Vines of Mendoza Blog » news http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog All there is to know about the world of Argentine wine Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:34:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 2010 Owner Harvest Recap http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/05/12/2010-owner-harvest-recap/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/05/12/2010-owner-harvest-recap/#comments Wed, 12 May 2010 19:44:28 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3359 Here in Mendoza we are in the midst of late fall, the yellow and red colors are resplendent in the streets and vineyards, the light is hazy with golden hues, and there is a brisk freshness to the breeze as you walk down the streets. Fall has flown by, but Cosecha 2010 was a whirlwind of activities and we are now able to look back and see everything that we were able to accomplish in such a short time. We had many of our Private Vineyard Estate owners on hand to harvest and process their wines and we are now carefully watching over them as they go through their first and second fermentations in our new winery. I was chatting with owner Barry Chaiken from Boston, who brought a troupe of friends to experience this almost magical process. Below is a brief recap of what he and his friends were able to experience. So, cheers to all the other Private Vineyard Estate owners that made wine this year- we are looking forward to tasting the final product!

Notes from the 2010 Harvest by Barry Chaiken

What a great trip!! Over a two week period I had 12 of my closest friends travel to Mendoza to share my first harvest at Chaiken Vineyards. In addition to touring the vineyard, we visited the newly built winery, met with the consulting winemakers, and sampled some of the best food in Argentina.

OK, here’s the news on the harvest. Due to a relatively cool summer, harvest was delayed almost two weeks. Although this prevented me from seeing the malbec being picked, it does offer great hope for the wines. Warm days were followed by cool evenings allowing the sugars and acidity to be in balance, which means more interesting and flavorful wines.

On my last visit to the vineyard our winemakers were blind tasting all the grapes from every vineyard determining the right day for picking. Although winemakers use equipment to measure BRIX (sugar levels), nothing is more important than how the grapes taste. Amazingly, each winemaker tastes more than four pounds during one of these sessions. Winemakers grade the grapes A, B, or C with A the highest rating. So how did we do? We got an A!!

Harvest of our malbec began the week of April 5th. Primary fermentation takes place over a two week period for each varietal with the malbec followed by syrah, cabernet franc, and then cabernet sauvignon. I should be getting a report on the how it’s all going real soon. Right now everyone both in Mendoza and here in the U.S. are excited about it all.

Chaiken Vineyards

www.chaikenvineyards.com
info@chaikenvineyards.com
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]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/05/12/2010-owner-harvest-recap/feed/ 0 The Vines last day of 2010 Cosecha http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/23/the-vines-last-day-of-2010-cosecha/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/23/the-vines-last-day-of-2010-cosecha/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:48:12 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3306 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!

]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/23/the-vines-last-day-of-2010-cosecha/feed/ 0 The Vines Team- Cosecha Day 2010 http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/20/the-vines-team-cosecha-day-2010/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/20/the-vines-team-cosecha-day-2010/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:01:10 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3275 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!

[[Show as slideshow]] ]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/20/the-vines-team-cosecha-day-2010/feed/ 0 Mendoza’s new Art Atelier- Gonzalo Anton http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/09/mendozas-new-art-atelier-gonzalo-anton/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/09/mendozas-new-art-atelier-gonzalo-anton/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:46:34 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3224 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).

[[Show as slideshow]] ]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/04/09/mendozas-new-art-atelier-gonzalo-anton/feed/ 1 The Vines Full Moon Harvest at The Private Vineyard Estates http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/29/the-vines-full-moon-harvest-at-the-private-vineyard-estates/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/29/the-vines-full-moon-harvest-at-the-private-vineyard-estates/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:17:48 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3186 Last night, by moonlight, Pablo, Michael, and some of The Vines Team harvested Merlot for The Vines wines under the full moon. An unusually warm night in the Uco Valley, Mendoza, we enjoyed a typical asado and began harvesting around 11:30pm, a new experience for most of us. While most of us chose to use the light of the moon to harvest the bunches of grapes, there were a few that were assisted by headlamps.

Overall we harvested about 208 kilos of Merlot which was then sorted and processed in the winery and will begin fermentation in a high tech 1,000 liter microvinification stainless steel tank. It was a beautiful evening full of music, laughter and stars and maybe a bit of moon magic mixed in.

]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/29/the-vines-full-moon-harvest-at-the-private-vineyard-estates/feed/ 0 South African Wine Tasting at The Vines http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/23/south-african-wine-tasting-at-the-vines/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/23/south-african-wine-tasting-at-the-vines/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:52:29 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3166 We are surrounded by Malbec, Torrontes, and all Argentine wines, all the time. Last Friday, we had the distinct pleasure to host a tasting organized by Wines of South Africa to learn more about our Southern Hemisphere sister and her wines.

A group of prominent sommeliers and winemakers from Mendoza were on hand to learn about the growing wine regions of South Africa and what makes their wines special. For me it is infinitely amazing to see how different wine varietals are expressed so differently dependant in the terroir and growing conditions.

We started out with a sparking from Graham Beck made from 100% Chardonnay which was rich with yeasty aromas, hints for clean lime, persistent bubbles in the mouth, lots of apple and pear and a lovely finish.

Next up was a Sauvignon Blanc from Elim called the Weathergirl, 2008. Really typical varietal flavors of herbs, grass, pear, and apple, it was bright with acidity and character.

The star of the night was the 2008 Forrester Meinert Chenin Blanc (FMC) and surprisingly it had 12.8 grams of residual sugar. This means that it should taste sweet on the mouth, yet the acidity and balance of this wine, made the sugar blend into a balanced wine throughout the mouth with fragrant aromas and a lingering finish.

The reds were comprised of a 2007 pinotage made by an ‘estate’ (which is the English for ‘Landgoed’) named Groot Constantia, 2007 de Trafford Shiraz from Stellenbosch, 2008 The Chocolate Block from Boekenhoutskloof, based in Franschhoek69% Syrah, 12% Grenache Noir, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cinsault, 2% Viognier) the Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 from Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch.

The amount of varietals that are planted in South Africa is impressive with many Rhone varietals and the popular Pinotage. Host, Meryl Weaver gave a comprehensive overview of the different wine regions of South Africa as well as some of the history of the industry. Like Argentina, they have been greatly affected by the effect of foreign technology and investment in the last 1990′s with political restructuring help from Nelson Mandela. Today the country is much more peaceful and we look forward to seeing more of what South Africa has to offer!

[[Show as slideshow]] ]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/23/south-african-wine-tasting-at-the-vines/feed/ 2 MARCH | FREE SHIPPING! http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/19/march-%c2%a0free-shipping/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/19/march-%c2%a0free-shipping/#comments Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:43:35 +0000 Laura http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3134

Be sure to take advantage of The Vines March Madness- Free Shipping on orders of $150 or more!

Increase your cool factor by tossing around the words Malbec and Torrontes and your friends will be in awe of your substantial wine knowledge. Order for your friends, family, summer BBQ’s, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, cousin’s sons birthday…the list is endless.

It never hurts to have crazy amazing wine on hand- wines that won’t cost you a gazillion dollars and wine that doesn’t make you look like the schmuck that forgot to buy a present and you went to the local gas station to buy wine for the night.

Just visit www.vinesofmendoza.com to take advantage!

Happy drinking!

]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/19/march-%c2%a0free-shipping/feed/ 0 The Vines Bodega’s Inauguration! http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/17/the-vines-bodegas-inauguration/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/17/the-vines-bodegas-inauguration/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:13:15 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3143 Yesterday was both a momentous and emotional day for The Vines of Mendoza team and Private Vineyard Estate owners. We harvested our first red grapes of the 2010 harvest and even more importantly the first in our new bodega. The last four years seem to have flown by and to see the machines in action processing the grapes was to realize all of our dreams, all of the hard work that has gone into the project and the team that has made it all happen. There were several owners on hand to witness the harvest and we were all overcome by the potential of what we have in store for all of our Private Vineyard Estate owners.

We harvested by hand, 1,100 kilos of Merlot at 25.5 degrees brix. Gustavo, the red wine winemaker for Mondavi, here visiting his friend Wandyr, whose Merlot we processed today, was impressed by the Merlot, telling me that they can’t get the flavor, sugar and mature seed development in California as we have achieved with our Merlot in the Uco Valley. Santiago Achaval, our consulting winemaker, was also on hand and was very happy with how the grapes are maturing and even got in on the action, sorting grapes with the team!

Congratulations to everyone on an amazing beginning to the 2010 Cosecha!

[[Show as slideshow]] ]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/17/the-vines-bodegas-inauguration/feed/ 0 Vendimia festivities in Mendoza http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/08/vendimia-festivities-in-mendoza/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/08/vendimia-festivities-in-mendoza/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:34:19 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/?p=3111 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!

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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!

]]> http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/08/vendimia-festivities-in-mendoza/feed/ 0 The Chilean Wine Industry After the Earthquake http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/03/the-chilean-wine-industry-after-the-earthquake/ http://www.vinesofmendoza.com/blog/2010/03/03/the-chilean-wine-industry-after-the-earthquake/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:07:54 +0000 Emily http://www.vinesofargentina.com/blog/?p=3100 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

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