Argentina is the homeland of Malbec — a grape originally from Cahors in southwestern France that found its true potential in Mendoza, at elevations between 600 and 1,500 metres above sea level. The high altitude delivers intense UV radiation and cold nights, preserving acidity and giving Malbec a deep, almost inky colour with plum and violet aromas. Mendoza at the foot of the Andes is the epicentre, with Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco as premier appellations. Torrontés, an aromatic white grape, is Argentina's signature white variety, grown mainly in Salta.