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!

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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.

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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!

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“This festival gives us a chance to showcase Mendoza’s excellent wines, in addition to giving people the opportunity to get out and visit the wineries,” said Luifer Torres, an associate at Bodegas de Argentina, whose company represents and unifies more than 220 Argentinean wineries. ”Our company is proud to support two of Argentina’s most important pastimes.”

On the final weekend of Tangos por Los Caminos del Vino, I had the chance to attend an evening affair at the Hotel Intercontinental Wine Bar, and Norton Winery on the following Sunday morning. It was interesting to compare the two events as they both had unique atmospheres.

Hotel Intercontinental: Dúo Elbi Olalla & Victoria Di Raimondo gave a passionate performance, singing a collection of tango songs while a couple danced. The hotel served guests Kaiken Malbec, one of my favorite wines, and overall, the one-hour event was quite formal. I was very happy to see two strong females not only singing the lead for tango, but also playing the piano, which is somewhat rare in Latino society.

Norton Winery: On a bright Sunday morning, my friends and I headed out to Norton winery in Lujan de Cuyo. The winery started the morning with individual mini-bottle of champagne as they band warmed up and guests sat outside with the beautiful vineyard surrounding us. The affair had more of a feel like a comfortable Sunday brunch–beautiful weather, scenery, people and food. Then the band, Colectivo Tango began to play a more modern style of tango. I stared in amazement as two couples danced on a small stage, gracefully gliding carelessly and seamlessly. The winery also hosted a fashion show to showcase a local designer’s work.

The festival was well worth attending, and one I hope to experience again in the future.

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Friends at the Vines' Sensory Experience

Wet earth. Licorice. Mushrooms. Perhaps these aren’t the first aromas you search for in a wine. My family and I recently underwent a “sensory experience” at the Vines of Mendoza. We were led into a private tasting room and guided by sommeliers to try a variety of containers with different scents. While some were easy to identify, such as cinnamon, others were more challenging, like leather or black currant. It was fun passing around the different aromas and trying to guess what is was, but it was also educational. For me, my mind often recalls an aroma within the wine, but can’t put a name to it.

We then smelled and tasted five different local wines:

Montecinco 2009, 100% Malbec: Cedar, spice, blackberry, peppery and floral notes

Urraca Primera Blend 2006, 36% Malbec, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot: Plum, red quince

Pulenta Estate Gran Cabernet Franc 2008: Ripe blackberry, cinnamon, black pepper

Monteviejo Blend 2006, 80% Malbec, 20% Syrah: black cherries, clove, caramel, smoke

Mendel Unus 2008, 70% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon: spice box, incense, lavender, earth notes, black currant, blackberry, hint of balsamic

I recently heard the anecdote from a sommelier that when she was a little girl, she was a very picky and precocious child so whenever she ate anything, she had to smell it first. However, little did she know, that her smelling habits would pay off and train her mind to recognize scents in wine later on in life. They say in the wine world, Taste, Taste, Taste. Perhaps we should add, Smell, Smell, Smell. I now find myself smelling everything when I’m cooking: fruits, spices, sweets. It truly heightens your awareness of the flavors that you can actually experience in the wines. Even more interesting are the personal flavors people recognize from their memory. Perhaps a certain floral aroma reminds you of a lavender perfume your mother wore growing up or a specific spice, like cloves, reminds you of Christmas, depending on where you’re from. Everyone’s pallet is different, so what one person may smell or taste in the wine can be different from someone else’s. For example, in the Pulenta Estate Gran Cabernet Franc 2008, I sense an overwhelming scent of fresh green pepper. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t listed as an aroma for the wine. However, it doesn’t mean necessarily that you’re wrong if it’s not listed on the bottle.

Interesting facts on Detecting Aromas:

Of the five senses, smell is the most acute, approximately 1,000 times more sensitive than the sense of taste.

Smell and taste are the chemical senses because their receptors are stimulated by chemical molecules, rather than by energy from light, pressure, or sound.

While smell is the most easily stimulated of the human senses, it is also the most fragile. There is a great variation between individuals in the elements to which they are sensitive. A person’s absolute threshold is the smallest amount of stimulus required to produce a sensation. Once that threshold is reached, unless trained, the individual can only recognize and unconsciously catalog the smell as either “familiar” or “new.”

To date, scientists have cataloged over 17,000 different smells; about 10,000 can be distinguished by humans.

Sources: LaMar, J. (2011, Sept 27). Sensory user’s manual. Retrieved from http://www.winepros.org/wine101/sensory_guide.htm

Happily, with training, concentration, and practice, nearly anyone can learn to dissect and describe complex aromas!

Carolyn is a newcomer to Mendoza and the wine industry and will be sharing her experiences as she learns more about both. A recent college graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, she also teaches English at a local university.

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So feeling a bit rough and tumble? Like to live life on the adventurous side? Like to take long horse back rides in the desert?

Then these Malbecs are for you! At The Vines of Mendoza it is our Month of Malbec, our celebration of our emblematic grape that appeals to everyone on a different level.

These tasting notes, from one of our own “Gaucho-types” is Julian Romero and some of his favorite Malbec’s. And for the month of September only you can get 25% off of all our wines in our online wine shop!

BRESSIA MONTEAGRELO MALBEC 2007

THE ENTRY LEVEL WINE OF WALTER BRESSIA, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OENOLOGIST IN THE ARGENTINIAN WINE INDUSTRY.

100% Malbec but it is a blend of Malbec, from 2 different vineyards, one is from La Consulta, Uco Valley and the other from Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo area. This interesting “mixture” is to reach the higher quality grape from each of the regions and get this delicious ruby red Malbec, with all the fruit in a first layer, plumb and mature cherry mainly, then at a second layer, some leather, slight tobacco, and some vanilla from the aging time in oak barrels. 80 % was stored in French oak (quercus petraea) and 20% in American oak or white oak (quercus alba). The acidity is also attractive and makes me think about the aging potential that easily can be 8 years to reach the top of the curve.

Suggested pairing, not so spicy meat and chicken tacos, or grilled lamb flavored with chimichirri.

MONTECINCO MALBEC 2005

Bertona family from Piedmont, Italy were planting and starting with their culture in the new world, in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, 80 year old vines make this wine unique for having sweet, mature and velvety tannins with sensation in all of your palate combine with a very long and warm finish. Explosion with red fruits and flavors like the classical plum, then blackberries, but cooked, like compote, and some black cacao, chocolate.
Pairing: pasta with a heavy sauce like tagliatelle, vegetable canneloni with parmigiano on top, as well for asado.
Aging potential, 12 years at 13 Celcius, 80% humidity and horizontal position.
From my point of view is one of the most typical Malbecs from Mendoza.

SIN FIN GRAN GUARDA MALBEC 2007

Single vineyard Malbec from Lujan De Cuyo, aged from 9 to 12 months in American oak 70% and French oak 30%. This gives the wine lots of aromatic characteristics from the barrel like caramel, tobacco, chocolate, and mature red fruits. It is very elegant and velvety in the mouth with an interesting finish. My suggested pairing would be a Churchill black sofa and Erika Badu music. Or with an acidic dessert like blueberry or lemon pie. It is the perfect wine to drink at 6 p.m.
Gaucho Profile:  Julian Romero- 29

Bartender, Sommelier, Sound Technician, Dulce De Leche and Alfajor Lover

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

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Two of the teachers at the Wine Institute at Septima winery--one of the best perks of taking a wine course are the field trips!

So perhaps you’ve made a few visits to the bodegas and realized you’d like to learn a lot more about wine in one of the Great Wine Capitals of the World. Here are a few hints:

Classes: Most short-term classes cover a brief history of wine and Argentine wine regions (class 1), how different wines are made (class 2), a service class covering how differents wines should be served (class 3), pairings (class 4), the proper tasting techniques (class 5) and a final class on distilling (class 6). I think every institutions offers a blind tasting at each class.

Wine Institute: conveniently located at Sarmiento and Belgrano, Wine Institute offers a variety of options in terms of how long classes are, what material is covered in the class, etc. I deferred to this route without much investigation, but I’m really enjoying the laid-back nature of the classes, the extensive knowledge of the teachers and of course, the wine tasting at the end of every class. Sarmiento 786, (0261) 4230909 www.wineinstitute.com.ar

Enoteca: The local government wine foundation also offers one-time courses ($25 pesos) as well as somelier courses, although you really have to contact the Enoteca to stay on top of what their current events are…They also offer an online manual of their lessons. http://www.fondovitivinicola.com.ar/escuelas/index.html enoteca@fondovitivinicola.com.ar / Peltir 611. Ciudad de Mendoza / Tel. 0261- 4295274

EAS (Escuela Argentina de Sommelier): EAS is located at Hipólito Yrigoyen 242 and runs short courses as well as two year sommelier courses.  The Mendoza Sun recently posted a review on their courses. http://www.sommeliers.com.ar/mendoza.php

Educational Experiences

Winemaker’s Night: I’ve blogged on Vines of Mendoza’ Winemaker’s Night before but if you’re just passing through Mendoza and don’t have a lot of time to devote to an actual class, Winemaker’s Night is a nice way to learn about the winemaking process, etc. with the insight of someone who lives and breathes wine every day.

Blending Room: I don’t think it gets much cooler than making your own wine, and the Vines Blending Room lets you do that in one afternoon! Open 3-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday. I’m counting down the days until I make my first wine in the Blending Room on September 13 so check back for a review.

Aroma rooms: Two wineries in Lujan de Cuyo have aroma rooms to help you start training your nose:

1. Belasco de Baquedano 261 153 023 491, www.belascomalbec.com

2. Pulenta, 261 420 0800, www.pulentaestate.com

Carolyn is a newcomer to Mendoza and the wine industry and will be sharing her experiences as she learns more about both. A recent college graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, she also teaches English at a local university.

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It’s always such a treat whenever anyone comes to visit because it means it’s time to visit the wineries. This time around was no exception and visiting the wineries at this time of the year is especially nice because they’re not very busy and you get most individualized attention. Do wear a coat for the chilly cement cellars.

Anyhow, after visiting Pulenta Estate today, I had to write something up because of the very thorough explanations we received from our tour guide, Soledad. Sometimes when visiting wineries, the tour guides assume you already know as much as they do and only tell a few unique characteristics about their own winery. However, even after arriving a bit late (Argentinean time, right?), we got a rundown start to finish on how wine is made in general and the special characteristics of Mendoza’s wine region.  

Pulenta is a medium-sized bodega located in Alta Agrelo in Lujan de Cuyo. The winery is dedicated to only producing a limited amount of fine wines so they only select a portion of their grapes for their wines and sell the rest to other wineries (for example, they sell some of their grapes to Chandon for their sparkling wine). The Pulenta family has been involved in wineries for three generations and used to own Trapiche winery before they sold it within the last decade and then opened Pulenta in 2002. Antonio Pulenta is 93 years old and credits his longevity to lifelong wine drinking. If you’d like to try their wines beforehand, their lines are (from lowest to highest): La Flor, Pulenta Estate  and Pulenta Gran Corte.  The visit ranges from 30-60 pesos, depending on how many wines you’d like to taste.

http://www.pulentaestate.com

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“Argentine Wine Sales and Trends in the European Market“ conference call was hosted on August 10th, 2011 by Michael Evans and Pablo Giménez Riili from The Vines of Mendoza, along with Eduardo Pulenta of renowned Bodega Pulenta Estate, Mauricio Llaver of Revista Punto a Punto and Andrew Maidment, PR manager for Wines of Argentina in Europe.

From left to right: (bottom) Mauricio Llaver, Eduardo Pulenta | (top) Michael Evans, Pablo Gimenez Riili

Mauricio Llaver is a Mendoza-based journalist specialized in Economics and Wine Industry. He has a 20-years career and has been Fellow of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE). He is bussines-magazine Punto a Punto’s publisher and has radio columns and programs mainly devoted to wine. He also runs his web site
www.mauriciollaver.com and has covered Vinexpo’s last two editions (2009/11).

Eduardo Pulenta is the export manager for Bodega Pulenta Estate. With a winemaking history dating back to 1914,  Eduardo and Hugo Pulenta decided to carry on the family tradition with a focus on high quality wines with passion and dedication and in 2001 founded Pulenta Estate.  They now export around the world and have one of the best reputation and highest quality wines found in Mendoza.

Andrew Maidment runs the European division of Wines of Argentina – the trade body that manages the promotion of Argentine wines in the exports markets. His primary role is to develop marketing strategies for ‘Brand Argentina’ tailored specifically to each country, with the aim of raising the awareness of Argentina’s wines amongst both wine trade professionals and the end consumer.

Activities include: developing large scale ‘on’ and ‘off-trade’ promotions, wine tasting events (trade and consumer), obtaining positive and sustained press presence, advertising, product placement and the organization and planning of trips to Argentina for key individuals or businesses.

Wines of Argentina currently has approximately 250 member wineries.

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THE VINES’ VERY OWN WINE – RECUERDO!

Nearly seven years ago we shared a dream about buying some raw land, creating vineyards of the highest quality and making some of Argentina’s best wines. Last week, we achieved another piece of that dream as we labeled Recuerdo, our very first commercial wine. “Recuerdo” means memories and speaks to our experiences turning the rock-strewn desert into a lush vineyard. We have made 3,000 cases of 2010 Recuerdo (2,000 cases of Malbec and 1,000 cases of Torrontes), which will retail for $15 – 20 per bottle. This wine will be placed on a container next week and will reach select retail wine shops and restaurants in the coming months. Our top wine, a Malbec-based blend will remain in the barrel until the end of the year. We want to extend a special thanks to our team, families, Private Vineyard Estate owners and investors who all played a part in creating this Recuerdo.

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VINES CONFERENCE CALL – ARGENTINE WINES IN THE EUROPEAN MARKET

Join Michael and Pablo, along with Eduardo Pulenta of renowned Bodega Pulenta Estate, Mauricio Llaver of Revista Punto a Punto and Andrew Maidment, PR manager for Wines of Argentina in Europe, to talk about the impact Argentine wines are having in the European and Global Market.

Join us Wednesday August 10th at 3pm EST.   Click here to sign up

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HARVEST MEMORIES FROM OUR NEW WINEMAKERS: PVE OWNERS ABBY & MASON

“Spending two weeks at our vineyard in the Uco Valley this April confirmed that we made a great decision in buying with The Vines!  Working at the vineyard and in the winery was a blast and we certainly upped our wine IQ during our short time as “Cellar Rats.” Pablo, Emi and the crew introduced us to the winemaking process from vine to barrel. We picked and sorted grapes, helped manage the fermentation process, and (our personal favorite) got our hands dirty with countless pisajes (punch-downs of the cap). There are few things more fun than submerging your arms in a tank of fermenting Malbec grapes!  In addition to our “hands on” learning, Mariana’s wine courses taught us to taste wine with a whole new mindset. We probably sampled 30 wines in the process…such a perfect way to learn the type of wine we want to make! Delicious asados and impromptu gatherings introduced us to 30 to 40 new friends within the Vines community. Both the Vines team and other owners welcomed us with open arms, and we’re already excited for our next visit!”

IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ABBY & MASON AS VINEYARD OWNERS…

Our Private Vineyard Estates development is in its final stages. We are adding 20 new vineyard owners to The Vines family in 2011, and 5 vineyards remain available for purchase and planting in September/October. We are welcoming new owners from several countries including the United States, Brazil, Canada, England, and Argentina! If you would like information on how you could own one of these final Private Vineyard Estates, please contact Bryan Driscoll at bryan@vinesofmendoza.com.

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BODEGA ACHAVAL FERRER NAMED TOP 10 FOR ARGENTINE BODEGAS

Private Vineyard Estate Consulting Winemaker, Santiago Achaval, was named one of Argentina’s top 10 wine producers by Decanter Magazine. The cover featured our favorite single vineyard, the Bella Vista.

CLICK HERE to download the article.

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WINTER IS HERE!

We know that while many of you are preparing for weekend visits to the beach, we are enjoying the brilliant white snow covering the Andes and our vineyards. Winter is a very important time for our vineyards as we prune the vines and prepare for next year’s harvest. There is no off-season in the winemaking game!

Saludos!

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