President Cristina Fernandez said today the national drink Argentine wine, highlighting the growth of its production is now a major source of foreign exchange through export.

During the ceremony held at the former Central Post Office, the Head of State also advanced to soon be the turn of the yerba mate which was declared "national infusion.

"Wine is about identity and culture of a people," the president said after signing the decree for the wine, and to fan criticism of the measure said that "wine is holy because the first source crop the Jesuits did to celebrate the Holy Mass ".

In his speech, and when I was stressing the importance of the measure, Fernandez de Kirchner had a linguistic slip by confusing the "five o'clock tea" in English with the "tea party", right-wing political movement created in the united in 2006.

"If the British have a tea party, why have not we the party mate," he said without realizing the error. Before the presidential address, he played a song the award-winning musician Gustavo Santaolalla and then Head of State presented awards to owners of historic wineries like Bianchi, Pulentta, Graf, Crotto and Canale.

Cristina Fernandez got off the podium to give his award to Mayor Alberto, a veteran winemaker of INTA engineer who is the author of the wine cuts that allowed the growth of the industry in recent years.

Accompanying the president, as well as agriculture minister, Julián Domínguez, governors of provinces producing: Celso Jaque to San Juan, José Luis Gioja of San Juan, Jorge Sapag of Neuquén, Salta Juan Manuel Urtubey and Luis Beder Herrera of the Rioja.