(Decanter) Vino is integral to Argentine culture. Imports can be prohibitively expensive, but – despite Argentina’s volatile economy – domestic wine consumption remains steady. Local wines are even more affordable for international visitors and many vinotecas (wine shops) hold tastings in both English and Portuguese (as well as Spanish, of course).

Over the past five years, many sommeliers have flown their restaurant coops and launched solo projects. These new vinotecas offer expert advice and stock interesting, hard-to-find wines from smaller Argentinian producers whose wines don’t usually reach the larger wine retailers (such as Ligier).

Porteños (as Buenos Aires residents are known) have been particularly captivated by the development of hybrid vinoteca-restaurants – offering wines at retail prices, alongside food. Aldo’s Vinoteca led this initial charge in 2011; Naranjo Bar (@naranjo_bar), a hipster haven serving small plates and eye-catching labels, followed suit in 2020 and a movement has since spawned, including Diviiino’s three locations and Veredita de Vinos. Other worthy mentions include Vinoteca SOIL in Recoleta, Ozono in Parque Patricios and Lo de Joaquín Alberdi in Palermo Soho.

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