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Archive for April, 2010



Malbec hits the New York Times

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Esteemed journalist Eric Asimov is the hallowed wine expert at the New York Times and even he has come around to Malbec. In a recent article he says that “Argentina opens the tap for Malbec” (click for the full article)

They tasted 25 Malbecs under $50 and the verdict is that there is no greater value in the market with the same fruit flavors and consistency as Malbec.

Here are a few of the highlights:

“It’s the right sort of wine at the right kind of price.”

Argentina is pumping out a river of malbec, and it has been flying off the shelves at an astounding rate. Since 2005, shipments of Argentine malbec to the United States have quintupled, to nearly 3.15 million cases in 2009 from about 628,000 cases in 2005, according to figures from Wines of Argentina, a trade group.

“As the outdoor cooking season gets under way in earnest, with its plethora of grilled and roasted meats, malbecs would make fine choices. I tend to think of them the way I did of zinfandels, before so many zinfandels became top-heavy with alcohol. They are likable and powerful enough in their own right. And if you served them slightly cool, as Florence suggested, well, then you have a fine summer party wine.”

So there you have it- The NYT just told you to go out and throw a party!

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New Bus Tour to Uco Valley Wineries

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Amongst the tourists that I have encountered in the The Vines Tasting Room, it is amazing how seemingly a lot of people like to “bike and wine”- personally I would just stay at the first winery, ditch the bike, keep drinking and have someone pick me up. “Biking and wining” also tends to keep you confined to Maipu where the wineries are conveniently located fairly close together and there are some various lunch options available.

If I were to bike and wine- which I probably never will- I would hit the Uco Valley. The landscapes are stunning, the air is pure and the culture is 100% campo- or rural Argentina. However it is a bit difficult to get to and the wineries are fairly distant from each other which effectively ruling out the easy “bikes and wines.”

HOWEVER now there is another option other than renting a car or getting a remis for the day- which tends to be a bit too expensive for the average backpacker and tourist on their own. Andesmar has worked with several bodegas in the Uco Valley to create a day trip to sample several wineries at a very amenable price.

The Bus Vitivinicola (super fun word to say- may take some practice for gringos) is still in its infancy and currently offers tours on Fridays for $100 pesos for the day and you can purchase your tickets online. They will be expanding their services to Tuesdays and Saturdays for South Uco Valley and Fridays and Sundays for the Northern Uco Valley. You can visit the bodegas Atamisque, Andeluna, Salentein, O’Fournier and La Celia.

So now you have another option for touring the Uco Valley on your next visit to Mendoza!

Here are a couple of links to videos in spanish in you can’t wait for the real deal and want to take a turn virtually.

http://www.malbectv.com/video.php?id=188

http://www.malbectv.com/video.php?id=187

Posted in Experiences, Mendoza Bodegas | No Comments »


The Vines last day of 2010 Cosecha

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

It has been a busy fall for us here in Mendoza with the winery, clients, and harvest! Today marks the last day we will be harvesting grapes and we currently have 82 different lots of wines! We have 74 lots are fermenting in stainless steel tanks- we have the ultimate technology in microfermentation! Each owner has their own tank and the cellar staff is busy with hand punch downs, some of the owners have even gotten in on the action, and monitoring the fermentation process. 6 wines have already completed fermentation and are in barrel ready to go through malolactic fermentation. This year we produced Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Syrah. Now I can’t wait for the blending trials!

It has been a monumental year for us and we are happy to share it with both our owners as well as everyone that will be drinking these wines in the future!

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Chocolate & Wine Pairings with Chrissie Bettencourt

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Ok, I admit it, I have a lot of vices…however, my favorites tend to be wine and chocolate and sometimes, if I am lucky, they even tend to be spectacular together! Lucky for us, Chrissie Bettancourt has studied the finer points of chocolate and food pairings, which, at best tends to be difficult and full of nuance. She conducts classes and courses with her company, Awaken Your Senses, that guides people through the use of chocolate and other gourmet tools, to help you discover that, yes indeed, we do have 5 senses.

It really is amazing to see how the wine pairs with different chocolates. For example, here at The Vines, one of my favorites is a orange infused chocolate- oh and you should only buy the best quality chocolate to conduct the pairings (important detail) – with the Lorca Viognier. The citrus flavors jump out at you instantly complementing the acidity in the wine and the balance it has with the chocolate. Another interesting pairing is a spicy pepper infused chocolate with the Malamado Malbec, a sweet dessert wine- the pairing is incredible with sweet and spice doing the tango in your mouth. Try it out for yourself!

So the next time you are in Mendoza, make sure that you add a chocolate and wine pairing class to your itinerary- you won’t regret it. Or contact her if you have any questions about potential chocolate and wine pairings- she is a font of information. My problem is that I just can’t seem to stop eating the truffles!

Chrissie offers:


Chocolate and Wine Tastings

Unique and personalized chocolate and wine pairings, using handmade chocolate truffles and boutique Argentine wines.  Each pairing is created specifically to highlight particular elements of flavour in both the wine and chocolate.   Here you can learn the steps in both wine and chocolate tastings, the why’s of flavor combinations and how to pair chocolate with wine.

Price:  90 pesos per person
5 people and more:  60 pesos per person

Cooking with Wine and Chocolate

Using a selection of recipes and hands on exercises, learn the basics of how to cook with chocolate and wine to create unique desserts that will be sure to impress friends and family.  In this workshop you will:

* Learn about where chocolate originated

* Different chocolate varietals and descriptors

* The different types of chocolate that you can use in cooking

* The basics of tasting chocolate and learning how to select the appropriate chocolate for your recipe

* Learn how to combine both wine and chocolate in desserts

* Create two decadent chocolate and wine desserts

Cost:  60 pesos per person


Email: info@awakenyoursenses.info

Website: www.awakenyoursenses.info

Blog: http://awakenyoursenses.info/wordpress/

Posted in Life in Mendoza | No Comments »


The Vines Team- Cosecha Day 2010

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Every year the entire Vines team heads into the vineyard to harvest grapes that will eventually become wine for guests at The Vines of Mendoza’s tasting room. This year was especially unique because we were able to harvest and process the grapes in our own winery! As many of us work and live in Mendoza city, about an hour from the Uco Valley, and as we are in the midst of high tourist season, we often are not able to visit the finca as much as we would like. I watched as many members of the team entered the winery for the first time and the looks of incredulity were amazing. The bright shiny tanks and fully functioning sorting line and pumps, all gleaming with the smell of wine in the air, captivated the imaginations of what had previously only been a dream, but was now a reality.

Several owners were on hand to experience the process and we all jumped in and helped with the selection process. After several hours of hard work “on the line” we took a break to celebrate with lomos off the parrilla, super thin beef sandwiches (yum) and of course some champagne and fernet branca y coca (national Argentine drink of choice).  It was a momentous day for the entire team, one that culminates a year of hard work and amazing achievements!

Posted in Experiences, Life in Mendoza, Private Vineyard Estates | No Comments »


Eventos Semanales del 9 al 16 de abril

Friday, April 9th, 2010

The Vines of Mendoza | Eventos Semanales

Noticias
Nuestra sala de degustación permanecerá cerrada el día viernes 16 de abril. Disculpe las molestias.

Noche del Enólogo | Bodega Atamisque

Miércoles

14 de abril | 7 a 9pm | $30

ATAMISQUE

Decantados 50% Off en copas

Todos los martes y viernes | 7 a 9pm

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Degustación de Vinos y Tapas

Jueves 15 de abril| 9 a 11pm | $45

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Maridaje con vinos de Vistalba. Incluye dos copas de vino acompañadas de variedad de tapas.

Descuentos especiales en los productos de esta bodega.Reservas: events@vinesofmendoza.com Tel. +54 (0261) 438 1031

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Mendoza’s new Art Atelier- Gonzalo Anton

Friday, April 9th, 2010

One of Mendoza´s best kept secrets is the new atelier of international artist Gonzalo Antón (www.gonzaloanton.com) located on Larrea Street 1585, the heart of Chacras de Coria village: a district known for its small wineries, boutique inns and premium tourist attractions.

Gonzalo Antón was born in Mendoza and spends most of the year here when not traveling and personally delivering his paintings to international clients. He is often featured in international art exhibitions-you can see some of his international exhibits and press coverage in his website.
The atelier, with a spacious garden with a pool and the beautiful backdrop of ancient trees and the tranquility that is found inthe country- it is a perfect spot to create beautiful works of art.. After admiring some of his huge canvases (some measure 170 by 90 inches -4 by 2 meters!-) you will wish you had more space in your home to add some of his pieces. And if you are in luck that day, you might be one of the few he invites over for a drink afterward at his private home -just a 2 minute drive away- to frolic in the garden with his pet peacocks. Settle back with some wine and enjoy a lively conversation, a beautiful setting and fine art- this is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip.

Be sure to book a visit to Gonzalo´s hidden atelier when coming to Mendoza! Reservations can be made by calling 156 607 531 (from USA dial 011 549 261 660 7531).

Posted in Experiences, Life in Mendoza | 1 Comment »


CONFERENCE CALL: “Cosecha 2010. Uco Valley – Mendoza – Argentina”

Friday, April 9th, 2010

“COSECHA 2010: Uco Valley – Mendoza – Argentina“ conference call was hosted on April 6th, 2010 by Michael Evans, CEO of The Vines of Mendoza. The 4 panelists were Rob Lawson, Santiago Achaval, Pablo Giménez Riili and Pablo Martorell.

> Download the MP3 file for your iPod / iTunes here.
(right click link then download / save as)

Posted in Podcasts | 1 Comment »


ROLLAND COLLECTION | Winemaker Night | April 7th

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Please join us tomorrow night for an evening with one of the world’s most preeminent winemakers.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »


TODAY | CONFERENCE CALL | COSECHA 2010

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

REGISTER HERE

UCO VALLEY – COSECHA 2010 - MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Day: April 6th | Time: 7pm EDT

Please join The Vines of Mendoza and our winemaking team for a quarterly conference call about the Cosecha (harvest) 2010.
Leading wine experts, Santiago Achaval of Achaval Ferrer and Rob Lawson of Pavi wines and Napa Wine Company will talk with Pablo Giménez Riili and Pablo Martorell about this years grape harvest, the status of the vineyards, our experiences and the industry overall in Mendoza, Argentina.
Get an insiders perspective about what its like to make wine in Argentina and what new and exciting happenings are in store.

REGISTER HERE

Please send any questions you would like to have answered during the call to emily@vinesofmendoza.com

You can participate via computer, telephone or twitter (@vinesofmendoza).

There will be a live chat for questions and comments.
We will also record the conversation  and share it as a podcast at www.vinesofmendoza.com.

Posted in Mendoza Bodegas, Vines Events | No Comments »