Aiming high in Argentina

The high desert of the Mendoza wine region is not the Napa Valley. But winegrowers in both places share a similar idea: Higher is better.

In Napa, that means planting grapes on the slopes of the valley’s gentle hills. In the Mendoza, it means getting a little closer to the Andes. The theory for both places is that vines that have to work harder to survive produce more intense fruit.

Beautiful but arid, the wine growing areas of the Mendoza give off an austere vibe even in mild spring weather. Many of the vines grow very tall here; it’s hot, so need to keep the grape clusters close to the earth. Another unusual sight — black netting is strung along the tops of vines as protection against the hailstorms that can develop from the Andes mountains and are a major threat to crops here.

Walking along the Mendoza vineyards and looking up at the Andes looming in the distance is something I haven’t gotten used to. It feels like someone’s Photoshopped in the craggy, snow-dusted peaks. But they’re real all right and useful for more than a stunning backdrop. An intricate system of channels and aqueducts siphons runoff from snowmelt to the region.

In just a few days, I’ve only gotten the vaguest notion of the local culture. But here is a performance of a traditional dance that I liked a lot. The dancers were so graceful and elegant. (And I totally have to have some of those gaucho pants.)