AnuvaBlog

Last week we had several upstanding citizens of the English speaking Expat community over to sample Anuva’s wines. What a hit it was! We had a total of 9 Americans and Brits here and while our discussion began about wine, winemaking, wine tasting and drinking, and the malbecs, bonardas and blends we were drinking, we ended up talking about politics, travel and business ideas.

The biggest hit, not surprisingly, was the Don Juan from Las Perdices which was the reserve wine served that night. It’s a complicated mouthful of 14 months of oak aged malbec blended with syrah, bonarda and merlot. Full, velvety and luscious.

A great treat for the tasting was a spicy sausage brought by one of our British members. Caked with pepper, this is one of the few foods I have found in Argentina that actually makes my body temperature rise. And what a combination with the Malbecs and the Bonarda. The pepper of the sausage really brought out different characteristics in all of these wines. Just goes to show there is always something new to learn about wine, food and their combinations. Especially with good company.

We go through so much headache shipping wines to the US and EU that it is quite satisfying when new shipments of new wines finally go out to our members. We have quite a collection this May, all stuff that will keep your palates enthralled and your glasses filled.

If I had to pick a favorite in this collection, it would be very hard, because each has its appeal–that is the beauty of wine–so much variety. And since I spend the better part of my life sifting through all the bad wine that is made out there to bring you guys the best, its hard for me to choose from six greats (since I already chose those from about 300 others). Santos Beck Torrontés is delicate and easy. Great on a hot summer day. Naiara Reserve Malbec is super velvety and rich. Durigutti Malbec Reserve: black and red fruits, bold, complex. Finca La Luz Petit Verdot: mint, chocolate, tobacco. Beviam Syrah: gorgeous just to look at and even better in the mouth. Occhioverde Merlot (my favorite name for a wine–it means “Green Eye” in Italian and is named that way because it is organic): great body, great herbs and spices.

I think I’m ready to go open a bottle for myself. Lourdes is cooking basil spaghetti with Salsa Bolognesa (tomato and herb based meat sauce). Hmm… I think Occhio Verde or maybe Naiara…

…Or maybe both.