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 The multicultural identity of Argentina is as complex as that of the United States and has similar historical precedents. Two waves of immigration -- after the country achieved independence from Spain in 1816, and again in a huge wave around the turn of the century -- brought settlers from Italy, Spain and France, as well as virtually every other European nation. These pioneers brought vines to supply their taste for European wine varieties. Among these were the predominantly French Malbec, Spanish Torrontés and Tempranillo, and the Italian varietals Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera and Lambrusco.
Nineteenth century winemakers concentrated on optimizing the quantity rather than quality of their wines, a trend that by and large has only begun to change over the last fifteen years. Historically, they planted vines on the dry eastern slopes of the Andes foothills, improved their irrigation systems and produced everyday wine in abundance.
Between 1930 and 1983, years of political and economic instability seriously disrupted the industry. One of the more shattering changes for winemakers was a tax policy that encouraged destruction of fine older vineyards and favored planting of inferior high-volume varietals. In Mendoza province, whose proud history of red Malbec and white Semillon wines had made it known as the Tierra del Sol y del Buen Vino (country of sun and good wine), wine production was drastically disrupted by the terrible political conditions of the 1970's, from which it (like the rest of Argentina) continues to recover.
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