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Archive for February, 2008

Argentine Wine Awards 2008

Monday, February 25th, 2008

Last week Mendoza played host to the 2008 Argentine Wine Awards, as well as a seminar on “Successful Wine Styles in the United States,” intended to help local wine makers in the US market. The panelists were Doug Frost, Patricio Tapia, Michael Franz, Paul Lukacs, Charlie Arturaola, Marguerite Thomas, Michael Schachner and Steve Olson, some of the US’s leading wine experts and journalists. Several of us from The Vines were in attendance at the fascinating seminar, and we wanted to share some of the highlights with you.

The panelists seemed to agree that Argentina’s strength lies in its differences. This is the only place on Earth that produces such high quality, well rounded Malbec, and the Torrontes grape is unique to Argentina. Bonarda, while also grown in Northern Italy, is garnering quite a reputation for quality here in Argentina. The consensus was that Argentine wine makers should concentrate on these varietals that set them apart, rather than increasing plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. They benefit from the diversity of the North American wine market, and should focus on creating an identity for themselves as the producers of unique wines that provide value at every price point. They have the advantage of making wines that are accessible young, and savvy label designers and marketers who help them express themselves to the world. The future is bright for the wines of Argentina!

The Argentine Wine Awards showcased wines that shine, many of which are not (yet) known in the United States, and some of which we have the pleasure of selling in our online wine shop. The award winning Cavas de Crianza Malbec is even part of our upcoming Acequia Wine Club shipment! 500 wines were tasted; here are the results:

Argentine Wine Awards chart

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Noche de Espumantes with the Stars

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008

(The last Friday of every month The Vines of Mendoza hosts “ La Noche de Espumantes,” or sparkling wine night. Here is the tale of our last bubbly event, as told by a member of The Vines’ staff.)
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It was a warm summer evening, the perfect time to stop by The Vines to enjoy the crisp and delicate bubbles of Mendoza’s “espumantes” on the patio.

Visitors know that there is always something special waiting for them at our Tasting Room and so they stop by to discover what’s on today. Little did they know the surprise that was awaiting:
there’s live music, chilled extra brut and sparkling eyes everywhere! Giménez Riili, Luigi Bosca and Carmelo Patti offer delicious sparkling wines to satisfy our thirsty senses, and tonight all three are being poured in abundance. “I’m definitely staying” guests say… and they surrender to the charm of a gracious staff that pampers you with their excellent service.

Our first station welcomes guests with the delicious Perpetuum Extra Brut, a blend of selected Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Chenin grapes from Mendoza’s Maipú region that awakens your taste buds and freshens your spirit at the first sip. Some visitors shyly approach others and start talking to each other about our beautiful space.

Servers at the second station proudly announce they are pouring La Linda’s Chardonnay- Semillon Extra Brut. And you can actually sense its presence by the aromas of tropical fruits, honey and apricot in the air… Guests grab some fresh cheese and bread to have in between wines because they are set to taste them all!

The romantic Spanish guitar makes the perfect accompaniment to this unforgettable sensory experience.

When the time comes to taste the final wine, Carmelo Patti’s powerful espumante delights the audience with its bright golden color and subtle salmon hues. Vanilla, honey, grapefruit and a hint of toasted bread are the unmistakable notes of this excellent wine.

And just at that moment, the winemaker himself shows up at the Tasting Room! Yes! Carmelo was here to share his creation with all of us, and to discuss his passion for the art of winemaking. You never know who’s going to make an appearance on a night like this…
At this point, all the visitors are friends and are making plans for their dinner together.

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Tasting with Steven Spurrier

Monday, February 18th, 2008

By Vines Sommelier, Mariana Onofri

Happily, being a sommelier has not only given me the opportunity to enjoy amazing wines, but also to meet great people that share the same passion for wine.

I have to say it was a pleasure sharing a tasting with Steven Spurrier here at The Vines of Mendoza.

He asked us to prepare a tasting with wines that we thought represent the future of Argentina, and I have to confess that it was not an easy task to accomplish… many labels came to our minds, however it was hard to reach a final decision. We were eager to please him with every wine offered.

We finally selected three whites and seven reds we have available in our Tasting Room were interested in getting his opinion of the wines we had chosen…

It was a blind tasting and after each wine, he would talk about his impressions, guessing varietals, vintages, aging… and in every case he was not far from reality. It was great hearing his simple but so accurate descriptions of each wine we tasted.

So here is the list of the wines …his scores and his conclusions…

Enjoy!!
1. LURTON CORTE FRIULANO 2006

WINERY: JACKES & FRANÇOIS LURTON

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 80% Pinot Gris, 15% Chardonnay, 5%

Torrontés.

VINEYARD: Vista flores, Tunuyán, Valle de Uco.

TASTING NOTES: great floral character combined with delicate mineral notes. Oily ( “ in the good sense” ), perfectly balanced and prolonged finish.

SCORE: 17.5

2. LAGRIMA CANELA 2006

WINERY: WALTER BRESSIA

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 60% Chardonnay, 40% Semillon

VINEYARD: Tupungato, Valle de Uco.

TASTING NOTES: Nice Semillon influence; providing a crisp interesting character. Attractive nose, medium bodied, nice persistence but lacking integrity.

SCORE: 16.5

3. ANGELICA ZAPATA CHARDONNAY 2003

WINERY: CATENA ZAPATA

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 100% Chardonnay

VINEYARD: Tupungato, Valle de Uco.

TASTING NOTES: Flowery, first class lemonade, refine nose, great acidity and beautiful structure. Lingering finish. Beautiful!!

SCORE: 18

4. THE VINES OF MENDOZA RESERVA 2006

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% merlot, 23% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot.

VINEYARD: Vista Flores, Tunuyán, Valle de Uco ( CS – PV ) – General Ortega, Maipú ( ME, MB )

TASTING NOTES: Nice Spiciness, earthy, rustic, complex. Prematurely old though. Medium long.

SCORE: 16
5. QARAMY ALTO 2004

WINERY: QARAMY

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 60% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah.

VINEYARD: Tunuyán, Valle de Uco. 5 year old vines.

TASTING NOTES: Lovely nose and palate, fresh, nice complexity and beautifully made. Long Finish.

SCORE: 17

6. POESÍA 2002

WINERY: POESIA

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 60% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon

VINEYARD: Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza

TASTING NOTES: Broad, increased tannins presence due to oak aging, but really elegant and well made. Great aging potential, still needing some time though.

SCORE: 17

7. FINCA LOS NOBLES 2001

WINERY: LUIGI BOSCA

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: Malbec, Petit Verdot

VINEYARD: Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza

TASTING NOTES: Great attack, dry, natural fruit ripeness, smooth, honest, amazing finish!

SCORE: 18

8. ALPHA CRUX MALBEC 2005

WINERY: O’ FOURNIER

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 100% Malbec

VINEYARD: La Consulta – El Cepillo, Valle de Uco, Mendoza

TASTING NOTES: Black currants, great structure but needing time. Very powerful mid palate and finish. Let’s wait for it!

SCORE: 17

9. BRESSIA CONJURO 2004

WINERY: WALTER BRESSIA

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot.

VINEYARD: Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza

TASTING NOTES: Beautiful nose, complex, elegant, polished, ripe fruit and seducing black pepper. Beautifully made!

SCORE: 18.5

10. ACHAVAL FERRER FINCA BELLA VISTA 2004

WINERY: ACHAVAL FERRER

VARIETAL COMPOSITION: 100% Malbec

VINEYARD: Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza

TASTING NOTES: Black and rich black fruit, pewrful and dry finish. Remarkable!!!

SCORE: 18.5

Scores:

14 : Fair

15: Good

16: Very Good

17: Very Good +

18: Very Good ++

19: Excellent

20: Superb

Who is STEVEN SPURRIER ?
Wine Connoisseur of International Renown
Organizer, Judgement of Paris

· First English Wine Merchant in Paris and founder of l’Academie du Vin, France’s first non-government wine education program

· Creator of the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris wine tasting

· Founder, Christie’s Wine Course

· Chairman, World Wine Awards

· Ritz Carlton Millennia Lifetime Achievement Award

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Events Calendar Vendimia 2008

Friday, February 15th, 2008

VENDIMIA SCHDULE 2008

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Vendimias departamentales

It´s coming soon – Mendoza’s biggest party of the year! It’s almost Vendimia time, and each department of Mendoza is having its own celebration. They started at the end of January, but there are still plenty to come.
In these events every region in Mendoza province expresses its character with local art, typical dances, music, and food. These culminate with the election of the departmental queen.

You still have time to catch these local events:
* Guaymallén: February 16th
* San Martín: February 16th
* Santa Rosa: February 22th
* Ciudad de Mendoza: February 29th

MARCH EVENTS:

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Sunday March 2nd – Blessing of the fruits
Friday March 7th – Vía Blanca (City center)
Saturday March 8th – Carrusel (City center)
Saturday March 8th – Fiesta Nacional Vendimia Teatro Griego F. R. Day, queen election
Sunday March 9th - Fiesta Nacional Vendimia Teatro Griego F. R. Day Repetition
Monday March 10th – Fiesta Nacional Vendimia Teatro Griego F. R. Day Repetition

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Movie Nights in the Park every Wednesday (February & March)

2/6 Film: “La educación de las Hadas”

2/13 Film: “Las Manos”

2/20 Film: “Soy tu Aventura”

2/27 Film: “El Viento”

3/5 Film: “A Través de Tus Ojos”

FESTA IN PIAZZA

From March 4th to 6th.

In addition the Vendimia celebrations, Mendoza’s Italian community takes to the streets with “Festa in Piazza,” held in Plaza Italia. Enjoy typical Italian food, shows, etc – each region in Italy has a stand.
FEBRUARY 12-17 MASTERS OF FOOD AND WINE SOUTH AMERICA

This year, South America’s most prestigious Food and wine event is being held here in Mendoza for only the second time. Masters of Food and Wine, hosted by the Park Hyatt Mendoza, is not to be missed – it includes wine tours as well as lunches and dinners prepared by the worlds best chefs. There are daily events in and around Mendoza. See their website Masters of Food and Wine South America.

Also see Subsecretaría de Cultura (en Español) or if you’re in Mendoza pick up a copy of the Grapevine (in English) for more Vendimia information.

Federal Week 2008 (Parque Cívico de Ciudad, 9pm. Free Entrance)

Semana Federal from February 19th till February 24th, is a classic event at Vendimia time, where culture and arts are the main stars. During six nights the different departments of Mendoza (Lavalle, Malargüe, General Alvear, San Rafael, Godoy Cruz, San Carlos, Tunuyán, Tupungato, Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, Rivadavia, Junín and Santa Rosa) show their art and queens.

Program:

Tuesday 19th
Carlos Mendez, along with artists from Rivadavia, Junín and Santa Rosa; Los Percherones de la Tonada and Los Navarro.

Wednesday 20th
El Viñatero Cantor, artists from San Carlos, Tunuyán y Tupungato; Luciana Guaquinchay and el Dúo Cacace – Alliaga.

Thursday 21st
Montuelle Dúo, artists from Luján de Cuyo, Maipú y Guaymallén; Lisandro Bertín and Juanita Vera.

Friday 22nd
Torino-Reynozo, artists from San Carlos, Tunuyán y Tupungato; Dúo Nuevo Cuyo y Los Cerrillanos.

Saturday 23rd
Cantores de un Sentimiento, artists from Malargüe, Gral. Alvear y San Rafael; Ecos del Valle y Las Voces de mi Tierra.

Sunday 24th
Ini Ceverino, artists from Lavalle, Godoy Cruz and Mendoza Capital; Los Herederos del Norte y Romina Maroso.

Attend what you can – you’re sure to enjoy this special time of year in Mendoza!

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Un abrazo a Apapacho

Friday, February 8th, 2008

On Wednesday night (following a fabulous winemaker event with Bodega Hacienda del Plata here at The Vines) I had the fortune to enjoy a meal at Apapacho, one of Mendoza’s most beautiful new restaurants, located in Vistalba right across the street from Nieto Senetiner.

apapacho

Apapacho, which means “hug” in the ancient Aztec language, is a partnership between a Swiss restaurateur and his Argentine brother in law, and opened just 2 and a half months ago, on November 21. It was built in homage to the four natural elements of earth, wind, fire, and water; each element has a section of the restaurant dedicated to it. I dined in the “water room,” complete with a small quietly bubbling fountain coming out of the wall.

apapacho - wind (wind)

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The food was lovely, “creative criollo cuisine” with a great deal of attention paid to both preparation and presentation. But what truly drew me in was the design of the restaurant – the space is huge yet every small touch was done with care. There are seats in the dining room for only 45 diners, with the intent that each one can be able to enjoy a calm, comforting meal; it is somehow spacious yet intimate at the same time. There is space upstairs for large parties and a table downstairs in the wine cellar where small groups can dine in privacy, so much so that there is a bell for diners to request service rather than having a server coming and going during their whole meal.

Outdoors there are small tables to seat 2 or 4, as well as an expansive garden with several separate areas for large parties with children to have enough room for the children to play. There are also two wood-burning ovens in which the food is prepared – one Argentina style and one Chilean.

Overall, the meal was a true pleasure. In a city of culinary gems, it is always exciting to find a new place to eat in style.

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History of Vendimia

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

In Mendoza the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (The Grape Harvest Festival) is one of the most important international wine festivals. The first vendimia celebration Mendoza occurred in the 17th Century, the first official Vendimia festival took place in 1936.

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DELIA LARRIVE ESCUDERO – Godoy Cruz First Vendimia Queen 1936
see all queens at http://www.intertournet.com.ar/vendimia/reinas.htm


It is one of the most important festivals in the country attracting large numbers of tourists to the region. Each of the 18 departments in Mendoza Province prepare for the festival in the early months of the year.

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Below are the main events for the annual Vendimia Festival

Benediction of the fruit

The Benediction of the fruit takes place on the last Sunday of February.

Vía Blanca de las Reinas

On the evening of the first Friday of March the prettiest women (Reinas) from each department parade through the streets of Mendoza dressed in decorative outfits designed to celebrate the winemaking tradition and the character of their Departments. This event has been known to attract over 200,000 spectators.

Carrusel Vendimial

The Carrusel Vendimial takes place on the Saturday morning, it takes the form of a daylight parade, where the Reinas ride horses through the streets dressed in Gaucho style outfits, they are followed by dancers representing various provinces of Argentina and other Latin American Countries. This parade also attracts huge numbers of spectators.

Central act

The “Acto Central” takes place in the Frank Romero Day Amphitheatre. It is an impressive spectacle of light and sound featuring over 100 performers and dancers. The show pays homenage to the “Virgen de la Carrodilla” and features traditional folklore music.

The final of the show sees the election of the “Reina Nacional de la Vendimia” and a large firework display.

www.wikipedia.org

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Cultural Events Mendoza February 2008

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

Download Mendoza´s cultural guide where you will find more than 400 activities for children of all ages! (Yes, even for YOU)
Find all the cultural information at LA GUIA February 2008 (download pdf)

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