Look out! Argentina is coming! If Argentina is not the big thing this autumn, I'll eat my fedora.

You see, Argentina is the fifth largest wine producer in the world yet, up to five years ago, we hardly saw any Argentinean wine in the UK.Their neighbours and rivals, Chile, made it big over here some five or six years ago.

Argentina looked at the success of Chile and decided that was the way to go. Things have not been easy.

An unstable political situation and an apathetic approach to wine-making prevented our tapping into this enormous resource.

Things have changed and the Argentineans have put their house in order. More care in the vineyard and reduced yields have enabled them to compete on the export market for the first time.

When you consider the size of their production, it is not difficult to foresee a considerable presence in the future.

Apart from a few companies that have consistently been making top quality wine for some time, the overall impression of these wines is one of great improvement

What were once flabby, dilute boring wines have gained greater concentration of fruit, better acidity and grip and a distinct impression of quality wine.

The necessity of irrigation in the dry vineyards of Argentina makes the production of quality grapes a constant challenge.

A lazy grower need only turn on the tap more often to increase the quantity of grapes produced. Such, once commonplace, practices are on the decline.

There is now a wide range of ever-improving wines coming out of Argentina. This autumn we look set to see the best yet from Argentina.

If you need convincing of the potential of Argentina, get on the phone quickly to Adnams, telephone 01502 727220 and order a bottle of the 1998 Syrah Vina Alicia, priced £17.50. Yes, I know its dear but, wow, this is superb Syrah.

Smoky , berryish and alluring on the nose with a palate of freshly crushed plums and berries, smoke, pepper and yet all held in perfect balance in a magically fine and delicate style that is a classic sign of the very best wines.

Weinert is one of the great names in Argentinean wine and its long-standing tradition of top-quality wine is more than evident in the Weinert Carrascal 1997 Majestic, priced £6.99.

The dark, classy blackcurrant tones on the nose carry through to the palate with a full, complex flavour that lingers.

Majestic also has the Gran Vino Cavas de Weinert, priced £10.99, a touch finer and with more maturity. It has all the class of a serious claret with a deal more fruit than some.

Tesco and the Wine Society stock the 1999 Mendoza Tempranillo from Anubis priced £5.99.

This is crammed with ripe, strawberry and plum fruit with a whiff of spice and a warm, rounded flavour.

Of the whites we especially enjoyed the Bright Brothers Viognier Reserve at Co-op, priced £5.99. Less overtly floral, but with a more concentrated fruit style, this is a super aperitif wine. Crisp and fresh but with evident melony richness under the zingy, dry, lemony fruit.

Argentina's own grape variety, The Torrontes, came from Spain but it is far better known now in Argentina. An unusual variety it tends to give floral perfumed aromas. In the right hands it can produce a smashing, crisp, aromatic summertime sip.

Our favourite was the Don David Torrontes 1999 from Hallgarten (01582 722538) . The classic floral, spicy nose has plenty of ripe lemony fruit in the background and the palate is a beautifully balanced mouthful of understated classic Torrontes.

Asda has a pretty good example of the Torrontes 1999 priced £3.49, which has a big, juicy, fruity style.