Thursday, May 12, 2011

Argentina Wrap-Up

People always ask me for my favorites of this or that from Argentina. So here's a concise list for you! Of what I've seen and tasted in the past nine months, here are my best-of picks for the country. Enjoy!



Varietals 

Best Malbec- Judas (Bodega Sottano)
Best Torrontes- San Pedro de Yacochuya
Best Bonarda- Colonia las Liebres
Best Pinot Noir- Bodega Chacra (Patagonia)
Best Blend- Vinas Davalos
Best Cabernet Franc- Pulenta Estate Grand Cabernet Franc
Best Chardonnay- Angelica Zapata Chardonnay
Best Sauvignon Blanc- Miraflor (Clos de los Siete)
Best Syrah- Finca Las Moras
Best White Blend- Bressia Canela
Best Merlot- Atamisque Catalpa
Best Cabernet- Vina Cobos Bramare/ Carmelo Patti 2004
Best Oddball White- Mendel Semillon
Best Oddball Red- Benegas Sangiovese
Varietal to Look Out For- Bonarda

Style

Best Weirdo Wine- Rama Negra
Most Interesting Expression of Terroir- Bodega Tacuil RD
Best Sunny Day Wine- Jean Bousquet Rose
Best Splurge Wine- Vina Cobos Unico
Best Cheapo Malbec- Pulenta La Flor

Wineries

Best Bodega Tour- Domaine St. Diego
Most Impressive Bodega- Salentein
Most Beautiful Wine Region- Cafayate, Calchaqui Valley
Best Bodega Lunch- Ruca Malen
Best Way to Visit Wineries- Biking (Maipu) / Private car (Everywhere else)
Best Organic/Biodynamic Winery- Colome
Newcomer to Look Out For- Altocedro
Region to Look Out For- Uco Valley, Vista Flores

Mendoza

Best Place to Taste in Mendoza- Vines of Mendoza
Best Wine Experience in a Restaurant- Azafran (Mendoza)
Best Restaurant Mendoza- Florentino/1884
Best Bar in Mendoza- Blah Blah Bar
Where to Buy Wine in Mendoza- Vines of Mendoza

Buenos Aires

Best Place to Taste in B.A.- 0800-VINO
Best Wine Flights- Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau
Amazing Indian Food- Tandoor
Best Bar- Doppelganger
Where to Buy Wine in B.A.- 0800-VINO
Best Closed Door- Sunae 

Best Dining Experience Patagonia- Casimiro Bigua (Calafate) 





Buenos Aires Impromptu Wine Dinner!


Somehow no matter where I go I seem to fall in with wine and food-loving crowds, bonding with new friends over interesting dishes or favorite grape varietals. This latest trip to Buenos Aires proved to be no exception. No more than 48 hours back in the city and I was already planning an informal wine pairing dinner with one friend who is an expert at hosting parties and another who once studied at Le Cordon Bleu and loves to create new dishes. The menu came about somewhat haphazardly, with several people volunteering to cook different dishes, resulting in an eclectic menu that provided some really fun pairing challenges.  

Once we had the menu set, a trip to Nigel Tollerman's cellar at 0800-VINO was in order.  Having worked for Nigel during my first four months in Argentina, I was excited to go back to the office and catch up with my wine-obsessed ex-boss. Of course the first thing we did was crack open a bottle of wine!! Nigel introduced us to a new bodega out of Patagonia, Patritti, and we sipped on the dark, lush, 2008 Primogenito Merlot, finally deciding that it would make a great match with the beet-root risotto on the menu.  A 2007 Manos Negras Malbec was opened next, mostly just for fun and because I've been interested in tasting it for awhile. It was an immediate crowd pleaser, jammy and juicy with plenty of ripe black fruits. After much tasting and discussing, we finally settled on the six bottles that would accompany dinner.

Then it was time to take a break from all of our hard pairing work to enjoy some of the best local empanadas I've found at the restaurant just across the street from Nigel's cellar. Of course we had to get the thirty peso bottle of table vino to go with them. The choclo (corn) and carne (meat) empanadas were the best! 

After a quick diversion to the *amazing* leather district, a bit of shopping and grocery-hunting, our menu was set and we were ready to get cooking. I quickly typed up little menus to put at each place setting. Here's what we had:

Cucumber Honey Canape
Canape de Pepino y Miel
Santa Florentina Brut Torrontes (La Rioja, AR)
  

Pecan Crusted Baked Brie
Brie al horno con Pecana
2008 Weinert Montfleury Gran Rose (Mendoza, AR)


Eggplant Asian Cous Cous
Cous Cous de Berejena y Morrones
2008 Del Fin del Mundo Reserva Viognier (Patagonia, AR)
2008 Lamadrid Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc (Mendoza, AR)


Beet Root Risotto
Risotto de Remolacha
2008 Primogenito Merlot (Patagonia, AR)


Cheese and Chocolate
Queso y Chocolate
2010 Weinert Cosecha del Otono Sauvignon Blanc (Mendoza, AR)


Bailey’s Liquado!


 As our guests arrived, we served up flutes of local sparkling and chatted in the living room. Nine people in total, we were a collection of ex-pats from all over- representing Australia, Macedonia, Canada, Ecuador and the U.S. with one half-Argentine. We discussed the trials of being a stranger in B.A.- finding work, getting into the social scene, and the mysteries of dating Argentines. As amazing as it is to live and travel abroad, sometimes it's nice to take a break from Spanish and compare war stories with other "extranjeros."

Meanwhile the Great Risotto Project got underway in the kitchen. Risotto is no easy task, but our chef was dedicated to making it perfect! 


Finally the dinner got underway, beginning with lovely cucumber blue cheese canapes with honey and walnuts. The bargain Santa Florentina sparkling Torrontes was a perfect match, with ample citrus and honey notes and a full body. Next up was the pecan-crusted baked brie with an aged Weinert Malbec Rose.  Keeping plenty of acidity, the rose was a nice contrast to the warm, creamy brie dish.  A bit of oxidization in the wine actually went well with the sweet nuttiness of the Kahlua-soaked cheese. 
 Asian-style cous cous with pepper and eggplant had proved the most challenging wine pairing, so we decided to serve two wines with this one! The almonds, tamarind, and white raisins in the dish begged for a crisp, young Viognier and the Del Fin Del Mundo Viognier was the perfect, citrusy solution. Meanwhile, the Lamadrid Reserva Cabernet Franc offered some great earthy notes to mirror the spicy, peppery flavors in the cous cous and serve as a nice transition into red wine for the evening. Plus, this Cabernet Franc is just downright yummy, a testament to talent of Hector Durigutti and versatility of Argentine wines.
Finally it was time for risotto! Our chef pulled me into the kitchen with a worried look on his face. "I've messed with your pairings!" he blurted. He'd added all kinds of spices and ingredients that he hadn't planned on. No problem. I pulled out the Merlot from the fridge and served up a little taste while he spooned a bit of risotto from the pot. After a quick taste-test and analysis, we decided that the two went brilliantly together, both exploding with different layers of flavor on the palate. Our risotto/Merlot course was the star of the show! Before cheese and dessert we took a short intermission while the host and chef ran out in search of forgotten but much needed liquado ice. Starbucks came through for them!
While they were out, I cracked open a special bottle that Nigel gifted me earlier that day. A 2007 Altimus blend from El Esteco, a well-known Saltanean bodega. This blend of Malbec, Cabernet, Bonarda and Syrah is full-bodied with plenty of sweet vanilla oak and spice. A really nice treat and perfect after dinner wine. Local chocolate and blue cheese were served up with the late-harvest Sauv Blanc (also from Weinert), which was sweet but not cloying, showing typical Sauv Blanc acidity and almost Sauterne-like complexity. A classic pairing that's always enjoyable. Deliciously sweet Bailey's liquados finished the evening perfectly, everyone stuffed, tipsy, and laughing.  

In all, it was a wonderful last night in Argentina among good friends, great food, and wonderful wine. I could not ask for a better way to wrap up these past nine months!! My task now is to bring all of these ideas back to the states with me- all that I've learned here about wine and the Argentine cultural appreciation for excellent company and cuisine. There is certainly a lot to take back and a lot of places to go from here. I'm already ready for the next adventure, where ever it takes me!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The Highest Vineyards in the World at Bodega Tacuil!

Into massive, jagged, mountains, through valleys of nothing but sagebrush and thorns, past all evidence of civilization. The end of the road.  That’s where you’ll find the highest vineyards in the world and the impressive Davalos estate. This bodega is not impressive for massive, showy architecture or a five star hotel, but impressive for the fact that it sits quite literally in the middle of mountains, at an altitude of nearly 8,500 feet above sea level, miles away from towns, restaurants, and general tourism.  It is clear that the estate exists above all else to create excellent wines in a pristine, natural environment.  
Located in the Salta region in the heart of the Calchaqui Valley at the foot of the pre-Andes mountains, Bodega Tacuil is a three-and-a-half hour drive from the nearby tourist town of Cafayate. In this respect, much of the wine region surrounding Cafayate is a welcome respite from the craze that can be wine touring in the States, a very far cry from the likes of Napa or Sonoma.  One must truly want to visit the bodegas in this region, not just to taste, but to meet the winemakers, learn about the process, and walk in the vineyards. There is no shuttle, no scenic bike ride.  The road to Tacuil winds through dusty red rocks, cacti, and not much else. In the summertime, the sun beats down intensely and the wind blows hot gusts. No rest stop, no convenience store, no ice cream stand.

Travelling this dry and barren portion of the Salta wine route, it is hard to see how anything grows successfully in this area, but the specific terroir of the region proves excellent for the cultivation of certain grapes (namely Malbec, Cabernet, and Torrontes) and the production of some of the most powerful and unique wines Argentina has to offer.  During my recent visit to Salta, I had the good fortune to be invited to the Davalos estate for lunch and a tasting with the winemaker.  The experience was one in a million, with fantastic wines, breathtaking scenery, hearty homemade pasta, and great conversation with a winemaker who is passionate about doing things his own way.

Upon arrival at the bodega, we were greeted in the driveway, in front of the austere family house by the junior Raul Davalos, smiling and sharply dressed. Our host led us to the patio where glassware, cheeses, and one bottle of each of Tacuil’s four fantastic red blends waited, open and breathing.  We began with the RD, the name an homage to the elder Raul Davalos. A blend of 50% Cabernet, 50% Malbec, the RD is highly concentrated yet focused, with mature red fruits, precise minerality, subtle notes of smoke and game, and blooms of ripe green bell pepper, a flavor typical of Cabernet from this region.  Like all of the Davalos wines, the RD demands attention right away, constantly revealing new flavors and aromas in the glass and on the palate.  These are not wines that one imbibes idly! The marked savory characteristics inspire thoughts on pairing, my mind first going to braised lamb with rosemary and thyme.  
Beautifully, the wine has seen no oak. Davalos is generally anti-oak treatment, only breaking this rule in crafting his Dona Ascension, a wine that has been very well received in the U.S. Even then, the Dona only sees 10 months in new French oak barrels and, at around 5,000 bottles a year, Dona Ascension has the largest production of all of the wines in the portfolio.  Rich, with intense black plum and cherry aromas, Dona Ascension is distinct for it’s notes of sandalwood, toast, and vanilla.  At only 13.5 abv, it represents the most friendly and approachable wine of the Tacuil portfolio, while still offering incredible depth and complexity.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Calchaqui Valley: San Pedro de Yacochuya


It’s about a thirty minute drive to Yacochuya from the small town of Cafayate.  Find a taxi in the main square, arrange a price- no more than 25 pesos, and follow the dirt road up, up, past Domingo Hermanos and a collection of humble houses with green gardens- most of which have a couple of vines growing as well.  The entrance to the winery is lined with short, straight, cacti against quaint stone walls.  Lush, green vineyards are seen to either side, and beyond these, enormous, rugged, red and brown mountains. In November, the property is noticeably quiet, only a few workers are seen ducking in and out of the back door. A large grey cloud passes over the sun and it begins to sprinkle.  Marcos Etchart greets us at the front door, a round, pleasant man, with small, reflective sunglasses and a weakness for cigarettes. He asks us to wait 10 minutes, he has some winemakery duties to attend to. Of course we have no problem, the scenery is beautiful and we are on vacation. 

I wander down to take photos of the vines which are gorgeous with life and already showing pea-sized green grapes.  I investigate the main reception area which is surprisingly barren, though distinctly Argentine. A large table with a stretched leather surface occupies one corner of the room with two outstanding specially carved SPdY wooden chairs with backs and seats of etched metal- the seal of the winery. Two brand new French barrels. One long bar-like table that one assumes is used for tasting. Against one wall stands a glass case displaying all of the wines that they make, plus SPdY t-shirts and a strange Pegasus-type stuffed animal with the winery seal on its side.  Though clearly designed to receive visitors, this site is decidedly un-touristy.



After awhile Marcos returns, offering us both a cigarette before he begins to speak.  He needs no prompting, just starts in talking about the vineyards, the grapes they grow- malbec, cabernet and torrontes- and the philosophy of the winery.  I finally get to ask all of the questions I’ve been accumulating about winemaking in the Salta region. Why does Torrontes grow so well here? Marcos explains that they would like to try to cultivate other white varieties but the likes of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are too fragile for such a hot climate.  The altitude adds sun and heat to the equation and with these wines, the grapes would ripen much to quickly in the area, losing the acidity needed for whites.  Torrontes, on the other hand, is super-sturdy.  Marcos comments he hardly has to do anything to get the torrontes to grow properly.  It loves the climate, and I already know his Torrontes is particularly lovely.

The high altitude means lots of sunshine and heat during the day and nice cool evenings that allow the grapes to rest. Thus ripening at a slower rate, the grapes at this altitude are harvested a few weeks later than those in Mendoza.  I ask Marcos about the high levels of alcohol I’ve noticed on almost all of the Saltean wines I’ve tasted. His response is simple.  In the higher altitude, the sugars ripen faster than the tannins, so by the time the tannins are correctly ripe, the grapes have a higher sugar level than those from Mendoza, where the sugars and the tannins ripen at a more equal rate.  These sugars get turned into alcohol, but because of the structure of the grape and the ripeness of the tannins, the wines never seem to come off as hot or overly alcoholic.



I also have to ask about Michel Rolland, the big name whose signature graces their high-end bottle, Yacochuya.  Rolland comes around about twice a year to Cafayate, he loves the soil, the terroir, and knows the region very well.  And they meet him again one a year in Mendoza. But what exactly does he do? During the harvest, he shows up with what I imagine must be a small entourage- his own people- his own winemakers, to asses the progress of maturation, to oversee the harvest and determine which grapes go where. He then returns a second time in Mendoza, where they bring the aged wines to him, and he decides the blends.  Rolland is partner in the business, which means that he receives a portion of the profits of the winery.  What a job.  Marcos’ reds stay a minimum of one year in French oak, most of them ageing one and a half to two years in barrel.

I ask about pests in the vineyard, noticing the net-free vines. Ants are Marcos’ biggest problem. Birds, bees, rabbits, and foxes are also listed as minor annoyances, but the amount that they consume is too small to be a serious problem.  Herbicides and pesticides are used in the vineyards, and this winemaker has strong ideas about the theory of organics. He says, we ingest more chemicals and preservatives in our food these days more than in the 1950’s but people now are living twenty years longer.  He doesn’t see the point. He points out how much more difficult and expensive it is to run a biodynamic vineyard when I bring up Colome. Yes, but Donald Hess has ample funds, we both acknowledge.  With Rolland on the bottle and behind the wine, and knowing that the Etchart family is quite important in the area, I’m sure Marcos also has ample funds, but surely won’t be planting cow horns anytime soon.  The cost and risk of a biodynamic venture does not appeal to him.

Marcos takes us on a brief tour of the facility- brief because it’s really not all that large. One warehouse sits adjacent to the tasting room with about eight stainless-steel tanks and a bunch of stacks of bottles.  A new building is being built behind the first, he explains, for added storage. All in all, the production is quite small. A couple of workers wield giant hoses, flushing out pumps and barrels.



I somewhat timidly inquire about the subject of tasting, and Marcos nods quickly- yes, yes, of course we are going to taste. He disappears into a back room. Expecting him to return with a few of their more entry-level bottles, I am very pleased when he returns with a glass and wine thief. We are going to taste from the barrels. Lovely! We start with the 2010 Malbec that has been in barrel for only six months. The wine is already quite impressive: well-rounded with juicy fruit but plenty of spice and firm acid.  The oak is noticeable, without being distracting, lending body and sweet vanilla notes. Then we are onto the 2010 Cabernet, also six months in barrel. Fantastic. Full of green and red pepper spices, the signature of Cabernet from the region. Next we taste the 2009 Malbec and then Cabernet. With an extra year of oak, the wines are still impressively well-integrated. Aromas of cherry, violet, and baking spices characterize the malbec, while the cabernet offers more vegetal characteristics, pepper spices, dark chewy fruit, and surprisingly smooth tannins.  We finish tasting with the 2010 Torrontes- still in tank. It’s fresh and lively, with citrus, pear, and white stone minerality, though showing less well slightly warm from the tank.  Marcos points out that the wine is much better if enjoyed a few degrees cooler. I agree. Then he casually dumps the remainder of the glass into a random nearby barrel. Um… torrontes in the barrel? He doesn’t understand why I would be confused by this.  Did you just dump that glass of torrontes into that barrel of red wine?  I ask. Sure, he replies. It’s just a tiny amount compared to the amount in the barrel; it’s never going to make a difference. Marcos continues to explain that adding significant portions of torrontes to malbec used to be a fairly standard practice in the region, to enhance aromatics- a vice of lazy wine-makers, he says.  It reminds me of the viognier-syrah blends of Southern France. This comparison makes him giggle.



All of the sudden we notice the workday is over. The lights are out, and the workers are grabbing backpacks and heading for the truck. We thank our host profusely, snap a few more photos, and hitch a ride in the back of the employee truck back into town.  On the route home, the sun comes out again, highlighting the vineyards, they appear an impossibly brilliant color. The Calchaqui Valley is briefly washed with golden, end-of-day light, enormous in size and beauty. Below us, the town of Cafayate waits, quiet, and welcoming.


Back in B.A., eating, drinking, recapping!

Wow, it's hard to believe my 8.5 months in Argentina is just about over. I left Mendoza on Tuesday with a bottle of Pulenta Estate in my bag and a tear in my eye. Saying goodbye to a great group of friends and an unforgettable adventure made me realize what an amazing time I've had in Mendoza over the past four months and how really it seems too soon to leave just now. Traveling often seems to go this way- just as things start to seem normal and comfortable, it's time to go! I suppose that could be a good thing in some respects. 


During my time in Mendoza, I was fortunate enough to be able to sommelier at Azafran, one of the best restaurants in town, write wine blogs for The Vines of Mendoza, a company successfully pulling off a number of impressive projects in the area, start a local tasting group, meet winemakers, taste a ton of wines, visit bodegas, and get to know a lot of new people doing brave and amazing things.  Not only was the experience invaluable in terms of my personal wine education, but it was also a great opportunity to learn a lot about myself and what I'm capable of accomplishing in an inspiring environment with a supportive community. I know that the Mendoza Tasting Group will continue without me, exploring new themes and tasting tons of new wines, now run collaboratively by a group of smart and dedicated women. Azafran (check out some nice Tripadvisor reviews that mention me!!) will continue to earn stellar reviews and fill nightly with tourists from all over the world, the cellar being one of the coolest places to visit in town. The Vines of Mendoza will continue to grow rapidly, opening a new resort in the next year, claiming status as a very important player in the oh-so-hot Uco Valley.


I can't wait to see how all of these projects continue and expand over the next several years and hopefully one day I'll make it back to Mendoza and reconnect with this thriving community. For now, I'm enjoying a week of eating and drinking in Buenos Aires before my return to Seattle. B.A. has proven to be an incredibly distracting place to try to work, but the idea is to catch up on posts that I've been meaning to write for the past four or five months.  So watch out for posts about my trip to Salta last fall as well as new B.A. experiences.  I am trying to balance my time in front of a screen with time wandering around this gorgeous city (as much as I struggled living here last year, I can't deny how cool this town is). 


And yes, the plan is to keep up the amateur wine writing upon my return to the northwest, though expect my blog title to change- my struggles with the blog title merit a whole separate post. Hopefully one day I can turn this into something like a real career. For now, thanks to those who are reading, feedback is always welcome.