Sipping Local in Port Townsend!

Port Townsend has long been a great place to find amazing organic local produce, small independent businesses, and lots of gorgeous northwest beach. On Saturday the farmers market is hopping and surprisingly large for such a small town. Here you can find fun things like woodfired pizza, goat milk soap, Teacup piglets for sale, and- perhaps most surprising- local organic saffron threads.  What started as a relaxing do-nothing weekend mini-vacation turned into a romp in regional eats and drink for me and my two friends. Surprising? Perhaps not.  Wins for most exciting/interesting Port Townsend finds are brought to us today by the letter "F": the Farmer's Market, Fairwinds Winery, and Finnriver Cidery!

Fairwinds Winery

Established in 1993 by two retired Coast Guard couples, Fairwinds winery is the oldest winery in these parts, only about a fifteen minute drive on Highway 20 south of downtown Port Townsend. For those less familiar with the region, we're talking the western part of Washington state, a ferry ride across Puget Sound and a jaunt over the Hood Canal Floating Bridge, heading towards Canada to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west.  Port Townsend itself sits on a northern point aside Discovery Bay and from the shore on a clear day you can see Vancouver Island in Canada.  My memories of visiting this area as a child involve beach combing in wind and rain, frolicking through the ancient cement barracks at Fort Worden, and fighting over buckets of buttery steamed clams with my family. I never once thought that I'd be drinking wine made in this place. It's cold, WET, and rugged in a northwest hippie type of way.

Though Puget Sound was the third AVA established in Washington state, only about 1% of the wine produced in the state is made from grapes grown in the region. It hard to imagine most vines would grow well here, let alone produce quality fruit. Grapevines like it dry, they like sunlight.  While local grape growers are experimenting with certain cool climate varieties like Siegerrebe and Pinot Noir Pricoce, most area wineries are getting their fruit from the other side of the Cascades.  I for one, am thankful for this while drinking these wines, but at the same time interested to see what can be done with the weirdo cool climate vines.

Now run by Micheal and Judy Cavett, Fairwinds specializes in lesser known varietals like Gewurtzraminer, Aligote and Lemberger, while also supplying much-loved Merlot, Cabernet,  and a Cab/Merlot blend. You can find Micheal on Saturday afternoon cheerfully serving up his wines in a charming wood-paneled tasting room.  

His 2009 Gewurtz is bright with good spice and a flowery stone fruit profile that is distinct to the Washington state expression of the grape. The 2005 Lemberger is friendly,  balanced, and full of fresh red fruit. A good taco/burger/sunny day red. Bold and ripe, the 2006 red blend stands out in the line up, made from Yakima grapes, 60% Cab, 40% Merlot. But by far the best- the Fairwinds star of the moment is the just released 2002 Merlot. It's round, earthy, supple, and everything that a nice Merlot should be while ageing quite nicely.

To add to the small town winery charm, Fairwinds also sells homemade wine jellies- the Jalapeno Gewurztraminer being the tastiest, especially with strong goat cheese. Micheal also has a couple other interesting treasures in his cellar- homemade mead with organic honey from Mt. Vernon, and a brewing fruit wine made with Kiwi Berries. We were lucky enough to get a special taste of the Kiwi Berry wine, which Micheal is thinking of turning into a summer sparkler.  Like no fruit wine I've ever tasted, it's tart, juicy, and totally unique.  It's these types of tasting experiences I love to write about.

Fairwinds is definitely worth a stop for the curious vacationing wine lover. Grab a bottle of the  Lemberger, a locally caught salmon, and some farm fresh greens for a delicious and distinctly Puget Sound dinner while in the area.

Finnriver Cidery

I can't say how much I love the rising popularity of local ciders in Washington state, especially those cidermakers who look toward traditional French style ciders for direction. They are moving away from the sickeningly sweet appley fermented juices to earthy, crisp, super dry crafted ciders. Finnriver is one of these places!  Located in Chimacum about twenty minutes south of Port Townsend on Highway 19, the organic farm produces blueberries, eggs, honey, several different grains and vegetables, as well as being home to goats, pigs, sheep, and other animals.  Apples, pears, blueberries, and black currants all go into their delicious ciders that are fermented on site in a small building with an adjacent adorably decorated tasting room.

A must try is the Methode Champenoise Sparkling Apple Cider (8% abv).  This cider actually won a double gold medal in the sparkling wine category at the Seattle Wine Awards last year, right up against the likes of Domaine Ste Michelle and other big players, and I can see why. Very old world in style, the cider had elegant fruit and plenty of earthy aromas, lively little bubbles, and a crisp, dry finish.  It's made using the same method as traditional French Champagne, which means a lot of time, labor, and riddling.  Impressive for a small town farm cidery.

If you're into a sweeter, fruitier flavor, taste the pear and apple blueberry ciders.  Without being cloying, they are true expressions of the fruits they are made with, not added sugar or phony flavoring.  And if you want to try something really unique, go for the Dry Hopped cider!  It'll blow you away with it's tart, dry, hay and cannabis-like flavors. It's something you can keep tasting, finding something new in it each time. Excitingly enough, Finnriver is now putting their ciders in kegs and starting a limited distribution in the Seattle area. The Noble Fir in Ballard will be the first to have Finnriver cider on tap, so stop by there soon for a taste.

Behind the tasting counter, owner Crystie is super knowledgeable and friendly, inviting everyone in back for a look at the riddling racks and ageing bottles.  An NYC native, she's still getting used to living on a farm in rural Washington, but proudly pours her bubblies every weekend and talks about taking a cider research trip to France hopefully someday soon.  Sounds glamorous.  Check out Finnriver if you're ever in the area- remember it's on the way back to the Kingston ferry from Port Townsend!

Look for more from Washington state coming up... And I promise I'm getting on that blog naming thing soon. :)

Consuming Buenos Aires!

San Telmo Mercado Central

Most of you know that I spent my last week in Buenos Aires completing one specific mission: eating and drinking delicious food and beverages.  I'm proud to say that I accomplished this mission with ease, finding B.A. to be chock full of culinary delights, some hidden, some easy to find. In such a giant city, it can be tough to find interesting, creative food and drink. You'll find mediocre pizza/pasta on almost every corner. Soggy milanesas and dry lomo sandwiches abound.  There are limitless amounts of scrumptious empanadas, but one can't eat empanadas all day everyday. Trust me, I tried. But once I started to really do my research, asking local chefs, bartenders, and foodies for their favorites, I found myself with a surprisingly long list of restaurant, cafe, and bar names. The truth is, I hardly had time to scratch the surface of this list, making sure also to revisit my favorite spots from my last visit to the city, but I checked in with some amazing spots and hey, now I already know where I'll be going next time I'm in town! So without further ado, here are some of my favorite Buenos Aires spots to eat, drink, and be merry.

Bar Dorrego

Set in the center of San Telmo on the corner of Defensa and Humberto 1, this classic bar is full of character.  Graffiti-covered walls and peanut shell covered floors make this place unique, and the ancient wooden bar gives you the sense it might have been around forever. Stop by on a Sunday during San Telmo's fantastic antiques market and you'll find the bar full of tourists and locals alike sipping local cider or filling up on lomito sandwiches.  I fell in love with this place on my first visit, when I ordered a Campari and soda and they served me a big glass of campari with a do-it-yourself soda syphon on the side. I was even more seduced when I wandered in around 7:00 p.m. (way early for dinner in Argentina) and they served me a full dinner without batting an eye. Upon my most recent visit, a friend introduced me to the Submarino, a traditional hot chocolate that involves a steaming glass of milk with a bar of dark chocolate on the side. More do-it-yourself deliciousness.

I'd say this place is a must-visit while in B.A. It has all of the classic charm that fits into the romanticized idea of Argentina that is often lost in other super-modern areas of town, but preserved well in funky San Telmo. 

Plaza Francia

This plaza near the Recoleta Cemetery is hopping on Saturday mornings.  Don't worry about grabbing breakfast before heading out to browse all of the handmade crafts for sale at the market here because there's enough tasty street food available to keep you full all day.  Probably my favorite cheap snack at the market is the giant cups of fresh fruit salad, always sold alongside freshly squeezed orange juice (something I am already missing here in Seattle).   Toasty stuffed breads are also toted around in big, cloth-lined baskets and come with empanada-type filling: chicken, beef, ham and cheese, and my most recent favorite, pollo portuguesa, a concoction of chicken, red pepper, tomato and spices.  Also look out for churros, spiced nuts, and lots of different cakes and sweets!

Buena Vida Natural Bar

Palermo is the spot for natural, organic nibbles.  A friend introduced me to this cozy little local joint serving up some of the best espresso in the city with a brand new Lavazzo machine.  Fernando, the owner is a total coffee nerd, just what a Seattle girl looks for in a strange city, and his cappuccino is stunning.  They also offer some great wines by the glass, though he will tell you his first love is still whiskey. The organic snacks are just the healthy treat you look for after days of red meat and pasta- try the pumpkin empanada made with whole wheat dough. Colorful and charming, this little cafe is a gem, a comfortable spot to sit and read or catch up with friends.  If you're lucky, maybe you can get Fernando to play a couple tunes for you- he's also the guitarist in a local rock band.

Maté on the Go!

Maté is a super important part of Argentine culture- usually served in loose leaf form in a special gourd cup with a specially designed straw, it's a strong, bitter tea served steaming hot.  Many who try maté for the first time find it a bit intense, but those like me eventually become addicted not just to the beverage, but to the ritual itself- maté is usually a social experience, passing the gourd around a group of friends in the park is a classic sunny afternoon pastime.  For me, it's a great way to start the day- a nice little burst of caffeine that lifts me up and doesn't make me crash after a few hours the way that coffee does. After lunch is also a good maté hour.  But for those on the go in the city, these portable carts (often also offering hot coffee) are a kind of godsend after late nights out in B.A. And by late I mean late. Like getting home at 7 a.m. type of late. The cart maté isn't loose leaf, but does the trick on the way to work after only a couple hours sleep. It also tends to be less strong and bitter than the raw type, so if it's your first time trying it, a $3 peso cup may be the way to go. If you decide you like it from there, you can move on to the real stuff, and eventually become addicted, carrying your mate, herb, and thermos around everywhere you go like I did and sometimes still do, despite getting weird looks from Starbucks-toting Seattleites.  Maté! Try it!

Cafe San Juan

Okay now things are getting serious. This is by far the best daylight eating I did in B.A. Another San Telmo spot, this place has been getting loads of attention by restaurant reviewers and I actually learned about it watching an Argentine cooking channel. The chef is a young, tatooed, trucker-hat-wearing pate wizard who also pickles all his own veggies. A modern take on traditional Argentine cuisine, the menu is full of tasty things like octopus, rabbit, and house made chorizo. The place is small and packed, defined by the partially open kitchen where you can watch the other hipstery tattooed cooks bustle about.  The menu is hand-written on two big chalkboards that the servers patiently display tableside while you make up your mind about what to order.  This process is a bit stressful for someone like myself who loves to take forever looking at the menu and hates to waste a server's time, but it's unique in it's own right, and I give that credit. 

This gnocchi dish with fresh tomato, basil and eggplant in a light cream sauce was as delicious as it looks in the photo. The rabbit pate with plum compote and rabbit stew with sun-dried tomato, crispy polenta and parma ham were also winners, washed down with a bottle of Alta Vista Premium Malbec, a common but consistently good bottle, made for a heavenly lunch.  The dishes are unpretentious, created with basic but quality ingredients, well-seasoned, and hearty.  Great food and a unique personality make this restaurant my current B.A. favorite.

Cocina Sunae

Closed door restaurants (Puertas Cerradas) are thriving in Buenos Aires, as everyone scrambles to discover the new, hip place to eat. Signs and commercial spaces are out, home kitchens and secret addresses are in.  Most of them work the way that Cocina Sunae works: visit the website, check out the menu for the weekend, send an email requesting a reservation, and wait to hear back with a confirmation, address, and any special instructions.  I had heard fantastic things about this particular Asian-fusion closed door restaurant and had to check it out. 

Take a cab to the address that will be sent to your e-mail, as the neighborhood where the restaurant is located (Colegiales) is less than friendly at night. After buzzing a the front gate and giving your name,  the big steel door will open into a lush garden patio with beautiful twinkling lights strung through the trees. The dining room is small and intimate but designed in a different way than other closed door restaurants I visited. While Casa Saltshaker feels like attending a dinner party at a friends house with a big communal table in a proper dining room, Sunae is more like eating at a really tiny restaurant adjacent to the house. Overall, the experience is slightly more formal. Of course the owners regularly stop by the tables to drop of dishes and check in on the meal, but two servers also work in the dining room. Though the menu is mostly set, we selected our entrees via email beforehand- a choice between Pad Thai and Green Curry.  I picked a bottle of the 2010 Laborum Torrontes, a gorgeous fragrant white from Cafayate sure to play nicely with spicy Southeast Asian cuisine. 

Spice heads take note- Sunae is not shy with the heat! This may be one of the only spots in B.A. where you find proper heat in the food. Now I have to qualify this statement by noting that I have a particularly sensitive, whiney, baby-like palate when it comes to hot spice and three courses of that much jalapeno or serrano was almost too much for me. My friend from Wisconsin also found herself reaching for the water glass after every bite, her eyes red and watery. But there's no doubt that people who have a taste for hot spice (are probably missing it in Argentina) will be more than satisfied at Sunae. Overall, the space is beautiful, service gracious, and cuisine thoughtfully crafted and artfully presented. Many thanks to implant chefs like Sunae's Christina Wiseman for diversifying the culinary scene in B.A.

Gran Bar Danzon

Okay now it's time to get down to that topic I am most passionate about: the drinking!! Above I've inserted a horrible photo of one of the best bars in town- Gran Bar Danzon. I also seem to have lost any resemblance of recipe or tasting note I might have recorded while visiting this bar. I can only deduce that this means that every time I visited, I left super pleased... and perhaps sloshed. What I can tell you is that this place offers some of the most creative, well-balanced cocktails that I found in the city and some of the most well-trained bar staff as well (one of the barmen recently flitted off to a new position at London's award-winning Milk and Honey). Danzon has taken a bit from the speakeasy trend, as the entrance is missable and the bar itself hidden up some dimly lit steps on the second floor.  Like many bars in B.A., the aesthetics are well-planned, it's gorgeous on the inside with a cozy lounge, long sexy bar, and expansive dining area. Located in the posh Recoleta neighborhood, the crowd mainly consists of attractive, suited downtown business types and the fashiony ladies they are trying to attract. It's a great spot for a happy hour cocktail or prefunk beverages before hitting the dance floor (check out El Living a few blocks away). The spacious dining room is always packed and the wine list better than most, promoting a different winery every few weeks. A pretty place with a well stocked bar (see probably the only place that carries Bison Grass Vodka in town), interesting concoctions and an army of well-dressed, charming barmen.

Milion

Milion is one of those places I kept finding myself coming back to, not so much because of the cocktails, but because of everything else that the bar offers. Set up two flights in an old giant mansion, this place is stunningly gorgeous, with antiquey furniture, large funky paintings, and an incredible starlit garden patio. When sticking to classic cocktails, the bar impresses, with a nice liquor selection and mastery of certain recipes, while their original drinks are less exciting. My first Negroni in Argentina was happily sipped here.  The crowd is a crazy eclectic mix of mostly young artists, professionals, daddy-money spenders, and others. Wander through the many tucked away rooms to check out the strange decor and stranger clientele. Perhaps my most notable experience consisted of a long night with a group of Argentine soccer players who were rambunctious from just having won a big tournament and had toted with them to the bar a massive trophy shaped like a big gold cup. When I made the mistake of jokingly suggesting they fill the cup with sparkling wine and drink from that, the boys enthusiastically embraced the idea. Soon bubbly and Red Bull were sloshing all over the floor and the bartenders were giving me the evil eye. That trophy of champagne accompanied us all over town that night.  Milion is just one of those places that you always walk out of with a story. It's a top pick for beauty and a certain breed of debauchery.

Doppelgänger

This one I've saved for last as it is near and dear to my corazon. Think San Telmo has little more to offer than tango and the Sunday market? Make no mistake, this neighborhood is home to hands-down the BEST cocktail bar I found in Buenos Aires. I cannot say enough about the care and attention that goes into the bar program here. Owners Guillermo (pictured above) and Stella have put their heart and soul into this venture and execute it all- food, cocktail, ambiance, personality- gracefully and with charm.  

I was drawn to the Doppel when I came across an internet site that advertised them as offering a cocktail list of over 75 different drinks. When I finally coerced my roommates into checking the place out, I had two cocktails and fell in love. Not only does the list impress with a huge selection of classics (try their Journalist and Martinez, among others... many others), the service is great- Guillermo venturing out from behind a busy bar to check in and chat it up with tables, and the people are just plain awesome- buena onda. For those of you who keep up with nerdy cocktail things, describing Guillermo as an Argentine Murray Stenson will help explain. For others, just imagine a super friendly guy is able and willing to brilliantly make you anything your heart desires as long as he's got the right ingredients. Lillet is an important part of my favorite cocktail, the Corpse Reviver #2, but it is impossible to find in Argentina. They simply don't import it. So when my mom came down to visit I asked she bring with her a bottle for Guillermo's bar, a gift gladly received as he proudly whipped up his very first Vesper and my beloved Corpse Reviver. When I left for four months in Mendoza, Guillermo continued serving Lillet cocktails, but saved me just enough in the bottle for my return to B.A. That's just the kind of people we're dealing with here.

From great music, to low-pretension, to amazing drinks and a tiny kitchen cranking out awesome bar food, the Doppel is the full package. And the best part is that it's still relatively undiscovered. Because Stella and Guillermo deserve the business and recognition, I am shouting GO TO THIS BAR, GODDAMMIT!! Meanwhile, remember to only let the truly cool and deserving people know. "This is not for everyone" is the bar motto and it is more than appropriate. Oh Doppelbar, I miss you. I hope to see you again real soon. Hearts and hearts and hearts.

OKAY! That's it! I did it! Over a month and a half back in the states and I finally completed my monster blog Buenos Aires food/drink round up. Though amazed by my ability to procrastinate, I am at the same time proud of myself. And I hope this proves helpful or interesting to someone somewhere at some moment.

Cheers. Drink on.

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!

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.