RED WINE, WHITE SOCIETY: How Viticulture and Modernity Shaped Argentina’s National Identity

Wine is frequently mentioned in the same breath as Argentina—this thesis explores why this is despite the relatively small economic influence of wine in Argentina. Much of the current understanding of viticulture’s role in development is focused on economic and environmental impact. In a resource-rich postcolonial sate, like Argentina, there is less economic reliance on wine; instead, wine takes on the role of signifier, supporting the construction of a white national identity. Essentially, this thesis looks at the terroir of Argentine national identity. Using the process tracing method to synthesize interviews with winemakers, fieldwork in Mendoza, and Argentine history, this thesis applies theories of consumption as identity, luxury goods, and development to understand the significance of wine in Argentina. The three central claims of this theory are: Modernization Theory is accepted domestically in Argentina, whiteness is equated to modernity, and that wine production and consumption can increase proximity to whiteness. Ultimately, this study finds that Argentine viticulture has two products: wine and proximity to whiteness.