WINE TRENDS 2026: Tannins and Ambrosia
In Mendoza’s Uco Valley region, long wooden tables rest between rows of vines that have endured wind, altitude, and patient human hands. Glasses upon them catch the sun and the wine inside glows somewhere between burnished gold and soft terracotta. Carrying the perfume of dried apricot, wild herbs, citrus peel, as well as a faint memory of clay, its first sip surprises, not with sweetness, but with grip and texture. This is a gentle tannic frame that holds the palate with quiet authority. In 2026 the conversation has shifted in Argentina and Orange wine, once whispered about as a curiosity, now occupies confident space on serious restaurant lists from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and even Cordoba. Collectors discuss skin contact maceration with the same ease once reserved for oak regimens and vineyard elevations. Sommeliers speak of structure and gastronomy rather than novelty, while travellers arrive asking for it by name. In fact, globally, the movement has matured. Reports from Euro...