Terrazas de los Andes: From Mountain Terraces to Glass

Founded in the 1990s by Moët Hennessy, the Terrazas de los Andes estate has built its reputation on a simple yet powerful philosophy: exceptional wines are born where altitude, soil, and climate converge in perfect balance. “Born where the earth meets the sky,” Terrazas literally crafts mountain wines and has truly captured the spirit of Mendoza, making them one of Argentina’s most influential producers. 

The estate name, Terrazas, is by most appropriate, as their vineyard “terraces” from Las Compuertas to Gualtallary climb the foothills of the Andes, ranging from 1,000 to 1,600 meters above sea level. At these heights, vines thrive despite dramatic temperature swings—searing daytime sunlight followed by cool nights that slow ripening and lock in vibrant acidity. The result has been the defining style of Terrazas: wines that express remarkable intensity and balance, with striking mountain freshness. Terrazas’ wines each tell a story of their terroir and present wines of finesse and longevity—wines that truly capture the spirit of the mountains.The winery has long championed the philosophy that altitude is not just geography, but a defining element of character in wine.

On our recent visit to the winery, we were able to tour and talk with the estate manager and enologists. We discussed the importance of irrigation in the vineyards, as Mendoza has desert-like conditions. Moreover, it was interesting to learn that Terrazza is the pioneer of drip technology for irrigation. It was amazing to walk through their beautiful fermentation room and facilities, where it all goes down!

“GREAT WINES ARE GROWN NOT MADE” Terrazas

While visiting, we also tasted a few of their wines. We partook in a lovely “Ascension Journey,” in which we were able to experience and compare wines from four different vineyards, four different soil compositions and four different vineyard elevations. The change in altitudes is dramatic, but not often realized. They explained how the lowest elevation is where we find their oldest vines, some nearly 100 years old, while their newest vines are cultivated at the highest elevations. Each wine was from the 2021 vintage.

• Los Cerezos Vineyard, Las Compuertas Malbec (Parcel 10) -1070 meters/3510 feet asl
• Los Castanos Vineyard, Paraje Altamira Malbec (Parcel 2) – 1100 meters/3610 feet asl
• Lican Vineyard, Los Chacayes Malbec (Parcel 12) – 1200 meters/3937 feet asl
• Extremo, El Espinillo Vineyard Gualtallary Malbec – 1650 meters/5413 feet asl

This journey provided a great way to demonstrate that these wines are not just expressions of fruit and structure, but of place—showcasing how altitude, sunlight, and rocky soils converge to produce wines of both power and finesse.

Beyond the wines, Terrazas de los Andes has become a leader in sustainable viticulture. In fact, they are known and certified as Guardianes de La Vida de Las Montana, or Guardians of Mountain Life. As such Guardians, Terrazas endeavors to protect and preserve the natural environment of the Andes mountains. In 2023, Terrazas achieved Regenerative Organic Certification® (ROC) for a portion of its vineyards and winery, with the goal of extending this across its full estate by 2026. The commitment includes conserving scarce Andean water resources and energy efficiency, restoring biodiversity, reducing carbon emissions, and facilitating local community involvement and empowerment amongst those living in the mountain environment.

Ultimately, Terrazas de los Andes is successful at matching quality with sustainability.  Moreover, they provide both value wines and ambitious flagship wines (many of them 100pt wines), thereby keeping pace with modern and international markets.