Argentina is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine, such as the Argentine cuisine, has its origins in Italy and Spain, with some special touches from France and the Basque country. During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, the first grape vines were planted in the provinces of Salta and Santiago del Estero around 1550, and the cultivation of grapes and wine production stretched first to neighboring regions, like San Juan to the west and Corrientes to the east, and then to other parts of the country, mainly alongside the foot of the high rising Andes Mountain range. The Majestic Malbec has become the most emblematic Argentinian grape.