Mendoza is situated in western Argentina, and is the gateway to the high Andes and the Chilean border at Aconcagua National Park. Known for it’s passionate people, the liveliness of the tango, and the beauty of the language, Argentina prides itself on its energy and its penchant for sumptuous living. Mendoza may not be one of the first places you think of when it comes to great wines, but it should be. There are only a handful of places capable of producing truly exceptional wines – the most well known being Bordeaux and Napa. Recently, the world has recognized Mendoza as a member of this elite group. Mendoza has a long and proud winemaking history and is known as the “Tierra del Sol y del Buen Vino” or “country of sun and good wine”. Today its many vineyards cover more than 490,000 acres, helping make Argentina the world's fifth largest wine producer. The winemaking tradition began as early at the mid 1500’s, when Spanish settlers brought their vines to Argentina. Several later waves of immigration brought settlers from Italy, Spain and France, and these pioneers brought vines to supply their taste for European wine varieties. Argentines take their wine seriously, so it was no surprise that Argentina's prestigious School of Agriculture was founded in Mendoza in 1853. The school taught the European model of winemaking including grafting and other modern cultivation techniques, and introduced Argentina’s winemakers to French varietals. Finally in 1884, the area underwent several large irrigation projects, and the dams and channels that were constructed transformed the dry land into rich soil that could allow modern viticulture to flourish. Today Mendoza has a unique advantage for making world-class wines. Located in the foothills of the Andes at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level, the Uco Valley combines high altitude, alluvial sandy soils, minimal precipitation with controllable mountain snowmelt and almost constant sunshine with cool nights to produce an ideal environment for growing the perfect grapes. With its rich history and dedication to the craft of winemaking, Mendoza has been a premier winegrowing area for over 150 years. Many of the world's great wine producers now have operations here. Mendoza is putting Argentina on the map as the place to cultivate world-class wines.