Picture This: Argentina: wine

Argentine Wine: It's Divine

If I found the food in Argentina to be underwhelming, I found the exact opposite to be true of the wine. I drank wine every single day, sometimes more than once, and each wine was better than the last. I never had even a mediocre wine in Argentina. Everything I tried was excellent, across all price points.

Argentina has recently become a major player on the worldwide fine wine stage, mainly for its Malbec. I've been familiar with the varietal for years (it's used mostly as a blending wine here in Napa Valley), but ever since knowing I was heading for Argentina, I did loads of "homework" and bought/ordered/consumed Malbec at every opportunity. Had to be prepared, right? When I got to Argentina, I learned even more. I discovered other Argentine varietals as well: their iconic white wine, Torrontés; their "other" red wine, Bonarda; their sparkling wines, and even Argentine-made familiar varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

A bit of history: Although Argentina's wines are relatively new on the international market, Argentina is no stranger to wine. The first vine cuttings were brought there by the Spanish in the 1500s, and production has never stopped. Argentina is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world, and Argentinians drink an average of 12 gallons of wine per capita annually. Most of the wine never left Argentina until fewer than eight years ago; 90 percent of it was sold and consumed in country. Their winemaking focus was quantity over quality. And then Argentina's great economic collapse of 2001/2002 came along. Their peso was devalued, which brought financial devastation in so many ways, but opened up affordable production costs for the wine industry (largely by foreign investors). Winemakers turned the traditional business model on its head and started focusing on high-quality, exportable wines. Tourism expanded simultaneously (it was now affordable for foreigners to visit Argentina), and wine-savvy tourists like myself started to flock to Mendoza. A perfect storm.

The opening spout of an old-style adobe wine cask, as big as a room, used to age and store wine back in the day (not so long ago!) when Argentina was focused on quantity as opposed to quality.

Penguins and Wine

Meet my favorite souvenir, this modern version of a traditional pinguino, a wine carafe in the shape of a penguin historically used to serve the house wine. In this day and age of quality Argentina wines, I only saw them being used in a restaurant one time, ironically on the very first day I was there, and then never again. Why a penguin? No reason other than Argentina is home to four species of the bird, and the people love them. So why not?

Best Homework Ever: Wine and Food Pairing

Our group got an Argentina wine education jump start by attending a formal tasting and food pairing hosted by Anuva Wines at the hip Cilantro Restaurant, and presented by the most fabulous Sarah. (You gotta love it when a class activity involves food and wine!) Anuva seeks out the small, undiscovered bodegas of Argentina to share at its tastings and provide to its wine club (the club is available in the U.S... I'm very tempted to join!). The food and wine pairings were spot on, and we got a lot of great information as well. I learned that Torrontés, Argentina's signature white wine varietal, is called the "liar's grape" due to its super fruity, floral nose, but bone dry finish. I fell in love with Bonarda, and a little homework discovered that it's what we call Temperanillo here at home. Note to self: consume more Tempranillos!

Here's a run-down of the pairings, just so you can go ahead and salivate as though you were there. :)

Course #1: Bodega Vinecol y Cava La Carmela Hom; chopped salad of celery, green apple, roquefort cheese and casancrem on a water cracker.
Course #2: Carinae Torrontés 2009; melon and jamón crudo.
Course #3: Mairena Bonarda 2006; two cheeses (fontina and gruyère) and two cured meats (salami and longaniza).
Course #4: San Gimignano Syrah 2008; empanada bife y queso.
Course #5: Carinae Malbec 2008 Finca Deneza; two bites of Aguila chocolate - Equador and Costa de Marfil. We also had the Argentine staple, "the vigilante dessert," of provolone cheese topped with membrillo (quince paste).

Bodega Visits

Viña Cobos
The first bodega (winery) I got to visit was Viña Cobos, Sonoma winemaker extraordinaire Paul Hobbs' Argentine venture. Anything associated with Paul Hobbs equals quality and deliciousness, so I was excited. It was set up as a private tour by my traveling buddy Patty, who is a wine tour guide in Sonoma and had the "in." So Patty, Windsor and I got the royal treatment and had the complete time and attention of a fabulous hostess, Mariana.

The tasting was all Malbec, all the time - five different 100% varietals. It was so cool to taste a Malbec that was made from a blend of appellations side by side with one from the area of Luyan de Cuyo, and another from Velle de Uco. We then tried two different single vineyard Malbecs, again, one from Luyan de Cuyo and another from Velle de Uco. It was so fun to note the subtleties and differences of each wine - terrior is an amazing thing.

The next bodegas we visited were arranged through Trout and Wine. We had done our Andes trip with Trout and Wine and had loved loved loved our tour guide, Juan, so very much that we asked to have him be our winery guide the next day as well.

Mendel
The bodegas we toured were in the area known as Luján de Cuyo in the heart of Mendoza wine country. The first stop of the day was at Mendel, an old, historic winery run by one of Argentina's most famous winemakers, Roberto de la Motta. Mendel specializes in Malbec, of course, and their nearly 100-year-old vines yield some of the areas best fruit. It's a small, boutique winery where "ancient vineyards, passionate people, experience and friendship are blended to create remarkable wines."

Our amazing hostess at Mendel, Cecelia.

Terrazas de los Andes
After the small and quaint Mendel, we headed for the well appointed Terrazas de los Andes, the fine wine arm of Chandon Argentina. It is a large bodega, and the property houses a restored winery (originally built in 1898), a guest house, outdoor kitchen, lush gardens and massive crush and cellar facilities. The wine standout of the day: Cheval des Andes 2006, a Bordeaux-style blend that is created as a joint venture with the famous French winery Cheval Blanc.

Patty with the best guide ever, Juan.

The Terrazas herb garden.

Herbs from the garden laid out to dry.

Club Tapiz
This is where I enjoyed an incredible gourmet lunch (one of my fave meals of the entire trip - I wrote about it in a previous post here). The wines presented were all paired with the meal. The Tapiz Sauvignon Blanc is considered to be Mendoza's finest (who am I to argue?); we were also treated to their excellent Syrah and Malbec.