Inversora Agroindustrial Sudamericana (IAS), an Argentina-based wine group, has purchased the Argento Wine Company (AWC) from British wine firm Bibendum Wine.

The purchase will help Argento Wine increase its winery and vineyard capacity and give it access to number of vineyards in the Agrelo and Uco Valley regions of Mendoza.

IAS directors Alejandro Bulgheroni and Carlos Pulenta said in a joint statement that they are pleased to have completed this important step in the development of its international wine business.

"The Argento brand has achieved outstanding global recognition over the past decade and we now have a unique opportunity to combine our extensive vineyard and winemaking facilities with Argento’s global reach and internationally based team," Bulgheroni and Pulenta added.

Launched in 1999, the Argentio wine is now available in more than 50 countries including Canada, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, UAE, the UK and the US.

AWC will continue to operate its offices in London, Mendoza and continental Europe.

AWC managing director Amelia Nolan said they have always positioned themselves to be close to their markets, and integrating their business with the vineyards will enable them to further develop the huge potential that they believe premium wine from Argentina has around the world.

Argento Wine joins IAS’s wine portfolio that includes Argentine winery Bodega Vistalba, Bodega Garzon of Uruguay and Renwood Winery in Amador County, California, apart from the several hundred hectares of vineyards in Mendoza.