When To Visit Argentina's Wine Country

Argentina’s wine regions are mainly concentrated in the rain shadow of the Andes mountains, meaning they are blissfully sunny and dry all year round.

It is possible to visit Argentina’s wine regions at any time, although temperatures can drop during winter.

The hot summer months between December and February also happen to be the wettest, although rain will rarely dampen spirits for more than a few hours. Summer is the season in which most Argentines leave for their holidays in the mountains, or across the Andes to the beaches of Chile. This means it can be eerily quiet or feel like more tourists populate the cities than locals.

The upside is that the mountains are at their best in the summer, so if you want to compliment your wine tasting with hikes, kayaking and rafting – these are the months to do so.

Be aware that wineries can get particularly busy around Christmas and New Year, but otherwise it's a great time to be on the wine route as the vineyards are handsomely green with grapes beginning to take colour.

Autumn hits between March and May, bringing one of the best seasons to visit Argentina’s wine country. This is when all the action takes place. Between the end of February and May, you’ll be hard pushed not to see grapes being harvested, and it’s an opportunity not only for fabulous photos of the harvest and vines laden with grapes but also to taste the first juice as it comes into the bodegas.

While the bare vineyards aren’t as pleasing to the eye as other seasons, the winter (June to August) is when you’ll see the Andes mountains glistening with snow. This is a good time of year to take advantage of Argentina’s ski season in the mountains and quiet season in the vineyards.

Cultural events are at a minimum during winter and wineries can be a little quiet, but the weather is usually pleasant and cold evenings make it all the more inviting to drink a hearty glass of Malbec with typically rich Argentine meat dishes.

By September, Argentina’s vineyards are beginning to wake up for spring – and so are the locals. Spring in Argentina’s wine regions is filled with a growing number of musical concerts and wine tastings as everyone gears up and gets in the mood for the upcoming summer holidays.

October is still shoulder season for tourism, but there are lots of local events to keep you entertained. Mendoza has a Caminos de Vino series of concerts which include tango, classical music and outdoor cinema; November is when Neuquén holds its celebrated Chivito (roast goat) gastronomy festival, and there are traditional folklore and gaucho festivals (Fiesta de la Tradicion) in most of the wine regions.

Keep your eye open for the Fiestas de Vendimia (Harvest festivals) which take place in every one of Argentina’s major wine regions between February and March. Music, grape stomping and wine-drinking ensue over week-long festivities. Mendoza’s Fiesta de Vendimia is one of the biggest in the world and lasts for weeks – but book ahead if you want to get a room in town for the final weekend (first weekend of March).