Vintage Matters: The Political Economy of Wine Cooperatives in San Rafael, Argentina

Abstract

The wine industry in Mendoza exemplifies the ways that cooperatives in Latin America cope with globalization and neoliberal economic reform. Cooperatives are economic organizations that bridge social, political and economic worlds for their members, and also escort their members from the past into the present. In the wine industry, technological advancement is necessary to compete in a global market, but many local cooperatives resist investing in this type of change. The regional cooperative faces the challenge of providing a buyer for its member cooperatives while also selling a quality product to consumers. The financial success of the regional cooperative position it to provide its members economic support and possibly to foster a restructuring of wine production in Argentina.