Wine production dates back to the first recorded vineyard in Northern Argentina, at Santiago del Estero in 1557. Today, more than 221,700 hectares are planted with vines - in the West of the country lie the Andes foothills which is home to one of the major wine producing regions, Mendoza. This is a region with little rainfall and therefore relies on the constant supply of the Andes melt down. High altitude vineyards exposed to the extra UV light results in thicker skinned grapes with powerful tannins and intense colour particularly in their reds. The cooling effect of altitude means that the grapes preserve acidity even when they are allowed to hang for quite a while before harvest.