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Vendimia festivities in Mendoza

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Vendimia has descended on Mendoza- full of color, festivities, food and of course ubiquitous Argentine wine! It is an amazing time of year with festivals in the plazas, music, dancing and everyone in good spirits. This also marks the first year that a train has run from Buenos Aires to Mendoza in 16 years! 400 passengers loaded up to make the run and enjoy the Vendimia festivities!

From the perspective of a North American, I am always giddy with delight by the cultural differences and how much I love Vendimia. For example:

In the parades, each float, hence each queen, represents a different fruit/vegetable/wine which they throw into the crowds during the Via Blanca and Carusel parades through the streets of Mendoza. Imagine flying melons!

The queens seeming obsession with blue makeup, and possibly 80’s metal band hairstyles

You should definitely not miss the billboards of each of the regions queens- classic Olan Mills pin up girls

The plaza festivals- full of music, food, and fun

The Vendimia festival- a perfect excuse for 3 days of fireworks, not to mention the Vendimia show itself.

This year they have already crowned the queen from the Santa Rosa Province, the lovely reina, or queen, below. It is a bit like the Miss America pagent for those familiar with the roles and selection process. For more information check out this article in Spanish from Diario Los Andes.

Now comes the hard part- the real grape harvest!

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


The Chilean Wine Industry After the Earthquake

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Last Friday many of us here in Mendoza were woken by the earthquake that hit the coast of Chile and then dispated across the Andes, but still resonated for about a minute and a half in Mendoza city. There was no damage in Mendoza, however we would send our best wishes to our companeros in Chile, especially as we are entering the harvest and there was significant damage to many wineries. We have received word from friends and collegues in Chile and we wanted to share some of their insights as well as provide  information if you would like to donate to help those in need.

This is an update from Liz Caskey who is based in Santiago, Chile

Eatwineblog.com

Dear Friends and Family,

I want to truly thank you for your continued support during these tough times in Chile. It has been so wonderful to hear from you all through calls and e-mail as Chile deals with the aftermath of the quake. We appreciate your prayers and thoughts.

To give you an update, now 5 days from Saturday’s devastating events, things in Santiago are thankfully normal, as in much of the country. As you know, with Chile’s long geography, the majority of the country is functioning perfectly normal with the exception of the affected areas within 100 miles of the Concepción area and the coastline hit by the tsunami. While the news images continue to show looting, please know that the military, Red Cross, and many volunteers have already arrived with food, water, and aid. Electricity and communications are being restored as we speak to these areas. This Friday, there is a huge drive, Teletón, raise millions of dollars to provide temporary housing for every family who lost their home. There is a sense of real solidarity here. The of light of hope has appeared for these people. The next huge step is reconstruction.

The wine industry here did suffer some serious losses of inventory and damage to facilities, mostly in the regions of the Maule, Curicó, and some areas of Colchagua. Others escaped completely unscraped. I will be posting later this week with a full update since many of you have asked. It is a complex situation since harvest is due to start any day and vintners trying to manage where they will make the 2010 vintage in some cases.

Many of you have also requested information on how you can contribute to the rebuilding efforts in Chile. Beyond the Red Cross, which is for aiding relief efforts, we suggest these three ways.

1.   Travel to Chile

If you have traveled to Chile, have a trip scheduled here, or know people that do, please encourage friends, family, and colleagues to still come. Refer them to my blog, where I directly addressed this issue yesterday. The images the media is “exporting” and messages the US State Department issuing are harmful for the country in the long term and can impact its tourism. The information they are providing is simply not accurate since many people do not understand the country’s geography and where the quake is contained. They stick all of Chile in the disaster boat and this is completely false. Chile is operative and normal in ALL areas minus the above-mentioned affective area. We have had clients on wine tours this week and heading to points in Patagonia with zero problems or alterations. Don’t let TV paranoia ruin what makes Chile so wonderful. Help spread the word.

2.   Support Local Business & Reconstruction

Our business has started a direct initiative to support a local non-profit foundation with a school and organic farm we visit with our tours to channel funds to families affected by the quake both locally and in the south. We are donating a significant portion of the proceeds from our Eat Wine Santiago guide, a food & drink e-guide to the capital. Please help our efforts by purchasing this e-guide. Ask your family and friends to help too. Even if you/they don’t plan on coming to Santiago, Eat Wine Santiago includes a great wine list, insight into Chile’s food/wine culture, will directly contribute to reconstruction efforts in Chile, and seriously, costs less than a dinner for one or a bottle of decent wine. We also will be offering free updates for the first two editions for friends, family, and colleagues who may have Chile on the horizon in the future. Click here for more information.

Please feel free to e-mail me directly at liz@lizcaskey.com with any questions you may have.

Un abrazo cariñoso,

Liz & Team

TO DONATE

For those in the US or Northern Hemisphere click here for options and agencies like the Red Cross. Or just text from your phone:

The Mobile Giving Foundation has launched a text messaging campaign for micro donations, and the four major U.S. mobile carriers, Verizon, At&T, Sprint and T-mobile, have waived text messaging fees for donations.

1. Text the word “CHILE” to 25383 to donate $10 on behalf of the Habitat for Humanity

2. Text the word “CHILE” to 20222 to donate $10 on behalf of World Vision

3. Text the word “CHILE” to 52000 to donate $10 on behalf of the Salvation Army

4. Text the word “CHILE” to 85944 to donate $10 on behalf of International Medical Corp. that include texting from your phone

If you are in Mendoza/ Si esta en Mendoza y quiere donar:

Cómo hacer para colaborar con los damnificados , según lo que dicen los
diarios.

13:04 | Mendoza | Enterate de los puntos de recolección y los números de
cuenta donde podés ayudar desde Mendoza.
02 de marzo de 2010

El ministro de Desarrollo Humano y Comunidad, Carlos Ciurca, informó esta
mañana que dentro de pocos días partirán los primeros camiones hacia Chile
con los elementos aportados por la comunidad de Mendoza. Además, viajarán 15
rescatistas y un médico.

Las formas de colaborar son varias: con ropa de invierno, frazadas, carpas,
agua o alimentos no perecederos, además de dinero.

Puntos de recolección de elementos, alimentos y agua:
Gran Mendoza: Ministerio de Seguridad: Salta 672 de Godoy Cruz, 8 a 18.
San Rafael: Libertador 47, sede administrativa del Gobierno de Mendoza.
Malargüe: Ruta 40 y Jorge Newbery, sede de Gendarmería Nacional.

Para donar dinero:
En pesos: Cuenta del Banco Regional de Cuyo Nº 11801900020638.
En dólares: Cuenta del Banco Regional de Cuyo Nº 11803800020105.

También se puede donar a
http://www.untechoparachile.cl

esta bueno porque se puede hacer con tarjeta de crédito que es mas fácil para todos.
http://www.cruzroja.cl

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ARTICLES

Chile Says Rebuilding May Cost Tens of Billions of Dollars- New York Times

Quake stops production for biggest Chile winemaker- Associated Press

Chilean Wine Industry Damaged by Quake- The Pour NYT

Powerful Earthquake Rocks Chilean Wine Industry- Wine Spectator

Posted in In the News, Life in Mendoza | No Comments »


The Vines First Day of Harvest

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

The Cosecha is underway at The Vines Private Vineyard Estates in the Uco Valley today. We are harvesting Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for our owners that planted in 2007! It looks like a great harvest and currently they have picked around 2,000 kilos. Below are some photos from this morning’s harvest!

Posted in In the News, Private Vineyard Estates | 1 Comment »


The Vines Fabulous Food and Wine Pairings

Friday, February 19th, 2010

So as a continuation of my conversation with Langdon Doty, we decided to put into action our food and wine pairings. It was really interesting what the results ended up being, which goes to show you need to taste and learn as you go, there are no “rules and regulations” necessarily when it comes to food and wine pairings. We played a bit with the sauces, the textures and the wines. We ended up tasting the following recipes with mix and match of the Lurton Flor de Torrontes, the Mairena Sauvignon Blanc, the Lorca Viognier, the Las Perdices Pinot Grigio and the Pulenta Estate Chardonnay.

Here are the results and cooking commentary from Langdon:

Salmon Tartare

The idea with the food pairings is to bring out the natural tropical fruit and citrus flavors and to offer a counterpoint to the crisp acidity of the wine with something sweeter and creamier

I added soy and two different citrus flavors (lemon and lime – both the juice and the rind) – this will highlight the aromatic tropical flavors – adding the sweetness of cucumbers and the creaminess of avocado should even out the acidic finish of the wine and harmonize the pairing – that is the theory.

Wine Winner: without spicy sauce Mairena Sauvignon Blanc, with spicy sauce Puleta Chardonnay

Beer Battered Coconut Shrimp

By deep frying the shrimp in a coconut beer batter we are adding the sweetness of the coconut and shrimp and cutting the acidity of the wine with some fat.  the dipping sauce is slightly creamy, sweet, sour, tart, pungent, and spicy at the same time which should theoretically enhance the tropical notes of the wine and balance out the acity as well.  am looking forward to this one.

Wine Winner: Las Perdices Pinot Grigio

And for the rest of you we challenge you to do your own parings with this succulent selection! Send us your Malbec, Malbec blend or varietal selection that you think would be best!- emily@vinesofmendoza and langdoty@gmail.com

Curry Porkchops with Strawberry Pineapple Salsa

the curry will be subtle but will harmonize with the sweet pork and, with its many spices, it should pop the fruit out of the wine. the salsa should explode the fruit of the wine with its sweet tart pineapple strawberry notes and, blended with the richness of the pork should really round out the wine

lets see what happens!

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Malbec is Just Straight Sexy

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

Why Malbec?

Malbec has become the drink that quality-focused yet cost-savvy wine drinkers turn to. Here’s why:

Malbec is just straight sexy. It has become the wine world’s darling of the moment for good reason, converting more and more enthusiasts by the day.

Starting with the succulent fruit that is inherent to Argentina’s Malbec, it elevates this Bordeaux blending varietal as a star all on its own. It has rampaged across all price categories with consistency and providing tremendous value for the price while gaining traction in an global economic climate that can be referred to as difficult, at best. In fact, imports of Argentinean wine in the United States have jumped 39% in the first 6 months of 2009 and is now gaining increased market share across the world.

Why is Malbec so hot?
In a country that is synonymous with gauchos, beef and tango, it couldn’t be anything but sexy. Think European flair with a rustic, enigmatic twist and you will find Malbec. The Argentine’s have guarded their cultural traditions closely, including siesta, family asados every Sunday and late night revelry. Opening a bottle of Malbec is an invitation to travel around the world and experience the culture and lifestyle yourself.

So whats in the glass? Malbec offers the best of high altitude wine characteristics, including intense fruit, the ability to blend with other varietals, and the adaptability to be brought to market early with lush easy drinking characteristics, or as a classic aged wine full of delicate layers, oak and fruit tannins.

The future…
Malbec has a bright future as it not only delivers quality consistently but has many different personalities. The premium wine industry is still in its infancy in Argentina and surely we will see increased technological and winemaking advances over the next few years. Malbec is the wine of the moment and will continue to capture people’s imaginations and tastebuds in the future. Argentine Malbec is here to stay!

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The Vines of Mendoza vinifica por primera vez

Thursday, February 18th, 2010
JUEVES 18 FEBRERO 2010
By Puanto a Punto Mendoza

El proyecto vitivinícola inmobiliario del Valle de Uco está listo para producir 50.000 botellas en el 2010. Elaborarán en la bodega que inaugurarán en marzo.

El 2010 parece ser un gran año para The Vines of Mendoza y su proyecto de real state Private Vineyard Estates. No sólo se aprestan a inaugurar su propia bodega, sino que planifican vinificar por primera vez y, en unos meses, comenzar a construir las primeras 20 habitaciones de su hotel de lujo.

Las cosecha 2010 se hará sobre las 45 hectáreas cultivadas con Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc y Torrontés plantadas en setiembre y octubre de 2007. Pero en tres años el crecimiento de la superficie cultivada ha sido enorme: el total actual alcanza las 130 hectáreas para los 70 propietarios.
(more…)

Posted in In the News, Mendoza Bodegas, Photos | 1 Comment »


1337 Wine Video Reviews- Bressia Taste Live Wines

Friday, February 12th, 2010

In continuation of our Taste Live with Walter Bressia,  MarkV Fusco of 1337wine.com in San Antonio TX couldn’t attend but now you can watch his lively banter and interesting comments as he reviews and rates the 3 wines that we tasted a few weeks ago.

So to give you a little background- 1337 Wine is your leet wine resource-a journey of expanding and improving the palette palate and nose. Wines reviewed are typically $10 or less and is a good resource for study material for those looking to delve much deeper into wine, spirits, beer, cigars, and service – everything the aspiring Sommelier needs. Mark is studying to be a sommelier so if you ever thought about going through with your wine dreams or just want to be about to spout “Sommy” vocabulary at adept points in dinner and cocktail parties, you can follow along and get a real time version of the experience.
Here he explains the concept and what a Leet is- “leet speak” (aka elite speak) numbers can be used to represent letters. In this case, 1 = L, 3 = E, 7 = T – LEET. If you watch Episode 1 I briefly explain what happened. Here I will go into a little more depth. I saw a wine bottle at an angle that had “337″ on it. I thought it might have been “1337.” Unfortunately it was just 337. So I decided that to call a wine 1337 would be epic and geeks from far and wide would buy it. I immediately went to Go Daddy to buy that domain. For a couple months I tried to figure out what I was going to do with this domain. The idea of doing wine reviews came to mind since it would be a long time before I could afford to create 1337 as a wine. I then remembered that I was also going to do a blog called “Sommelier in Training.” That never got off the ground. So here you see all my wine website ideas in one place. Hopefully, one day, you will be able to buy 1337 Wine in a store near you. Until then……”

So thank you Mark for your reviews- we look forward to more from you!

2007 Monteagrelo Syrah- 91 point range

“Sweet with some smokiness…its real interesting. Earthiness, with dusty, dirty and fruit.”

2006 Bressia Profundo-90 points

“smooth, real silky, cherries, chocolate, an elegant wine…a wine I could just sit and drink this wine”

2005 Urraca Familia Langley- 93 points

“Outstanding- there is a ton of stuff going on”

“Dust,chocolate, sweetness from red fruits…it just feels juicy.”

Posted in In the News, Tasting Notes | 1 Comment »


Rumors of a Mendoza Supper Club?

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Not only is Mendoza experiencing a wine renaissance with increased wine tourism and more and more wine offerings, but there is also a gastronomic renaissance occurring. Argentines and especially Mendocinos are hardliners when it comes to food- they don’t tend to deviate much from the staples- asado, pasta, empanadas, and pizza (which may or may not make you question their Italian heritage).

However over the last two years or so, Mendocinos are opening up- we now have 3 sushi restaurants, rather shocking to be honest. But food tends to go hand in hand with fine wine, so now we are starting to see more interesting food creations.

SECRET SUPPER CLUB?

One of The Vines friends and sometimes videographer, Langdon Doty, has witnessed this transformation and would like to take it one step further- a secret supper club! At various times during the month he will put on an amazing impromptu gourmet meal for tourists and locals alike based on different wines and his creative culinary whims.

I suggested that he test his skills with the wines we tasted at last night’s winemaker night with Finca Sophenia (http://www.sophenia.com/).  This is what he came up with and my mouth is already watering, I can’t wait for the actual meal!

For more information about the Mendoza Supper Club or for any of these recipes contact Langdon at langdoty@gmail.com

(more…)

Posted in Experiences, Life in Mendoza, Tasting Notes | No Comments »


Ready to be Enamore?

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Valentine’s day is around the corner, this Sunday to be exact and if you are like 95% of the world’s population, you are now scrambling to come up with some ideas for how to please your loved ones.

We would like to suggest the Enamore and truffle pairing- decadent, delicious, and downright perfect.

TASTING NOTES

50% Malbec 25% Syrah, 22% Bonarda 22% Cab Sauv y 3% Cab Franc Perdriel, Medrano and Rivadavia
Winemaking: Bodega Renacer uses an old method of winemaking “appassimento” for this wine, which entails drying the grapes to achieve greater concentration by losing one third of their weight. They undergo a 10 day maceration, alcoholic fermentation, takes place in stainless steel tanks with temperature control during 90 days. Malolactic fermentation induced with native bacteria and is aged for 12 months in new French oak.

Tasting Notes: This wine conjures images of worlds past, the romance of Mouin Rouge- sensuous with elegant structure, full of spiced aromas and luscious fruit. The soft texture and balanced flavors hint at the dense sweetness that leads into a beautiful finish.

Food Pairing: Dark Chocolate Truffles
Drinking Guide: Drink now through 2011

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 8 ounces (225 grams) of high-quality chopped bitter or semi sweet chocolate
  • 1 cup bitter cocoa powder

These simple and decadent bon bons have an unforgettable velvety texture. Serve them at your next red wine and chocolate party, or pair with chicken mole and chocolate chili bread pudding for a three course chocolate coved meal. Your rich Malbecs are fantastic with this.

Preparing: (Makes 18)

Place chopped chocolate in a stainless steel bowl.

Cooking:

In a heavy bottom saucepan, bring cream to a boil. When cream is scalding hot, pour over chopped chocolate. Stir mixture constantly until all chocolate has melted. Allow to stand covered in the fridge until firm enough to form into balls. Remove from fridge and, working with a teaspoon in each hand, roll chocolate in between the teaspoons to form even balls, approximately 1 inch in diameter. Then roll each bon bon in cocoa powder and store in an airtight container in your fridge or freezer until ready to serve.

Switch it up!

Add  1⁄2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts or 2 oz. (56gr.) Grand Marnier Liqueur immediately after pouring boiling cream on chocolate.

Posted in Experiences, Tasting Notes | No Comments »


Tweets from Last Week’s “Virtual Tasting”

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Last Thursday we held The Vines of Mendoza’s first “virtual” tasting event with Walter Bressia and we would like to thank everyone who participated! Although we encountered some technological difficulties, ok someone kicked the server, so we had some downtime, it came off as a success with a live stream from Ustream and a lively twitter banter. Below are some of the comments on the wines and we would like to thank both Walter and Mariana for an excellent tasting!

Cheers!

People to follow on Twitter:

@1winedude, @DrncPno, @JustGrapesWine, @Asher8072, @NancyNorde, @laurafresneda, @aleverdeguer, @michaelhevans, @YasharSeattle, @voxinferior, @winecast, @JustGrapesWine, @snieuw, @lucianaferrari, @toddhavens, @SeattleWineGal, @BeaBroderick, @vintuba, @MarisaCarullo, @tagwine, @duffydoyle,

Posted in Experiences, Tasting Notes | No Comments »


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