The most important vineyards are located in the Valleys of Famatina, to the west of the province and to more than 1.100 meters on the level of the sea. The floors are aluvionales, with texture of frank to frank-sandy, and the climate is very dry, with an average of only 150 millimeters of rain per year.

The strong heat of the day is compensated with very fresh nights and the vines have a good brightness.

The torrontés riojano, arisen of cared stumps that they adapted very well to the characteristics of the floor and the climate of Rioja, it has good development potential, and is distinguished of the one of it Jumps to be probably more aromatic.

The first plantations in the area go back at the end of the XVI century, and at the present time the vineyards and arbors riojanos already cover 7.500 hectares , of those which almost 40 percent is of torrontés.

As in the counties northern vitivinícolas, in La Rioja the activity settles in valleys, fundamentally in that of Famatina that is flanked by the mountains of Famatina and Velazco.

The origin of the first plantations in the area goes back at the end of the year 1590, after the Spanish conqueror's arrival Juan Ramírez of Velázco and of the religious orders of dominicos and Jesuit that needed the wine for its ceremonies.

Of the cared stumps, those that better they adapted they are those that gave origin at the moment to the famous Torrontés Riojano, of characteristic very defined and important aromatic values.

The Torrontés gave first origin to regional wines and then to fine wines, and today in day one can also degustar a foamy of type champagne of excellent style.

The wines of La Rioja are object of an international controversy, since, when they began to be exported with certain continuity and volume, the Denomination of Origin Rioja of Spain opposed herself

absolutely inside the countries of the European Union (before European Common Market) to that wines of the Argentina were cared accusing the origin " La Rioja. "

The Spanish approach is the same one that France uses with Champagne or Bourgogne , defending the intellectual property of those denominations.

The Argentina defended the position of the local exporters officially alleging that there was not an usurpation of prestige and that on the other hand the name of our province was put by the Spanish conqueror that what is today the capital city was founded.

Although the Spanish position appears as unyielding, the Argentina doesn't lose the hopes and it continues negotiating in the search of a transactional formula that according to both parts. Meanwhile, the origin denomination at the moment used in the export of the wines fine riojanos it is " Valley of Famatina ".

On the other hand, the Camera of western Grocers Riojano began administrations this year to achieve that is given to the wine Torrontés Riojano the recognition like wine Argentinean typical varietal.

In The Rioja 7.500 hectares of vineyards and arbors are cultivated, of those which almost 40% is of torrontés riojano.