The Vines of Mendoza | Blog

Archive for December, 2011



Christmas and New Year in Montevideo

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

For those in the northern hemisphere we hope your Christmas and New Year was filled with reindeer-patterned sweaters, a suitable binge on roast turkey and all the trimmings, and quality family time by the fireplace. Things down here in the Southern Cone are more than a little different – in Mendoza it is a pretty easy-going affair all about BBQs and lazing about the swimming pool. For me though, one of the most fun places to spend Christmas and New Year is in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Montevideo is probably one of the world’s most relaxed capital cities, which sadly most people skip off their travel plans because its relative safety. After all, organization and cleanliness are seen by some travelers as boring. But don’t believe the hype, because this city explodes in serious style over the holiday period.

Celebrations take a similar format on the 24th and 31st (the two more celebrated days here). At midday everyone (young, old and in the middle) gather in the main plaza by the Mercado del Puerto – usually before or after gorging on a mountain of meat in the indoor market – and bring with them a couple bottles of fizzy cider. On the 31st the lawyers of the city start the mayhem by throwing showers of torn paper documents from the year out of their office windows, and as horns blast and drums beat everyone becomes embroiled in what must be the biggest cider fight in the world.

It all begins a bit more civilized as you walk through the streets with people shaking the plastic bottles and spraying fizz into the air, or cheekily pouring cider down your back as you pass by, but as more cider gets thrown (and drunk) it gets more energetic and raucous, and only the brave and stupid remain for what soon becomes a plastic bottle fight. Some attempt to enjoy the carnival atmosphere but avoid getting wet by watching the spectacle from afar – on the terraces of the restaurants above, but never underestimate the reach of cheap sweet cider, no-one leaves the party dry. This is the time of year that Montevideans all let their hair down and if you are in the area, you can’t miss it.

After a shower and big dinner with family and friends, the grand finale of Montevideo’s celebrations takes place: the fireworks. At the strike of midnight a billion fireworks are set off – with everyone in the city throwing bangers and lighting fireworks and flames on every corner of every block. Don’t think about the health and safety hazards on this night… just stand back, toast with a glass of sparkling wine and watch the sky being set on multi-coloured fire! It only happens twice a year, and for me, Montevideo is the only place to see it.

 

 

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Mendoza but taking advantage of cider throwing and Tannat in nearby countries too.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »


Top bottles for bringing in 2012!

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

The 31st is always a great excuse to celebrate with some fab wines to usher in the New Year in style! Here are some top tipples to get festive and merry with. All are available in The Vines Wine Shop.

Carmelo Patti, Champana Extra Brut
There is no other way to kick off the celebrations than with a glass of fizz and this is a corking bottle to open for New Year. Lovingly made by local legend Carmelo Patti, a proper ‘garagista’ (making top wine in his small rustic winery), this is a vivacious and honeyed wine made of the typical Pinot Noir and Champagne blend by champenoise method. Yum! $19.

Mournier, Torrontes
You can’t beat a good Torrontes as a refreshing aperitif with its bursting fruit and floral characteristics, and Mournier in Cafayate makes one of the finest. With lots of orange blossom and white flowers on the nose, locally they call this wine ‘the liar’ because its deceptively sweet nose makes the dry and crisp finish a real surprise. $17.

Mendel, Unus Blend
This Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon blend is from one of the country’s star winemakers – Roberto de la Motta. A boutique winery with a truly Argentine style, this wine is an elegant blend with concentrated black cherry and plum on the nose and laced with rose and leather on the finish – a steal at $49.

Monte Cinco, Malbec
This is one of those manly Malbecs that isn’t shy on character. A sultry, dark Malbec with dark fruits, chocolate and tobacco – this will seduce even the pickiest wine drinkers. Definitely one to drink with a dinner of equal personality! $29.

Pulenta Estate, Cabernet Franc
For something a bit different around the dinner table, try out Pulenta Estate’s single varietal of Cabernet Franc. One of our very faves at The Vines, this potent wine has a spicy and persistent nose brimming with green pepper, dark fruits and a lingering smoke on the finish. You won’t want the year to end drinking this beauty. $49.

 

 

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Mendoza and still trying to find good excuses every day to open a decent bottle or two from this stunning wine region.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »


Argentime

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

I’ve been living in Mendoza for two years now and even though I have got used to the long queues at every bank, managed to sustain my hunger for the ritualistic five hour long asados and have all too comfortably slipped into the afternoon siesta, there is one aspect of ‘argentime’ that I really can’t grasp… arriving late for everything!

Where I grew up it would be impolite to arrive to a business meeting half an hour late, and just plain rude to turn up over an hour and a half late for a date. But here, either barely raise an apologetic eyebrow. This is ‘Argen-time’, and punctuality is not part of the vocab.

Last week I went to an Argentine friend’s asado – we’ll call him Juan. Not knowing anyone, apart from Juan obviously, I decided to play it safe, drop the gringo act and arrive in ‘Argentime’. The asado was at nine. At 9:10 I very coolly (or so I thought) cleaned the house a bit and casually went to shower. 9:30 I’m listening to a bit of music in my room, have a glass of wine poured and am getting changed in an incredibly nonchalant way, feeling pretty good (or downright smug) about how this time I’m going to be the last to arrive. 9:45 I am ready and a bit bored. 9:50 I’m sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting and urging the clock hands to hit ten. 10:00 pm finally arrives, and I jump up and head out. Walking at snail’s pace and pausing to look at pretty flowers, cats, trash in the irrigation channels and any old crack in the pavement, I manage to turn a 7-minute walk into a 25-minute meander.

10.25pm I’m stood in front of my friend’s door, with my ear to the wood listening to check the party is already swinging. I can’t hear anything. I deliberate. I really wanted to be the last to arrive, but then I don’t want to miss out on the first innings of choripan.  My stomach grumbles and I ring the bell. Half tempted to lean indifferently with one elbow on the door frame, I’m feeling pretty darn good about my late arrival – an hour and a half late, that’s like 90 whole minutes, probably a couple more by now, not that I’m counting.

A stranger answers the door in his pajamas and looks at me a bit peeved. “I’m here for the party” I say, trying my hardest not to sound too eager or squeaky. “You’re early,” he replies, “Juan has just gone down to the shops to get the meat.” “Oh” I reply, a moment more rolls by. “I guess you can come in and wait in here if you like.”

I sit in the living room while the roommate showers. I twiddle my thumbs, looking at the clock on the table, cursing my continued, foolish attachment to timekeeping. Juan comes back 20 minutes later, and finally at 11pm the next guest turns up. It’s another gringo.

Damn Argentime!

 

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Mendoza to learn about wine and unlearn the art of time.

Posted in Experiences, Life in Mendoza, Uncategorized | No Comments »


A night in with Lurton

Friday, December 16th, 2011


Lurton was the bodega of choice for the last Winemaker’s Night in 2011. The Valle de Uco winery is owned by a French winemaking family who decided to break the mold and get out of France to start also making wines in four different wine making countries: Spain, Portugal, Chile and finally Argentina.

When brothers Francois and Jacques came to the Uco Valley in 1992 they fell in love with the dried river bed which formed the terroir and recognized a potential for wines characterized by minerality. They have been making wines in their own bodega since 1996 and Luca Hodgkinson, the Technical Director of the winery, came to present three of their wines on Wednesday.

Luca explained that even though the wines that we would be tasting that evening were all red wines, the family actually had a very strong focus on white wines and make an exceptional Pinot Gris. However this was promised for the next tasting, because the first wine to fill our glass was their Malbec Reserva.

This young Malbec was used with a blend from Cot (Malbec) clones from Cahors, France, which is considered by many to be the birthplace of Malbec. Lurton experimented with the French vines, along with Argentine Malbec vines, and found that the Cot clones produced a wine with a less aggressive tendency that worked well under the stress of the extreme Uco Valley temperature variation.

You could taste that something was quite different about this wine from other Argentine Malbecs and it clearly had a French style. “We have a very French tradition of making wines: with at least 40 days of maceration, cement tanks for reds and always French oak barrels, of course!” explained Luca.

The wine itself also had a lot of malolactic fermentation giving it a buttery and silky feel as well as retaining its characteristic fresh red fruit and a touch of liquorice and mint chocolate. A very pleasant Malbec especially at its price tag of $60 pesos.

The next wine was their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva. Luca explained as a French owned winery it was natural that this was the varietal that they most knew and enjoyed working with. You could see their experience in making Cab the French way because of its finer feel in the mouth but still humming with lots of roast red pepper, forest floor, cherry and spice aromas. Luca said that when producing the wines, he and Francois always thought about what it could be paired with – in this case he felt it was best with game dishes.

Our last wine of the night was Piedra Negra – a blend of Malbecs from different places in Valle de Uco. This wine had a large amount of Cot grapes in it. As one of their oldest vineyards, this is one of their prized lots and you could see why. Along with the refreshing acidity more typical of French Cot, they also ferment in oak to give it a very well integrated oak feel. It was an incredibly complex wine with layers of fruit, flowers, creamy oak characteristics and a touch of mint.

This was an absorbing night trying wines of a very different style from this French winery in Argentina.

 

Interview with the Winemaker: Luca Hodgkinson

 

What made you want to be a winemaker?

Nature. Before I decided to be a winemaker I wanted to be something related to nature: an agronomist, tropical forest management … anything related to nature. But then I also had this love for gastronomy. My mother is French and we lived in Barcelona where gastronomy is very important. Wine is a blend of gastronomy and nature.

Where do you want to travel next?

I am hoping to go to Alaska! Alaska is fantastic for nature and landscapes, and I am a keen a climber too and the climbing is supposed to be great there.

If you couldn’t drink your own wine, what wines would you drink?

I would drink Burgundy – I love the subtlety and perfection of these wines along with the complexity. This variety has a complexity that I have not found anywhere else. Pinot Noir is one of the only varieties that people like to make by itself – it’s a perfect match of complexity and subtlety.

What do you like to cook?

Rabbit in a typical Spanish sauce with almonds, red pepper, olive oil and garlic!

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Teletransportation. I love travelling and being in 15 places all the time, so it would have to be flying!

 

 

 

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist who has been living in Mendoza for two years. All she wants for Christmas is a glass of Hendrick’s gin (with cucumber, of course), some really stinky goat cheese, a brand new Garcia Marquez novel and a pony (one day Santa will give in).

Posted in Vines Events | No Comments »


Your Perfect December Solution- $10 Wines!

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

December is a very busy month for everyone- the mad rush to finally see everyone that you haven’t seen in the course of a year in the short space of a month. All in order to toast the year that is about to end. I personally like this concept and the hustle bustle of the season. It makes me smile and there seems to be an endless supply of champagne, or sparkling wine, which is never a bad thing either!

THE PERFECT GIFT- WINE!

The other great thing about the holiday season is that you not only get to receive gifts and thoughtful “somethings” from comrades, colleagues, friends and family, but you also get to give back as well. As I have been in the wine industry a long time, I naturally turn to wine as an easy escape route …to be honest it is a commodity that is a bit like flowers. Everyone is always happy to see it and it is never really necessary, so it’s one of those fun, guilty pleasures in life.

FOOD & WINE PAIRINGS

One of my other favorite pasttimes is cooking. I am sure you are like me in saying that I LOVE cooking for other people but when its just for myself, a grilled cheese with some tomato seems to do the trick (ok maybe with a sprinkle of  black truffle salt!).

This month I had some fun purusing the Food Network database, a favorite of mine to gain some meal time inspiration. I came across the site for $10 dollar dinners with Melissa D’Arabian. This is right up my alley for December when you are dashing about looking at your checking account balance decreasing daily … as you seem to remember more people to add to your holiday shopping list. I found a TON of recipes that are perfect, easy to make and best of all pair perfectly with The Vines $10 dollar wines!

$10 WINES!

Check out this page to see what $10 wines The Vines are offering. They are an unbeatable deal, cheaper than you could find when going to your corner grocery store and, plus, they land directly at your doorstep. These wines are perfect for the after holiday hangover- affordable yet indulgent, and you don’t have to feel guilty about dipping into your piggy bank for these wines.

Here is the full list, but a couple of my personal favorites are the Enrique Foster Ique which is light and fruity, the Serbal which is a bit more complex but really nicely balanced and the Ricomenciare Cab Franc blend. Try it – it will change your mind about the Cab Franc varietal!

So go forward, shop your feet (or fingers) off, but just make sure you have some good wines waiting for you when you get home to ease the pain!
WINE RECIPE
 1. Cantinian Malbec Mendoza 2009

2. Maia Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

3. Mi Terruno Reserve Malbec 2007

4. Serrera Syrah 2007

5. Mil Vientos Syrah 2006

6. Doña Elvira Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

7. Foster Pink Rose 2009

8. Santos Beck Vineyard Selection Malbec 2006

9. Gritos Estate Malbec 2008

10. Las Perdices Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

11. Serrera Malbec 2007

12. Melodia Merlot 2006

13. Caelum Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

14. Ricominiciare Malbec Cabernet Franc 2006

15. Sangre de los Andes Malbec 2009

16. Doña Elvira Reserva Malbec 2007

17. Enrique Foster Ique Malbec 2010

18. Serbal Malbec 2009

19. The Vines Malbec Rose Mendoza 2010

20. Ricominciare Cab. Franc Cab. Sauvignon 2006

  1. French Onion Soup

2. Succulent Braised Pork

3. Caprese Tartlets

4. Crispy Skinned Chiken a l’Orange

5. Lentil Quinoa Salad

6. Ratatouille

7. Salmon Cakes

8. Pork Carnitas

9. Huevos Rancheros

10. French Cut Steak

11. Herb Crusted Pork Loin

12. Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

13. Roasted Tomato Soup

14. Beef and Bechamel Lasagna

15. Grilled Mixed mushroom pizza

16. Crispy Potato Cake

17. Fish Skewers with Basil Chimichurri

18. Turkey Pad Thai

19. Antipasto platter

20. Roast Beef with Marsala Gravy

If you need any help with your holiday wine selections please contact Noelia at noelia@vinesofmendoza.com and she can make your holiday shopping amazingly simple!

 

Posted in Behind the bottle, Experiences | No Comments »


5 Questions with Marco Toriano and Bodega Cruzat Larrain

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Last Wednesday was a special Winemakers Night for us at The Vines, as we had winemaker Marco Toriano from Bodega Cruzat Larrain presenting his three gorgeous sparkling wines and they were each paired with a different tapas. We stole Marco away for a quick chat about fizz and Napoleon.

Tell us a bit about Cruzat Larrain and what is special about it…

“Our philosophy to keep the sparkling wine tradition and using the Champenoise method to make the wines. The owners have a winery in Chile and produce high quality wines from there and decided to start making wines in Argentina – as they preferred the potential of the region. And they called Pedro Rossell, the father of sparkling wine here in Argentina, to make the wines – he understands the different terroirs really well that give us the opportunity for a state of art sparkling wine.”

We’ve all practiced tasting still wines but what’s the secret to tasting a sparkling wine?

“The difference is that you definitely don’t swirl! If you swirl you lose all the bubbles. Seeing the pearlage and crown is important to show that the wine is at the right temperature.”

Tonight there have been some great pairings with sparkling wines. What is your favourite Cruzat Larrain wine and what do you like to pair it with?

“I love the Rosado and I think one of the best pairings is with tenderloin steak because meat is the backbone of the of Argentine character and sparkling wine is the highlight of the wine industry -the King or Queen of wine. It’s a very good way to join the two cultures.”

What is your favorite aspect of drinking a bottle of fizz?

“The experience! I think Napoleon said “in victory you deserve champagne, when you are defeated you need champagne.” I share the same philosophy. With this style of sparkling wine it is enjoyable even by yourself with a good book and looking at the mountains.”

Each of your different wines are given an animal character on your website. If you were in the animal kingdom what would you be and why?

“I would be a bull because I like to know where I am standing before I move. Once I make my decision I move forward without doubt and always in fifth gear! But maybe I’d be a genetic cross with a pig because they get to enjoy all the material pleasures!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist who lives in Mendoza and cannot tear herself away from the mountains and Malbec.

Posted in Life in Mendoza, Mendoza Bodegas | No Comments »


Coming Soon: Pulenta Estate Gran Pinot Noir

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

 

We are often asked what some of our favorite wines or wineries are here in Mendoza and one of the wineries that always tops my list is Pulenta Estate. They offer wines across the board that please everyone from wine connoisseur to the novice that was just introduced to Malbec. They  consistently provide amazing value and every vintage is true to their winemaking philosophy.

We cannot wait to share the Pulenta Estate Gran Pinor Noir with you — it will hopefully be in the market soon. Pulenta numbers their great wines with simple roman numerals and you should now watch out for number XV!

This wine comes from a single vineyard in the Uco Valley, cuartel 23 in their Finca Los Alamos and was made to express the terroir. The grapes were handled very carefully to capture the delicate flavors and aromas that are emblematic to the very finicky Pinot Noir grape. They were treated with a two day cold maceration and then fermented in small open top stainless steel tanks with a manual punchdown. They were then transferred to French oak barrels where the wine aged for 9 months.

To make a splash for the release of this wine, we were treated to a lovely inauguration party at the winery, where the owners and winemakers were able to show and explain the new Gran Pinot Noir for their portfolio. They also showed the new vintage for their Malbec and capped off the evening with a succulent asado. The Pinot went perfectly with some of the best pork loin I have ever had!

To say the least, this is another great achievement for this very special winery. If you are coming to Mendoza, it is one of our top favorites to visit!

 

 

2010 Tasting Notes:

Delicate and aromatic with notes of strawberries lightly dusted with chocolate and caramel. The mouth is expressive with deep stone fruit, hints of earth and toast with lively acidity and structure. The finish is simply lovely with fruit lasting in your mouth like a good lollypop- you just want to keep drinking! This is a young wine and is sure to mature and develop even more layers and intricate flavors.

Posted in In the News, Mendoza Bodegas, Tasting Notes | No Comments »


The Peña in Salta

Monday, December 5th, 2011

 

Salta and Cafayate are not only home to Argentina’s best fruity white wine, Torrontes, but also to the legendary Peña. One of Argentina’s best nights out, the Peña is part of your travels that can’t be missed. Some say the word Peña comes from wanting to drown your sorrows (or pains/peñas) with wine and music, while others say it comes from a native word to unite with brothers. Either way it works as this night of lively folklore music and plenty of local brew is sure to both numb the senses and unify people!

My first experience of a Peña was at the bohemian ‘La Casona del Molino’, an old mill building 10 minutes out of Salta city center which has been converted into a rather shabby looking bar. Five rooms in the round with a rustic bar propped up in the middle connecting patio, this is a real diamond in the rough – not for its mismatched, wobbly furniture, or rock bottom drink prices, but for the people that fill this place every night.

Gauchos in billowing pants with their large knives swaggering at the side pour into La Casona with an assortment of instruments slung over their shoulders. Picking any room, locals grab a stool and join in for a folk music jam session, improvising with others on the spot. Walking between the rooms you could end up at either side of the Argentine folkloric spectrum, from heart rendering wavering vocals being sung at the top of emotion filled lungs with solitary Spanish guitar, to foot tapping and thigh slapping alongside an energetic 10 piece band of all sorts.

As each rooms gets more and more packed, the music gets louder and louder with musicians competing to reign the sound waves over their neighboring room. This is a boisterous night that starts late and keeps going even later. So pick a room, take a seat, order a Fantvin like everyone else (orange Fanta mixed with red wine…) and enjoy the show. It’s sure to be one you will always remember!

 

 

Posted in Experiences | No Comments »