Winemakers are increasingly turning to high-altitude vineyards to produce distinctive and premium wines, driven by the unique environmental conditions found closer to the sun. For every 325 feet (100 meters) of increased elevation, the average daily temperature decreases by about 0.65 to 1 degree Celsius, leading to a longer ripening period for grapes. This extended hang time, combined with cooler nighttime temperatures and increased UV exposure, results in smaller berries with thicker skins, which in turn produce wines with higher acidity, more complex flavors, and concentrated phenolic compounds like anthocyanins and tannins. Wineries like Bodega Colome in Salta, Argentina, farm vineyards up to 10,206 feet, with Bodegas Luigi Bosca and Doña Paula in Mendoza also utilizing high-elevation sites, some exceeding 3,600 feet.
However, cultivating these elevated vineyards presents substantial challenges. Logistics are often a major hurdle, as seen with Bodega Colome, where bringing in essential equipment and plants from 1,000 miles away in Mendoza required significant investment and extended the time to first harvest from four years to eight or more. High-altitude sites also face issues with lower humidity and reduced natural water availability, necessitating precise irrigation strategies, and steeper slopes further complicate water retention. Randy Ullom, winemaker at Kendall-Jackson Estate and Gardens, emphasizes the need for hand harvesting and rethinking canopy management to protect grapes from excessive UV radiation.
The high costs associated with these vineyards, including labor-intensive farming methods due to the inability to use machines on steep slopes, are reflected in the price of the wines. While established fine wine houses like Moët Hennessy (with their Ao Yun wines priced around $238.50-$259.20 a bottle) can absorb these costs, smaller, lesser-known producers find it more difficult to compete. Some, like Delmotte of Bodega Colome, mitigate these costs by balancing production with more commercial vineyards at lower altitudes, using the high-altitude sites for “iconic wines.”
Despite the operational difficulties, winemakers believe the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Santiago Marone Cinzano from Col d’Orcia notes that altitude allows grapes to develop more complex aromas and better balance. Martin Kaiser, winegrowing director at Doña Paula, highlights the deeper color and robust tannic structure, alongside freshness, that stronger sunlight at high altitudes promotes. The Uco Valley in Mendoza, with vineyards reaching 5,250 feet, has seen its vineyard area double in the past 25 years, indicating a growing trend towards high-elevation viticulture.
