AnuvaBlog

As I wander around Mendoza, meeting with everyone under the scorching hot sun, I am pleased to announce that we came out in the press again!

Check it out: http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/eat-and-drink/articles/0309-pour/

We began the Anuva video project with a visit to Bodegas Sin Fin and Carlos Caselles the owner. I usually beg not to have any wine poured during business meetings and the like, as I find it distracting to both the meeting and the tasting of new wine. But I could not resist, as at the same time, having the wine there for the camera also looked very good.

When he poured the Sin Fin Guarda Malbec, I took in the aroma and was immediately brought back to one of my first wine tasting experiences in Argentina with one of our sommelier consultants, Leandro Martinez. Sweet vanilla extract along with red berry aromas and a hint of baking spices jumped out at me and in the mouth, the ripe fruit lingered long and velvety.

My disappointment came when I realized that I would have to spit out the wine, since it was my first meeting of the day, and much business needed to be discussed, and footage shot.

Looks like we’re off to a great start here in Mendoza and I hope to share some great video footage of the wineries and their key players very soon.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. At the risk of clichés, what kind of a wine blog would this be if we didn’t embrace the romance factor inherent in wine ? Valentine’s Day without wine is a tragedy of the gravest degree. Viticulture can be incorporated into February the 14^th in a litany of ways: wine as a gift, wine tasting as a date, wine as the ingredient of a romantic, home-cooked meal. A popular route seems to be giving a gift of wine and chocolate, which appears more simple than most would probably think. One must approached the task of pairing wine with chocolate with precision and care. The importance of finding a wine that can match up to the sweetness profile of different types of chocolate cannot be underestimated, otherwise the experience will be like playing Two Live Crew when taking one’s wedding vows. Most experts recommend a sweet desert wine to be paired with milk chocolate. Duh. The downside, of course, is that many wine drinkers prefer dry to sweet.

Let us make a bold suggestion: Las Perdices Don Juan Reserve with a high quality dark chocolate. The hints of unsweetened cocoa powder and smoky tobacco flavor found in the dry Don Juan deserve no detriment: use a nice 65-75% dark chocolate. This will compliment the primary flavors and aromas, creating a positive indulgent experience. An added benefit to opening a bottle of Las Perdices Don Juan Reserve on Valentine’s Day is that the more it breathes, the more evolved the flavors become, allowing two people to sit back, relax, and enjoy an entire evening of chocolate, romance, and Don Juan.

Did we mention that consuming large quantities of chocolate have the same hormonal effect as falling in love? Yet another reason to try this out.

A recent article in the Seattle Times touched on the ubiquitous topic of the recession as it pertains to the wine industry. Because all things Northwest are especially dear to Anuva hearts (75% or us are native to the Pacific Northwest), the specific focus on Washington wine producers peaked our interest.

According to the article, wine sales have taken a significant hit (10%) since 2007 at Monterosso’s restaurant in Richland, Washington which is a similar figure to many restaurants in the area. This is due in large part to declining restaurant sales as a consequence of consumers’ increased tendency to “stay at home more often and save their money.”

Is this a barometer for things to come? Or perhaps it just speaks to a change in trends, as “people gravitate towards more affordable wines.” This doesn’t necessarily have to be tragic for the wine industry, especially that of Washington growers, who have traditionally been “well-priced in the market.” 

Buying a less expensive wine at the supermarket doesn’t mean buying a lower-quality wine. This is where the Anuva philosophy and wine from Argentina in general come in. Just like Washington, Argentina specializes in value wine at any price point. Not only does Argentina’s core business of young, affordable Mablecs at $10-$15 per bottle seem to be taking a lead at that price point, but the wines at slightly higher price points are all referred to a great buys by wine experts around the world. We put 12-45 dollar wines in our club and stand by the notion that all of them are great values at each of their price points. So just like our Pacific Northwest counterparts, we are well positioned for this rocky year ahead.  

Regardless of which trends will materialize, we offer our support to Northwest winemakers who emphasize value over how many dollars a bottle can fetch.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008721964_apwarecessionwine.html

An article released today by the Boston Herald states that the battle for the ability to ship wine direct to consumer in the state of Massachusettes will potentially continue for some time.

Why are the conusmers punished? This is no rhetorical question. As Jeremy Benson (Go J.B.!) asserts at the end of the article, the consumers are punished because those who control current distribution channels fear losing their stranglehold on business within the state.

I totally agree with this but what is to be done about the situation? The only way that this can change is for the consumers themselves to become more vocal and more active. Join www.freethegrapes.org and help to get the word out.