AnuvaBlog

Amelia and Andrew came to us with varying degrees of wine experience.  Both were young, but while Andrew was rather experienced, Amelia was just getting her feet wet in the world of wine.  It was her first wine tasting and she said that she generally preferred white wines, which is commonly how people begin enjoying wine.The shift in appreciation in wine generally goes from whites, to new world reds, to old world reds and beyond.  My personal experience followed this track.My favorite wine two years ago was a dry white from Orvieto (in Italy) which can across the tongue with light fruit, a creamy mid palate before ending in crisp acidity.  I left Orvieto sure that white wines were superior to red, and that the wine world was simply too stuck up in the mysticism of “aging” too realize the truth.Fast forward a few months and I was infatuated with new world style of red wines, specifically Malbec, Shiraz and Zinfandel.  While they had the big taste of reds they did not have the bitterness of heavy tannins or come with flavors like “manure” or “sweaty socks”, instead I could be delighted by their bright fruit and lingering finishes.A few months before I left the state is when I first started to really enjoy the old world style reds.  A tasting with all high quality pinot noirs, and a last night that included a Grand Cru from Burgundy tends to awaken you to the possibilities of good old world wines.  I am not at the stage yet to say I prefer old world reds, but they are growing on me, and I see as my tastes develop and wallet grows that it is a possibility, if not a likelihood.35 years through a time machine and you have my father, who loves wine, but is currently enamored with a specific single malt scotch that while I find barely potable, he swears by its smokiness.This is a normal progression for wine drinkers, and one that Amelia will likely mimic.  The older crowd prefers to believe that it is due to a more experienced palate, which can decipher the complexity in more intense wines.  I prefer to believe that it is due to the dulling of the taste buds as one ages, making older wine consumers in need of more intense tastes.  Whatever the reasons the process can take months, years, work backwards or not progress at all.  Robert Parker, the most well known wine critic in the world, is known to prefer the new world style of reds.  The important part is to realize that your palate is consistently changing and not to completely block yourself off from wine styles that you may like in the future. (guest blog by Stu)

I know this post is very off topic, but I feel it’s my civic duty to inform as many people as possible about the bird-shit bandits:

If you live in or are visiting Argentina, the following may happen: you are walking down the street, minding your own business and you feel something splatter across your arm or pant leg. It looks white and disgusting and immediately a “good samaritan” will offer to help you clean off your clothing. It may be an old lady, or a young boy. It doesn’t matter. That person is part of a team of thieves scheming to get your money and valuables.

As this first person helps you clean off, a second and even third will try to pick your pocket, take you backpack or otherwise rob you.

I have personally met 4 people–all tourists–who have mentioned that this happened to them. Two of them recognized what was happenening about half way through the scam, and the other two did not and ended up without their wallets.

Please spread the word!

When discussing Argentine wine regions the topic tends to focus on Mendoza, its silky Malbec and Nicolas Catena’s influence (http://www.bibendum-wine.co.uk/retail/news/February/2009/Catena_Decanter) on the quality of the wine produced in Argentina.  Possibly someone will mention Salta’s floral and fruity Torrontes (even though the Torrontes grapes, though grown in Salta, are commonly shipped over night to Mendoza for processing), but other than that the average consumers does not talk about the other regions in Argentina.  This is not without reason:  Mendoza represents more than 60% of Argentine wine production, it represents a much higher percentage of exported wines, and Torrontes and Malbec are grown with unique characteristics in Argentina and have found a niche in foreign markets. 

The next highest wine producing region of Argentina is San Juan, located directly north of Mendoza.  This area is in the rain shadow of the Andes Mountains, resulting in an arid climate watered by snow melt and run off, just like Mendoza.  However the climate here is slightly warmer, and the grape of choice for high quality wine shifted from Bordeaux’s Malbec to the Rhone’s Syrah.  This is not to say you won’t find Malbec from San Juan, it is still grown there but it is not the ideal terroir as is offered in the south.  Wine purchased here will be less expensive (for now) than Mendoza’s wines, and while Malbec might not be as good, this does not mean there are not great wines to be had.  Medoc’s Petit Verdot also seems to have found a home.  This is a French grape used in Bordeaux blends, but has the down fall of being late ripening to the point of commonly losing the entire crop and only occasionally being ripened properly.  The fact that the Syrah market is already saturated  domestically in the US and Europe has limited the export market of San Juan’s signature grape, but does not make the wine produced there any less potable or any less the value of Mendoza.  In fact in Buenos Aires premier wine event, “Cuisine and Vin” there were two rooms dedicated to San Juan. 

To the south is Patagonia (encompassing Neuqúen and Rio Negro), which stirs ideas of glaciers, mountains and even penguins, but to an oenophile it should be known as the bastion of hope for Argentine production of quality Pinot Noir (though Mendoza has been producing good Pinot Noir by using high  altitude of the vineyards).  The area is only in its infancy, with only a handful of wineries, but this has not kept it from receiving some promising press (http://www.winesur.com/ver_nota.php?nota=17803).  With Oregon’s Willamette Valley, New Zealand’s Central Otago and of course Burgundy, representing the few places producing quality Pinot Noirs, Patagonia is Argentina’s opportunity  to break into a market which is fiercely loyal, low in supply and willing to pay a lot of money for a quality product.  The relative small number of wineries in the region will leave you coming across the same names over and over, two of which are Bodega Chacra, and Familia Schroeder.  Bodega Chacra represents the most respected name in the region, with old vines and the reviews to match. (http://www.londonfinewine.co.uk/blog/default/2009/06/09/1244561705947.html) Familia Schroeder is the producer of “Saurus” and will be the most easily found example of a decent Patagonian Pinot Noir in or outside of Argentina.