Mendoza Province

Mendoza Province exists because the Andes exist—the massive mountain range creating a rain shadow that blocks Pacific moisture while delivering snowmelt that irrigates high-altitude vineyards in what would otherwise be desert. This geographic configuration produces 70% of Argentina's wine from 145,393 hectares planted at 600-1,100 meters elevation, making Mendoza the world's fifth-largest wine producer and the nation's premier viticultural region.

The Cuyo region's largest economy, Mendoza generated 51.72% of regional GDP in 2022. Beyond wine (73% of provincial agricultural manufacture, 74% of national production), the agricultural-industrial model extends to preserved peaches, prunes, olives, and olive oil. Location within the Central Bioceanic Corridor positions the province for trans-Andean trade, though exports concentrate in Brazil ($337.5 million), United States ($253 million), and Chile ($93 million) as of 2023.

Climate change threatens the water-dependent viticulture system. Maximum temperatures increased 0.7°C between 2010-2020 versus the 1961-2009 baseline, accelerating grape phenology by up to two weeks. Earlier ripening reduces acidity while elevating sugar—metabolic shifts requiring varietal adaptation. More critically, reduced Andean snowfall diminishes the meltwater historically used for flood irrigation, forcing transition to drip systems and boreholes.

The 2024 harvest delivered yields 10-15% below average due to Zonda winds, drought, and heat, though quality remained high. Milei's "Ley de Bases" and Large Investment Incentives Regime (RIGI) theoretically enable technology adoption for international market expansion.

By 2026, Mendoza tests whether climate adaptation can preserve the wine industry that Andean geography created, or whether warming accelerates beyond viticulture's adaptive capacity.