pablo GI
  • Vista Flores GI
67
Q

San Carlos GI (4)

A
  • Paraje Altamira
  • Pampa El Cepillo GI
  • La Consulta GI
  • Cordon el Cepillo GI (‘22)
68
Q

Rivadavia IG, Junín IG, San Martín IG, Santa Rosa IG, La Paz IG - where are they?

A

Eastern Mendoza

69
Q

Mendoza general climate

A

Arid continental
avg 8.8in/year for city of Mendoza
2872 sunshine hours/year

70
Q

Important rivers in the Mendoza GI?

A

Diamente, Atuel River run through the south
Tunas and Tunuyan Rivers
Mendoza River

71
Q

river between San Pablo GI & Gualtallary?

A

Rio Tunas

72
Q

Paraje Altamira GI

A

“Grand Cru” of San Carlos, Uco Valley; 2800ha planted at 900-1200M. Argentina’s 1st terroir based GI.
* south bank of Rio Tunuyan
* SPECIAL BC: Limestone soils + cool climate

Western sector = highest concentration of limestone, higher elevations. East has smaller pebbles, more sand, flatter topography

73
Q

Argentina’s 1st terroir-based GI? Basis of the boundaries?

A

Paraje Altamira GI (2013)
Boundaries based on an alluvial cone of the River Tunuyan

74
Q

Piedra Infinita

A

Zuccardi; “Infinite stones”
Paraje Altamira GI (San Carlos, Uco Valley)

75
Q

Mendoza River Departments (3) + District GIs (5)

A

DEPTS: Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu, E Mendoza

North Bank:
- Los Compuertas, Vistalba, Lunlunta (Lujan de Cuyo)
- El Paraiso (Maipu)

South Bank:
- Las Barrancas (Maipu)

(E Mendoza = Junin, San Martin depts)
(Non-GI but important.. Perdriel)

76
Q

District GI along the Tunuyan River

A

Tunuyan/San Carlos:
Vista Flores GI
La Consulta GI
Paraje Altamira GI

(Rivadavia/Santa Rosa dept GIs in E Mendoza)

77
Q

What are the pros and cons of flood irrigation? How frequently is this generally done?

A

Pros: Flood irrigation emulates a true rainy season by saturating the ground, frequency can be increased or decreased to produce a specific crop level.

Cons: A large portion (5-25%) of irrigation water can be lost to evaporation, huge amounts of water are needed, maintaining the channels can be labor intensive and expensive

78
Q

Clos de los Siete

A

Uco Valley

Winemaker: Michel Rolland
Cuvelier los Andes
Bodega Rolland
Bodega DiamAndes
Monteviejo
*all Bordeaux families

79
Q

Malbec’s parents

A

Prunelard vs. Madeleine Noir des Charentes

80
Q

Cool, wet Argentinian vintages since 2015

A

2015 :cool and wet
2016: VERY cool, very very wet
2021 - not great - cool year
2022 - bad for yields, cool and ok quality

81
Q

Best Argentina vintages since 2015

A

2017 - 2019: very good to excellent
2018: highest yields
2019 was cool, very balanced.
2020 was very good

82
Q

What are the 2 appellations of South Mendoza?

A

General Alvear GI
San Rafael DOC

83
Q

Paraje Altamira wines

A
  • Zuccardi’s Piedra Infinita Supercal
  • Altos Las Hormigas Appellation Paraje Altamira
  • Susana Balbo Signature Barrel Fermented Torrontes
84
Q

Pampa El Cepillo GI

A

San Carlos GI, Uco Valley
avg ~1000M
* terroir based GI - based on part of the alluvial cone of the River Tunuyan
* cool cool climate

85
Q

La Consulta

A

San Carlos, Uco Valley
* part of Paraje Altamira lies within
* clay rocks sand with some limestone patches

86
Q

San Rafael/General Alvear
- rivers/irrigation sources
- producers
- climate

A

South Mendoza
* Rio Diamente, Rio Atuel (longest river in Mendoza)
* DOC defined by microclimate. Milder temps, less winds & frost risk
San Rafael = DOC; Bianchi is the big winery here. Mumm

87
Q

Patagonia provinces (4)

A

Neuquen (1764ha)
Rio Negro (1526ha)
La Pampa (278ha)
Chubut (87ha)

88
Q

Rio Negro GI
- 3 subregions
- most planted grapes

A

1 malbec, #2 Merlot, #3 Pinot Noir

Patagonia; 1107ha
Subregions:
- General Roca (Upper Valley; 180 - 265M)
- Avallenada (Middle Valley)
- Alfonso Elsina

89
Q

Rio Negro GI soils

A

Alluvial soils with clay, sandy loam & river gravels

(Mendoza and Rio Negro both share alluvial soil types, but Rio Negro has more clay and calcareous soils)

90
Q

Neuquén
- department IGs
- soils
- grapes

A

1 Malbec, #2 Cab Sauv, #3 Merlot

Patagonia
Dept GI: Confluencia, Añelo
* semi-arid, continental (7in rain)
* alluvial clay sandy loam
* 270 - 420M

91
Q

What are Neuquén GI’s 2 major rivers?

A

Limay River, Neuquén River

92
Q

Añelo and Confluencia are located within what GI?

A

Neuquén GI

93
Q

Easternmost Argentina GI

A

Chapadmalal GI

94
Q

Where are the Chapalmadal, Villa Ventana, and Balcarce IG’s?

A

Buenos Aires
(Atlantic Region)

95
Q

La Pampa

A

Central Argentina
* upper valley of the Rio Colorado
* Bodega del Desierto
* continental, arid

96
Q

Otronia

A

The world’s most southerly (?) vineyard, planted at 45º50’S - Billionaire Alejandro Bulgheroni’s project. Named for the lake that saves it from frost. Located in the Sarmiento GI.

97
Q

Bodega Chacra

A

Rio Negro, Patagonia
Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (Sassicaia)
* Mainque Chard made with Roulot

Bodega Mainque is the Chardonnay counterpart, a separate label

98
Q

Patagonian wineries

A
  • Bodega Chacra (Rio Negro)
  • Noemia (Rio Negro)
  • Otronia
  • Bodega del Fin del Mundo

Remember: 7in rain/yr; max 30% humidity. Very dry. Frost risk. Large diurnal shift.

99
Q

Argentina’s 1st recorded vineyard

A

Santiago del Estero, 1556

100
Q

Argentina wine law tiers

A

EXAMPLE:
1. Cuyo IG = Region
(Cuyo & Patagonia are the only 2 big ones with GI status)
2. Mendoza IG, Uco Valley GI etc = subregion
3. Tunuyan, Tupungato, San Carlos are all department GIs
4. Paraje Altamira, El Cepillo etc are district GI

101
Q

Chile/Argentina “Maipu” name relationship

A

Battle of Maipu - Chilean battle of Independence, 1818. Argentine forces fought with Chilean.
* possible that they both named regions for this shared effort, but not confirmed

102
Q

Tullum, Ullum, Zonda, Calingasta

A

Department IGs in San Juan (Cuyo)

103
Q

Barreal, Pedernal

A

District GI’s in San Juan (Cuyo)

104
Q

Most planted department GI of Catamarca?

A

Tinogasta

105
Q

Distrito Medrano IG

A

Junin, Rivadavia