Valentine’s Day’s big fat red head is peeking around the corner (in case you need a reminder gentlemen, it’s next Tuesday – the 14^th of February) and while for some of us it’s a time to stock up on candy and rent the Bridget Jones box set, for others it’s that time of year where you have the pressure to get one night, just right (too little and you don’t love her enough, too much and you’re coming on too strong).  God bless Saint Valentine!

If cooking at home and decorating the bedroom with roses seems like too much work, here is a helping hand for men who need to court their ladies with a rundown of Mendoza’s most romantic restaurants…

Anna Bistro: A French inspired menu and a candlelit garden – could it get anymore ‘ooo la la’/’je t’aime’ than that? Yes it can: cozy sofas, seriously boozy cocktails and decadent desserts. Romancing over candles on a hot summer’s evening at Anna Bistro, it won’t take you very long to get her uttering those famous classy French words, ‘voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir….’ Av. Juan B. Justo 161; (261) 425 1818

Sushi Club: Seafood is supposed to be the greatest aphrodisiac of all, and this is the best sushi in town. Each table is adorned with a candle and very low lighting, although they do try to pack people in so be prepared to get intimate not only with your loved one across the table, but also with the couple next to you and the waiter’s derriere… Belgrano 1112; (206) 429 9316

Ituzaingo: You might not have bothered to cook for her yourself this year, but if you want that ‘home cooked dinner’ feeling with the convenience of a chef doing it for you, try Ituzaingo – a closed door restaurant in someone else’s trendy home. A special Valentine’s Day menu is being prepared to get the night off to a truly romantic start. Ituzaingo in 4ta section, (261) 15 666 5778

Molokai: If you want to appear slightly smarter on your Valentine’s date then take your lady to this molecular gastronomy restaurant. Although not quite at El Bulli standards, a serving of fluffy pink foam over wild boar and pistachio ravioli will make it a dinner date to remember. Belgrano 1169; (261) 425 4808

Farrah: With names such as ‘flirting’ and ‘last temptation’ on the menu you know this is a top date spot. Bright, passionate colors in each room and a lovely terrace under the stars, this one will give you top marks with your lady, especially as you pull the pro-feminism card: it’s run by three sisters. 10 points my man. Paso de los Andes 1006; (261) 423 9981

Cheap date? Not sure if you want to blow big money on this one? But can’t quite bring yourself to just take her for empanadas? Check out La Flor de la Canela on Juan B Justo, a cheap Peruvian place with good food that will impress. Although she might not be so impressed with the clinical lighting, which will make smoldering eye make up look more like last night’s drag queen, she’ll surely get the message and you will save a few bucks.

Amanda Barnes is British journalist living in Mendoza with her fingers crossed that someone will bring a her a new flower for her hair this Valentine’s Day…

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The newest Tango night on the block is at the Park Hyatt. Last week was the first of their weekly Friday tango night series on The Vines patio. Starting at 9pm, I found a comfy corner on the sofas as I was brought a cool beer and a platter of cold meats and cheeses to nibble. Then came the dancing.

Tango has quite an amazing ability to absorb you. I always find it surprising that everyone watches just as avidly when the male dancer throws his partner over his head twirling her in the air (which he did!) as they watch when the couple appear not to be moving at all.  Even the almost-still moments of intense staring are absorbing. The two dancers at The Hyatt have that knack to suck you in – it was intense, interesting and varied in tempo, style and had a handful of mind-blowing moves and some seriously longing looks.

After a few dances and a bit of tango poetry, the pair of dancers worked their way into the crowd to invite a couple unsuspecting onlookers to take a private dance class. Of course the attractive pair had little difficulty convincing a few people to take to the tiles, and there was about 20 minutes of an impromptu milonga for those who wanted to try out some moves themselves.

This is a good way to spend a hot Summer’s night in the city and will give you your fill of Argentine tango culture.

Tango night is every Friday at 9pm and costs $80 pesos per person which includes the show, two beers and a picada.

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Mendoza with an ever more eager desire to learn to tango, but is still stuck with her ever-more-awkward two left feet. 

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Cristian: You work for Trapiche too. What are the advantages of working for a small artisanal project like Moor Barrio?
“The advantage is to make small quantities you have more control and its easier to show your personality through it.”

Teresita: How did you come to be a winemaker?
“Well the option was to carry on studying or get a job… So I decided to carry on studying! A friend recommended winemaking so I thought, ‘why not?’ I got home and my dad asked me what enology was, and I said ‘I don’t know, let’s find out!’ I then started to fall in love with wine.”

Cristian: You talked about wine descriptors in the talk earlier, what’s the weirdest wine descriptor you have ever heard?
“One man told me a wine (not mine) smelt like black cat… I asked for an explanation and he said it simply reminded him a lot of the smell of his black cat. He said it was a good thing though!”

Teresita: Which woman in wine inspires you the most and why?
“My professors at the University: Alejandra Lozano, Carla Aruani and Amalia Salafia. They are very hardworking, inspiring and amazing women with such energy. But if I were to pick one woman in the world… It would be my mom. We are 10 brothers and sisters and she raised us and always did everything for us.”

Cristian: Do you remember the wine that you and Teresita drank on your first date?
“I don’t remember the wine on our first date… But early on in our relationship we drank a Paisaje de Tupungato by Flichman, and that was the wine which made us want to make wine together – it was our inspiration for the project!”

The Wines we tried:

We tried their Initium Malbec Roble 2011, which was a concentrated but soft wine with lots of fruit, some vanilla and chocolate and a slight cedar-like bitterness at the finish. The second wine was a champenoise method sparkling Chardonnay – Initium Extra Brut 2011 – which had a very light fizz, cooked apple and brioche on the nose and a medium finish.

Learn more about MoorBarrio at www.moorbarrio.com

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist whose weirdest wine descriptor words always pop out in the form of old candy tasted in childhood… anyone remember those yellow foam banana sweets?

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Our first wine of the night was their Rose. Made by Italian winemaker Guiseppe Franceschini, the European tendency was clear from the first glance. This was not your usual Argentinean style bright pink rosado. A light copper/onion skin color, this Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon blend had only three hours of maceration in contact with the skins which produced a more French style rose with a delicate nose of dusty rose petals and strawberries, and a clean, crisp and dry mouth. A perfect aperitif to get this balmy summer night off to the right start!

As Constanza and Hernan discussed the different production techniques we moved on to their unoaked Chardonnay – a pale gold with silver tones, this was a fresh wine with lots of fruit in the nose and a flavorful and expressive mouth with a clean finish and good acidity.  Constanza said that unoaked Chardonnay had a bit of a fight ahead of it because consumers had become used to heavy, buttery oaked Chardonnays (which often put people off), and the battle was changing preconceptions that the varietal can also be fresh, light and fragrant. This unoaked Caelum certainly won over the audience over.

The next wine was their unoaked Malbec — a good chance to get to see the true characteristics of a naked Malbec. The wine had lots of plum, red fruit and slightly meaty characteristics and an easy mouth, but what struck the most was the complex mineral notes. Representative of their very rocky terroir in Lujan, this is typical of the region.

Then we moved onto their Malbec Reserva 2009, with attractive floral notes of lavender and violet and bursting with red fruit this was an attractive Malbec but elegant and balanced in the mouth. Aged 15 months in French oak, the barrels gave it some more spicy and mellow characteristics of clove and anis as well as vanilla pods.

The sibling duo showed us some great wines, of very different characters, and managed to dispel some myths of the wine world while helping us all to look towards the stars after enjoying four lovely glasses of wine!

Caelum wines can be bought in The Vines and the winery is open to tourism Monday to Saturdays 10am to 4pm   www.bodegacaelum.com.ar   Winemaker’s Night is held at The Vines of Mendoza’s Tasting Room every Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m.

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Mendoza and delighting in meeting new winemakers and new wines every week at The Vines.

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1) Farmacia

Your first port of call when you are in pain is the farmacia (pharmacy or chemist in English). They are all over the city and usually open till quite late (but usually close in the siesta, so time your illness well).

As with any normal chemist there is always someone trained in medicine on the staff who can help you with what you need and most drugs are available here – if they tell you that a prescription is required, a nice tip will often solve the problem. But make sure to check your inhibitions at the door – Mendoza’s farmacias are a meeting point for many local oldies. This means that you will have to explain in detail exactly what’s wrong with you in front of Mendoza’s silver society, and probably accept their advice and remedies as well as the pharmacist’s.

The audience participation can be particularly embarrassing if you have a rather personal problem or have forgotten the word for contraceptive and have to resort to explanation. A sort of verbal Charades if you may.

2) Private Clinics

Healthcare here is free, but a lot of people prefer to go private (you’ll see why in point 3). If you have the cash (or insurance), the private clinics are the way forward – they are quicker and more private, however every consultation charges a fee so bring your checkbook. Don’t forget that your passport or ID is sometimes required.

3) Public Hospitals and Clinics

Public healthcare here is of good standard and with some great doctors but, as aforementioned, healthcare in Argentina is free. This means that the hospitals are full with patients of almost every other neighboring country in South America. And lines are long.

If you need emergency medical attention, you will go almost directly to the front of the line, but if your problem is less urgent you need to get to the hospital early to take a ‘turno’ (or number in the line), not unlike public healthcare in the U.S. Most hospitals start issuing turnos at 8am, but don’t come anytime after 8:00 a.m. People start arriving at 6:30 a.m., so to get anywhere decent in the line, you need to get there early too. If you miss your slot, you’ll have to wait until the next day, so wear comfy shoes and don’t forget to bring a book.

Once your turn is up, be prepared to leave your all your inhibitions and modesty in the waiting room. Doctors in Argentina all greet each other and their patients with a kiss,  even in the middle of consultations or sometimes treatments. So, don’t be surprised when the nurse walks in, kisses you both on the cheek and has a little chat about her weekend, no matter what’s happening on the operating table… Welcome to Argentina!

Some useful addresses

Pharmacias – They are so ubiquitous it will not take you more than a block or two walking in the city centre to find one. You can usually spot them by the big cross symbol and ‘Pharmacia’ sign.

Private Clinics – One of the most central is Clinica Colon, Av Colon 277, they can help with general medical issues or direct you to a specialist.

Public Hospitals – Hospital Central, Alem 410; Hospital Lagomaggiore, Gordillo.

Emergency number – 107

Useful Spanish:

Ache, pain – dolor

Bite (insect) – picadura

Broken bone – hueso roto

Constipation – estreñimiento

Fever – fiebre calenture

Flu – gripe

Heartburn – acedia

Infection – infección

Injury – herida

Amanda Barnes is a British journalist living in Mendoza with a big bag of painkillers and a tendency to avoid hospitals at all costs.

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Owning a Piece of the Vineyard

By HEIDI MITCHELL

GROW A ROW | Private Vineyard Estates at the Vines of Mendoza, in Western Argentina’s Uco Valley

One hundred twenty to a row.

That’s what the disarmingly attractive Argentine farmer tells me as he hands me a stack of American root-stock grafted with fruit-forward Torrontés grape vines. Two pairs of gloves and a shovel follow. Down the string my friend and I trace, digging six-inch-deep holes, aligning the grafting scar on the baby vine with a pinprick in the irrigation line, then setting the vine in the pebbly earth and burying its hairy roots. A pro could plant 100 an hour; in five minutes, we’ve given life to five.

“Don’t worry if you’re slow or the plants aren’t fully upright,” our tutor, Francisco Evangelista, says. “We usually replant them, anyway.”

Only a handful of the 97 owners at the Vines of Mendoza, a 1,000-some-acre co-op vineyard in western Argentina, will not need their handiwork replaced by professional agronomists like Mr. Evangelista. No matter: It’s the process that’s so inviting. As we dig, place and fill, our hands cramp in the chill, our boots cake over with mud. Far beyond the stripes of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and 11 other varietals, the land abruptly erupts into the silver-capped pre-Andes. Above them is nothing but blue sky, which glows even without the benefit of polarized sunglasses.

Two years ago, a colleague bragged that he and two friends had bought three acres of vineyards in Argentina’s Uco Valley for $210,000, including the first two years of farming fees. Each harvest season since, he and his partner-pals have gone down to the fast-growing wine region to pick and crush their grapes, then blend them into premium wines under the guidance of Santiago Achával, one of Argentina’s most revered winemakers (his Malbecs can sell for more than $100 a bottle—several times the typical price). They ride horseback and enjoy heavy meat-and-wine asados with the gauchos, spending the night in the three on-site cabins for an all-inclusive $250. Starting this year, they’ll have some 12,000 bottles of wine annually to label and drink as they choose, at a cost of $3,000 per acre in farming fees.

“A glass is placed in my hand even before I can brush the ferrous dirt from my jeans.”

Needless to say, I became slightly obsessed with the venture. Eventually, I reached out to founder Michael Evans, a reformed dot-commer who ran business development for iNetNow, a Web-based concierge service, in 2004, then quit to go on the Democratic campaign trail. He came to Argentina to detox afterward; he never went back. And after many false starts, I finally made my way to Mendoza.

A 12-hour flight from New York, followed by a two-hour puddle-hop from Buenos Aires, and still we’re not deep in the heart of Mendoza. That requires off-roading 60 miles from the airport, traversing a muddy road that’s become a Class V rapid in the rain, then trotting on horseback through the Uco Valley basin. Everywhere you look, it’s vineyard after vineyard, each more modern and gravity-defying than the next. (Rioja has nothing on this place.) A leathery gaucho named Walter Martinez leads me and my friend on a trail ride through a landscape that could have been Photoshopped from my home state of Arizona. There are even saguaro cacti. He points out where homesites will be (owners with three or more acres are granted building permits), where the lake for the 22-casita poured-concrete resort and spa is being dug, where he takes guests on camping trips up into the Andes.

Setting up for an asado

It is late October, spring in Argentina, and as the season dawns all around us, a few older vines—originally planted in 2007—are beginning to twist their greenery around the wooden stakes. One galloping stretch that leaves my heart in my shoes brings us to the big reveal: the winery. Appearing more like an angular performing arts center than a home for aging wines, the building is cold in every sense of the term. I love it. “This is where the magic happens,” Mr. Evans tells me as he greets my dismounting party with a party of his own. A glass is placed in my hand even before I can brush the ferrous dirt from my jeans. And then we are inside the austere, echoing, sparkling palace of fermentation, and my breath is stolen from me.

Cooperative vineyards are not a new idea—farmers have been organizing them on a small scale in Alsace, France, since 1895. The Napa Valley Reserve in California and L’And Vineyards in Portugal’s Alentejo region are just two other recent incarnations. No matter how you slice it, though, in the Northern Hemisphere it’s cheaper to be a wine enthusiast than a hobby farmer. (The old joke goes, “How do you make a small fortune from a vineyard? Start with a large fortune.”) But in Mendoza, where the climate is harsh enough to torture vines into producing stellar grapes, land is plentiful and inexpensive. Construction costs only about $100 a square foot. Erecting an ancestral home in the Uco Valley isn’t a pipe dream. It’s within the realm of reality.

Hard at work during the annual ‘wine camp’

With annual costs included, a typical owner will generally spend around $12 per bottle on creating his or her own super premium wine at the Vines of Mendoza; at retail, it would sell for around $50 a bottle, according to winemaker Santiago Achával. You probably won’t get rich off a few acres in Argentina, but who can put a price tag on stomping, mixing and bottling your own vintage, then slapping on a label with your (made-up) family crest?

The modernist winery is the opposite of quaint. Huge metal tanks await next harvest. Rows of oak barrels fill darkened rooms. A whisper becomes a shout, what with all the bare surfaces to bounce off of. Another gorgeous member of the Vines team, winemaker Mariana Onofri, walks me through the life of a grape, from planting and pruning to hydraulic presses and the Oxoline system of barrel fermentation. A winery of this size—producing 180,000 bottles a year—would typically make 10 fermentations (types of wines), she tells me. Because there are effectively 97 winemakers/owners here, however, the Vines of Mendoza created 161 smaller fermentations in 2011 alone. A team of winemakers dips into the barrels every two weeks to assure quality and flavor.

And then we sit down to drink. Five glasses stand at each of the two-dozen seats at the communal table, which becomes a hive of servers and roasted pork and barbecued sausage and crisp Sauvignon Blancs that were bottled on Friday. Staff from the winery, some owners down from Buenos Aires and a couple of gauchos join in. We taste a Merlot from 2010 that has a nose of chocolate and will be bottled in January. A Malbec in its bitter youth is passed; it will be 17 months before it’s ready to hit shelves. A smooth, dry blend of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc is served before dessert; this won’t see a liquor store until 2013.

By the end of this typical Wednesday at the cooperative, we’re all a little tipsy and giving away more than a few secrets. Someone reveals that a bold-faced chef has recently purchased some acreage. There’s a running joke that the staff is publishing a fireman-style calendar, and glasses clink as we all agree to buy one. We’re eventually packed off to town with sacks of recently bottled Tempranillos. My friend and I hatch a plan to create a joint venture and buy one of the remaining plots, jesting that our grandchildren will someday drink those crooked Torrontes we planted earlier in the day. “You’ll be back,” says Mr. Evans, who reminds me that he came on a lark after John Kerry’s presidential campaign tanked, and never left. In my oaky, fruity, spicy haze, I know that I just might.

The Lowdown: Mendoza, Argentina

How to Join:Three-acre plots at the Vines of Mendoza start at $73,000 per acre, including the first two years of farming and planting costs; the annual farming fees are $3,000 per acre starting in the third year ( vinesofmendoza.com ).

Getting There: Fly from Buenos Aires or Santiago to Mendoza’s El Plumerillo airport (request a window seat for Andes views). Alternatively, Mendoza is a six-hour-plus drive over the mountains from Santiago—a beautiful trip, though one that requires hiring a driver licensed to take you over the border (contact a local tour company).

Staying There: If you’re not staying in the cabins at the Vines of Mendoza (the 22-room hotel will open in late 2012), the Cavas Wine Lodge is 40 miles down the road (from $605 per night, cavaswinelodge.com ) and has a spa that specializes in vinotherapy. The Park Hyatt Mendoza (doubles from $222 per night, mendoza.park.hyatt.com ) is downtown, in a converted 1920s colonial retreat.

Where to Eat: For amazing food presented in a lovely courtyard under the stars, book a table at Francis Mallmann’s 1884 (1884restaurante.com.ar ), right outside of Mendoza. For more local cuisine, Siete Cocinas serves dishes from seven culinary regions of Argentina ( sietecocinas.com.ar ). Don Mario has arguably the best—and undoubtedly the biggest—steaks in the area ( donmario.com.ar ). A wine-pairing lunch at a vineyard is a must-do. Two to pre-book: the French-chateâu-style Andeluna Cellars ( andeluna.com ) and La Bourgogne ( labourgogne-mendoza.com.ar ), which updates its French menu seasonally.

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Part 1- The Technical Tasting Note 

Ok, so I am not good at the boring blah blah blah that you usually get from wine professionals. I get that glazed over look as they talk about adequate tannins and structure, prominent anthocyanins, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I can talk the talk and also throw it in the mix, its just that I think there is a better and more fun way to talk about wine, one that everyone can grasp.

So, we will divide this “mini” course into small chunks with some take aways so that soon you too, can be a master tasting note writer and awe your friends with your wine tasting abilities and hopefully, creativity. So to kick things off we are going to start with the tasting note skeleton which is made up of 5 S’s.

So onward- the 5 S’s- this should be fun!

See- This is what you see in the glass. Look at the color, the opacity, the different hues around the edge and then start to think back to when you started to learn about the rainbow colors. Now try to identify those colors. I know you have all looked at clothing catalogs, so feel free to steal some names from clothing items like cranberry, straw, maybe even a hint of periwinkle etc.

Try to do it with adequate light and hopefully have a whitish surface as a background. Try not to look at the glass with a fuscia shirt in the background for example, it tends to skew the results. Also, you don’t want to look like a blind mouse running about searching for the light, so if you are in a compromised situation, its ok, just move on to the next step.

Swirl- Let’s get some movement going in that glass- I want to see those legs do some dancing! But try and get a gauge of your glass shape and size before you do so, otherwise you may be wearing half of your glass of wine. The best thing to do for beginners is to start slow with your glass of wine on a smooth table-like surface and, keeping the base of the glass on table, start to make small circular gestures. There you go, keep going, until you can take off the training wheels and go stem swirling only!

Sniff- Now this is probably the hardest step to do without looking like a complete idiot or a confirmed wine snob. But yes, you can do it! Once you have the swirling part down just start to lift the glass lightly to your nose and take a delicate whiff. See what you think, what your first takeaway is. Its okay if you don’t smell anything at first, it takes practice and what fun it is to practice with wine! The best thing to get started is to practice your swirl and then periodically sniff. See if you can smell the same essences from the first time to the next. Try to associate the different smells with foods you eat or experiences you have. There are no rules and no right answers, because this is a sensory exercise and everyones senses are different.

Try this out every time you have a glass of wine and you will increase your olfactory vocabulary quite quickly. Take time in the market to smell pinapples, berries, fruits and spices. Not only does it give you a zen-like moment to your day but it makes you start to create the smell memories that will help you with the PART II of the Tasting note course!

Sip- So this is really my favorite part of the exercise. If you are with a group, try to delicately taste the wine and see what your overall experience is. Take time to notice how it hits your tongue, is it spicy, tickly, acidic, soft, chocolatey? How does it slide through your mouth- is it elegant, grippy, tart?  If you are alone with your glass of wine, you can go full monty and close your eyes, sigh deeply and truly indulge in the experience.

Savor- So now you have experienced the wine from your sight, smell and taste, now it is time to see what remains. How was the wine structured? Did it have a lot of acid, tannin,  etc.? Basically … a lot of the boring things that you hear about but never really take into account. You don’t have to have the vocabulary, you should just know what it tastes like for you. Once you swallow what flavors linger, or does it even linger? What is your overall impression of the wine? Would you buy it again? Would you give it as a gift to a friend? 

So the take aways from this basic anatomy of a wine tasting note:

1. Relax and put your sensory hat on.

2. Don’t worry that you don’t know that much about wine- just know what you like and don’t like.

3. Follow the 5 S’s and you will look like a wine pro in no time!

And stay tuned for Part II…

Emily is The Director of Marketing for The Vines of Mendoza and likes to dabble in wines tastings and sensory evaluation.

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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 24^th and 31^st (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 31^st 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.

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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.

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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.

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