Uco Valley: Bodegas Salentein

 

I will take any opportunity to go to the Valle de Uco.  About two hours south of the city of Mendoza, it's the newest wine zone in the region and arguably the most beautiful. Rustic, undeveloped plots of land are scattered between thriving vineyards.  Here it can be a half hour in between wineries, driving through desert, fruit farms, and brush, always with the dramatic Andes in the background.  Foreign investment drives the wine industry in this part of the country, with French, Italian, Swiss, and American-owned wineries dominating the landscape.  Dutch-owned, Bodegas Salentein is just one example of this.

Salentein is a "must-see" destination winery in the valley, one of the largest wineries in Mendoza, with a 6 million liter capacity. With two complete wineries, a massive barrel room, a bottling line that fills 2,000 bottles an hour, a modern art museum, restaurant, hotel and chapel on the premises, this bodega was built to impress.  Drawing upon the history and tradition of the Jesuits and indigenous people of the area, the winery is designed in the shape of a cross, with four wings housing four different wineries, coming together in a circular central chamber that reminds one of ancient temples.  The central chamber also functions as an amphitheater, and music concerts are held in that spot at the end of the harvest season. 

Indeed, wandering though the winery one feels as though they've been transported to another time, as if around every corner you might encounter a ritualistic sacrifice or witness something magical and godlike.  Though the architecture calls on ancient tradition, it's tough to forget how new the winery is, and how much money has gone into this venture. Each room is shining, spotless, incredibly organized and meticulously cared for.  

The barrel room, housing as many as 5,000 small French oak barrels at a time, looked more like a museum than a wine storage facility.  I have never seen such an organized, presentable barrel room.  One of the barrels has even been specially designed with one plastic side so that visitors can witness the level of the wine lowering as it evaporates slowly. (Interesting tidbit: this portion of wine that disappears is known as the Angel's Share.) Periodically, the barrels are topped off to replace the lost portion of wine. 

While the younger wines are fermented in large stainless steel tanks, the top line, Primus, is fermented for 20 days in large French oak vats that hold 7,600 liters each. Making up about ten percent of the total production, Primus is only made in exceptional years, and the large vats are used only seven times.  Quite an expensive investment, the vats cost around 18,000 Euros apiece.

Following suit, the tasting rooms are remarkably designed, with grandiose stone tables and hand painted murals by women from the local town. One early experiment with Bonarda went poorly for the winery and they were left with 5,000 bottles of unsellable wine. What did they do with it? They used it as wallpaper! The walls of the larger tasting room are filled with Bonarda.

Our tasting consisted of Salentein's premium and top end wines.  We began with the 2010 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc that recently won a gold medal at the Argentina Wine Awards. Picked from vineyards at 1,500 meters above sea level and fermented in stainless steel, this Sauv Blanc is fresh and grapefruity with marked minerality. Surprisingly light bodied, with elegant citrus and tree fruit on the palate, the finish is clean and refreshing. A pretty wine.

We then moved onto the reds, tasting first the 2007 Primus Pinot Noir from vineyards at 1,250 meters above sea level. Aged one year in first-use French oak barrels, the wine greets you with toasty smoke and wild cherry on the nose. With a pleasantly rich mouthfeel, this wine reminded me of the full-bodied, velvety Pinots that I've tasted out of the Sonoma Valley. Surprisingly complex and delicious, this was probably my favorite of the tasting. 

The 2007 Numina Gran Corte is made up of 85% Malbec and 15% Merlot from vineyards at 1050-1200 meters in altitude.  Intense blueberry pie and blackberry jam on the nose with notes of dried plum and mint. Spicebox and cedar on the palate with a toasted finish.  

Finally, the 2006 Primus Malbec was a melange of black plum, mint, red cherry and spice. Concentrated yet lush. Delicious but not interesting enough for being the top of the top Salentein wines.

 After the tasting, I had a nice time wandering around snapping photos of art and meandering through the museum. The collection was an interesting blend of classical and modernist pieces, small but thoughtfully compiled. Most compelling for me were the works of Eduardo Hoffmann, a Mendoza native. Gorgeous use of light and color.

In all I agree that Salentein is a necessary stop on an Uco Valley tour. Check! Up next on my Uco Valley itinerary, O Fournier and Clos de los Siete!

More Mendoza Tasting Group!

Three Mondays, three great tastings, lots of interesting new people! Last night marked the third meeting of my Mendoza Tasting Group project-baby.  I missed the update last Monday due to a crazier-than-usual week so I'll sum up the happenings of the last two weeks in this post!

Last week was the Blind Sauv Blanc Chile vs Argentina Challenge! Patancha Restaurant was awesome enough to host and Mendoza Wine Camp supplied a very generous amount of glassware and tasting mats.  A huge thanks to both! Six bottles of Sauvignon Blanc were expertly disguised using a very advanced paper-and-glue technique. Highly complicated logistical planning ensured that even the preparers of the blind tasting would be able to participate! 

Tasting blind allowed us to really focus on what was in the glass and note the more subtle differences between the wines as we tried to determine which was Chilean and which was Argentine.  While Chile has a notable reputation for super-fresh Sauv Blanc, we might have expected the Argentine wines to be more mellow in aroma with less grassy, green characteristics. But naming the region turned out to be a real challenge, especially as some of the wines opened and evolved in the glass. 

What an interesting exploration of the character of the grape in this region! While the first wine burst out of the glass with intense aromas of white flower, lime, and grapefruit, #2 teased us with slowly unveiling layers of chamomile tea, candle wax, and green apple. #3 was all fresh cut grass while #4 was all jalapeño pepper and tropical fruit. The creative descriptors came out with #5 as I think we all agreed it reminded us of Downy fabric softener and #6 was toast and citrus.

When the bottles were at last uncovered, we found a few surprises and a few expectations met. Though we all might have expected to prefer the Chilean wines, the 2009 Norton seems to have been the group favorite (that's the one that kept opening and changing in the glass).  Overall, the Chilean wines did have much more marked green grass and pepper characteristics and the Argentine wines displayed a wider range of other types of aromas like tropical fruit, floral tea, and toast. 

Blind tasting is always a useful tool and fun challenge and this exercise was a great way to study the character of Sauv Blanc in both regions.

What we tasted:

#1:  2010 Dona Paula Estate (AR)

#2: 2009 Norton (AR)

#3: 2010 Morande Terrarum Reserva (CH)

#4: 2010 Gran Tarapaca Reserva (CH)

#5: 2010 Rutini Roble (AR)

#6: 2010 Salentein El Portillo (AR)

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Last night was dedicated to Cabernet Franc, my favorite red varietal! Still new to Argentina, Cab Franc has been getting more attention from local winemakers in the past couple of years. French Cab Franc from the Loire Valley is my true love, and Washington State has done some lovely, interesting things with the grape as well, but after the tasting last night I have to say Argentina is on the right track.  Surprisingly, the majority of the wines we tasted were not typical green-peppery Cab Francs, though sour cherry aromas, a medium body, and medium tannins were prevalent. 

The 2008 La Madrid Single Vineyard Reserva from Hector Durigutti represented the budget Cab Franc at $66 pesos a bottle.  With not much complexity and straight-forward aromas of cherry, toast and pepper, the wine was perfectly pleasant and easy-drinking, but not particularly Cab-Francy or intriguing.

Ricomenciare's 2006 Altisimo was a bit earthy and funky on the nose with herbs and dark chocolate. The fresh cherry fruit and minerality came through on the palate with a smoky finish. Again, not particularly typical of the varietal, but interesting and lush, nonetheless. Side note: this project is run by Nicolas Catena's grandson, Jorge. Yet another Catena offspring venture.

Things started to get interesting with 2004 Angelica Zapata. Gorgeous aromas of rose, blackberry jam, olive and black pepper impressed right away. I definitely spent more time sniffing at the wine than swirling it in my mouth. Marked black pepper, more blackberry and mint on the palate, juicy, but structured with a toasty finish. A bit sweet mid-palate, perhaps a result of the 15% American oak. Still atypical, but completely lovely.

Thank you 2008 Pulenta Estate XI Gran Reserva for being everything I wished for and more! Earthy, green pepper and barnyard up front on the nose, backed by black cherries and graphite, cocoa on the palate with persistent spices running all the way through. Concentrated and peppery but integrated with a fresh mouthfeel and firm tannins. Loire earthiness with Argentine fruit concentration. Luscious and interesting.

While I still believe that no other Cab Franc will ever truly compete with my special love for Chinon and Saumur-Champigny, Pulenta has come close this time. Looking forward to see where they take this wine in years to come.

Next week: Bind tasting Malbec!! Stay tuned...

Imbibing in Chile!!

Valle de Casablanca- land of chardonnay and sauv blanc!

Just back from a short, visa-related jaunt to Chile! Though I was only able to spend three days in the land of pisco and seafood, I lived it up as much as I could.  Which to me means tasting everything in sight. 

After a stunning bus ride across the Andes mountains, we arrived in sunny Santiago mid-afternoon. My first mission: hunt down the best pisco sour in town.  I had heard much about the "pisco war" between Chile and Peru from my traveling companions on the way down- how the liquor had originated in Peru but now the Chileans claim it as their own. The feud continues as each country believes they produce the best pisco and thus pisco sours. 

For those who don't know, the cocktail is made up of five ingredients: pisco brandy, lime juice, sugar, egg white and (not always found but a key ingredient) angostura bitters. The drink should be well balanced between tart and sweet and have a nice creamy mouthfeel from the shaken egg whites. It's generally served in a champagne flute with a lemon or lime slice. When made correctly, it is heavenly.

Though way too much fun, the pisco sour hunt in Santiago did not uncover any amazing gems. I tasted many versions that were either too sweet, or lacking egg white, or made with bad pisco. The search continued.

Mission #2: Stuff yourself with delicious seafood. Easy to accomplish! Santiago is home to an amazing Mercado Central where you can purchase and consume all manner of fresh shellfish and seafood.

Mission #3: Sauvignon Blanc. Chile produces some of the freshest, most limey Sauv Blancs in the world. I intended to experience this first hand.

Luckily, Missions 2 and 3 could be completed in one fell swoop. One order of Jardin de Mariscos (garden of shellfish) and one bottle of De Martino 2008 Legado Sauvignon Blanc from the Maipo Valley proved to be a dreamy combination.  Fresh, oceany bliss. The wine offered a melange of lovely citrus characteristics plus white stony minerality and plenty of lively acid. De Martino cleansed the palate after each bite of buttery soft scallop. 

Before leaving Santiago, it was necessary to take a quick trip up to the top of Cerro San Cristobal, a huge hill that offers expansive views of the city. Of course I wanted to snap a few photos of Santiago, but mostly I had to make the trip because word on the street is that the best "mote con huesillo" is served at the top of the hill.

I admit I was skeptical at first. Chile's "refreshing national drink" consists of a sweet nectar made from dried peaches that have been cooked in sugar, water, and cinnamon that is then cooled and poured over fresh cooked wheat. You sip the "tea", nibble on the peaches and finish with spoonfuls of wheat. Strange indeed, but surprisingly refreshing (it's served ice cold) and delicious, reminding me a bit of peach cobbler and a bit of breakfast cereal.. but in a good way.

Then it was off to Valparaiso to check in with the Pacific Ocean (luckily I left just before all of the tsunami madness) and get a good art fix (the city is covered in colorful murals). Over dinner at La Vide en Verde I learned my traveling companion had never tasted Carmenere, Chile's emblematic red varietal. That made the wine choice easy. Going for a producer I'd never heard of before, I ordered the 2009 Las Ninas Carmenere from the Colchagua Valley.

Aesthetically, the label was a complete disaster and led me to wonder if I had accidentally ordered a strawberry-based fruit wine or some kind of crazy aromatized wine as it tragically proclaimed "strawberry aroma" on both the front and the back.  Bad first impression. The wine itself was young and juicy and yes, smelled of strawberries but also a bit of black cherry and pepper as well.  While not terribly complex and lacking in the concentration that I normally expect of this varietal, Las Ninas was a perfectly fine glugger and actually played fairly well with our mussel chowder.

Once the bottle was depleted, we had no problem switching to cocktails and beer. Shockingly, I ordered the Pisco Sour. Which turned out to be fantastic. Beautifully bright and citrusy with a soft, creamy mouthfeel and sweet finish.  Kross Pilsner was surprisingly complex and balanced, possibly one of the best South American beers I've tasted. And it's made in Valparaiso! Go local beer! I have to say it made me nostalgic for Northwest microbrews.

What better to follow up a delicious seafood dinner? More Pisco Sours!! Stopping into a hip little art bar on Almirante Montt, I was delighted to see full bottles of the cocktail being delivered to tables. I was even more delighted to find the menu full of different versions of the drink, the most tantalizing being the "Porno Sour" made with aji, a spicy Chilean pepper and fresh ginger. One of the most interesting cocktails I've had in a long time.  The spice from the pepper and ginger was offset by the sugar and creamy egg white. Fun and compelling. A party in the mouth. And concocted by a badass girl bartender. We sipped and stared at art and watched a magician levitate playing cards. Props to this hole in the wall.

The final day in Valparaiso was filled with more art and city-roaming. A visit to Pablo Neruda's house (one of three- one for each wife) worked up an appetite for Sea Bass.  Sitting on the deck at Bote Salvavidas watching boats come into the harbor, I am pleased to report I had a life-changing empanada/wine experience. A bottle of 2009 Misiones de Rengo Reserva Chardonnay from the Rapel Valley was a match made in culinary heaven with shellfish empanadas.

With fresh aromas of granny smith apple, pineapple and lime with a touch of vanilla, this chardonnay was bright with sparkling acidity and plenty of salty, wet stone minerality. Subtle notes of raw asparagus added to the complexity. And next to the warm, crispy, savory empanadas, this chardonnay was a refreshing citrusy palate cleanser after every bite.  I still cannot stop thinking about this stroke of pairing luck.

To finish up the day and prepare for the long bus ride back over the Andes, it seemed necessary to open up a bottle of Carmenere to say farewell to Chile.  The 2008 Dona Dominga Reserva Carmenere from the Valle de Colchagua was inky black-purple with concentrated balckberry fruit and green pepper on the nose (a Chilean signature).  Balanced and fresh with bramble-berries and cinnamon and nutmeg spice on the palate, the wine was luscious and round, a friendly sipper for a chill afternoon.

After only three days in Chile, I returned to Argentina full and sated. I had achieved my goals of consuming delicious food and beverage and I had discovered new and fantastic things. Overall, I give Chile credit for having what I found to be more experimental cuisine- dishes with a wider range of spices and flavor profiles. This includes as well a wider variety of liquors and beers that are available. I was shocked to see a long list of Belgian beers on the menu at one of the restaurants in Santiago. (The best you do in Mendoza is still the very average Stella Artois.) 

For wines, the whites were lovely, and the reds were agreeable, but I still prefer Argentine Malbec to Chilean Carmener, perhaps because I've yet to taste the best of Chile. Or maybe because Chile spends more effort crafting Merlot and Cabernet.  Indeed, you do not find a lot of Carmenere on wine lists in Chile. It seems that while it may be the country's emblematic red varietal, it is not the varietal that they are most proud of. I'm interested to find out more about why this is.  And I'm already planning a trip back to Chile to get all my questions answered.  

For now, I'm content with my quick jaunt across the border.  Now it's back to Mendoza and back to work for a couple months.  Wine and tourism stop for nothing. Vacation over!

Vendimia Madness!!

Carrusel!

 Though we are still in the thick of it, I wanted to check in and do a quick report on this year's Vendimia festivities so far!! The past week has been full of concerts, dance shows, fireworks, queens, and fruit throwing. All to celebrate the 75th annual Fiesta de la Vendimia in Mendoza, a tradition created to celebrate the grape farmers and winemakers that have a huge part in sustaining the region economically. This week marked the beginning of the harvest season for Mendoza, as workers headed out to the fields to hand-pick baskets and baskets of grapes.

Hundreds of tourists swarm the city for this week, most coming from Argentina or nearby Brazil or Chile but a good amount this year coming from farther away- Canada, U.S. and Japan as well. The hotels and restaurants are full and families stay out late into the night listening to music and watching fireworks. Plazas and parks are a buzz of activity and street performers are out at all hours. It's the busiest time of year for Mendoza and the celebratory energy is contagious.  

MEGADEGUSTACION!

Last weekend marked the beginning of festivities in Mendoza with the impressive Megadegustacion of wines on Avenida Sarmiento.  About 200 wineries showed up to pour wines and hundreds of attendees filled the street sipping vino and tasting empanadas for three nights straight. Some of my favorites from the night came from bodegas La Azul, Belasco de Baquedano, Renacer, and Weinert.

past queens

However the true festivities began in February with the election of the Vendimia Queen in each department. The Mendoza province includes 18 departments, and each has it's own Vendimia party that centers around the election of a queen- historically the most beautiful and well-rounded girl in town. The queens are usually around 18 years old and all done-up with hair spray and chiffon, not unlike American beauty queens in the States. Parading around the stage in matching dresses, the girls appear between plays and dance performances that tell the story of the harvest in each area.  Each girl has her own cheering section in the audience, a screaming, banner-holding group of friends and family. Wooo! Maria Florencia! Maria Belen! Maria Carla!!

this years candidates

Once each department has chosen it's queen, they all come together in one grand election in Parque San Martin in Mendoza on Saturday night.  That was last night. Before that, on Saturday morning there is a massive parade through the city center showcasing each department's gauchos and queens. This is where the fruit-throwing comes in. Grapes, apples, melons, and pears soar through the air as crowd members excitedly scramble to catch the flying produce. A friend told me they used to throw bottles of wine and watermelons, as well. I think we are all safer now that they've discontinued that particular tradition.

Folkloric dancers pause to sip sparkling rose offered up from crowd members.

Saturday night is the main event, with the election of the queen and the grand spectacle in the Teatro Greigo, a huge amphitheater in the middle of Parque San Martin. This performance will be repeated both Sunday and Monday evening with cheaper ticket prices.

 

Gabriela Laura Koltes, the new Reina!! glamorous.

Mendoza Tasting Group Chardonnay Night!!

Success!! Last night was the first meeting of the Mendoza Tasting Group, a project I've been in the process of organizing since I arrived in Mendoza. I'm happy to report that all went terrifically- not only did we have an interesting and varied selection of chardonnays to taste, but we also had an interesting and varied group of tasters!! From the UK, Canada, Napa, Argentina, New York, we had sommeliers, tour guides, travelers, and general wine lovers. The meeting turned out to be a great forum for exchanging ideas, making connections, and learning more about Mendoza and the wineries.

Sol y Vino, a lovely wine shop on Sarmiento, was the perfect venue for the meeting. I arrived half an hour early to find glasses, napkins, and tasting mats all nicely set up and the wines were chilled and ready to go. After some furniture arranging, we were set to taste five chardonnays.  Why chardonnay, you ask? Quite frankly, I chose chardonnay because I kind of hate it. It will be the last thing that I order at a restaurant or ask to sample in the tasting room. Maybe I am scarred from too many over-oaky California butter-bombs, but there's something about the grape that inherently just doesn't agree with my palate. Too often I find them plasticy, bitter, or candy-like. This wouldn't be a problem were I just a wine-drinker and not a wine-recommender and a wine-seller. I need to know the styles and producers of the region. Also, the more I taste, the greater the chances I'll encounter something I actually like. At least that's the idea.

The group tasted five wines from different regions and bodegas. Here are my notes:

(prices are in pesos)

2009 Caelum Clasico $45
Tupungato, Valle de Uco 1150 msnm

Caelum is a new project owned by an Argentine family from Buenos Aires. The finca includes a large pistachio farm, one of the few in the entire country! Italian-born Guiseppe Franceschini heads the winemaking.

Tasting note: Pale greenish yellow, bright and plenty reflective, the wine is super fresh and zesty.  Citrus aromas like grapefruit and lime, a bright but slightly creamy body, and lively acidity. Though not particularly complex, the wine is quite agreeable and pleasantly has little to not oak treatment so the fresh citrus and apple flavors really dominate. Surprisingly gluggable for 45 pesos a bottle.

2008 Pulenta Estate $55
Alto Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo 980 msnm

Pulenta Estate is run by two Argentine brothers of Italian descent, Eduardo and Hugo, whose family has been in the winemaking business for years. This winery has been around since 2002 and they currently own 135 hectares of vines in the Lujan de Cuyo. The winemaker is Manuel Gonzalez.

Tasting note: Corked! Unfortunate. Noticeable moldy musty smell on the nose but kept surprisingly bright fruit on the palate. Cork itself reeked of taint. Was also able to pull out some green apple and vanilla aromas but with more time in the glass, the wine faded and faded. It was a good experience for the newer tasters unfamiliar with corked wines! But a bit disappointing, nonetheless.

2007 Huarpe Taymente $67
Barrancas, Maipu 780 msnm

Another new project out of Maipu, Huarpe is a familial winery run by the Hernandez Toso brothers, Maximiliano (founder and director) and Jose (enologist).

Tasting note: Intense, deep golden color with brownish tints. The color of butterscotch candies. Powerful sweet aromas of dried pineapple, butter, and toasted hazelnut. As close to California style chardonnay as anything I've tasted in Argentina. Overall, the wine struck me as a bit unbalanced and overdone. The 50% American oak ageing was painfully evident, adding a coconut sweetness that perhaps belongs better in a candy store than in a wine bottle. Not my style, but perfect for those lovers of old school Cali chard.

2009 Atamisque Catalpa $90
Tupungato, Valle de Uco 1300 msmn

Atamisque is a French-owned winery in the Valle de Uco that proudly produces wines made by renowned Argentine winemaker Roberto de la Mota. The property includes a trout farm, which may account for the food-friendly nature of this chardonnay.

Tasting note: Pale straw yellow in color with brilliance and reflectivity.  Crisp green apple and pear notes on the nose combine with white stone minerality, toast, and just a hint of butter. Lively and fresh on the palate with a pleasant, nutty finish. Elegant, and balanced. My favorite of the evening.

2007 Urraca Reserva $102
Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo 950 msnm

Urraca wines are made by Mendoza cult-winemaker Walter Bressia. Small production, only 3000 bottles of this chardonnay.

Tasting notes: Clean and citrusy on the nose. Notes of tangerine, pineapple and pear as well as some chalky minerality. Sweet and fruity on the palate but ample in acidity. More minerality on the finish. Correct, but lacking in passion and complexity. A pretty wine.

Overall, the wines were surprisingly different and eventually the conversation turned to the nature of the grape. Does chardonnay have a soul? Is it slutty? We're talking about a vine that can grow in almost any climate and does. It can be everything from pineapple upside down cake to stones and apples.  In discovering the true nature of Argentine chardonnay, we had to call into question the true nature of the varietal itself, which just very well may be, a grape that wears many hats, can change clothes and personalities based on region, winemaking, oak treatment, you-name-it. For this reason also, I find it hard to really love chardonnay. How can you love something that's always changing, always showing you a different side of itself? Or does this simply make it more intriguing? Chardonnay, you're a tricky one.

And thus concluded the evening. Glasses empty, spit-buckets full, conversation flowing. Hopefully an interesting and worthwhile time for all. I know I learned a lot and maybe even started to hate chardonnay less.


Looking forward to the next tasting... what will it be next?

* If you want to join the group, send me an e-mail or check out the group on facebook!