First you can choose to do a few varietals or just focus on one type of varietal.  If you do decide to do a few varietals that include both whites and reds make sure to do your whites first so as not to desensitize your palate.  Next you can decide if you want to have wines all from the same region or perhaps try different countries.  An interesting experiment would be to try for example a Cabernet Sauvignon from Italy, France, Argentina, and Chile and not only see which wine you prefer but how the different terroirs and growing styles of each country affect the same grape.  Another experiment we recommend at our wine tastings in Buenos Aires is to try a series of Argentine Malbec from the different regions of Mendoza.  Most people know that the Malbec is primarily grown in Mendoza but there are different sub regions in Mendoza such as Luján de Cuyo and Maipú and each region imparts subtle yet different characteristics on the wine.

One of the main points of a horizontal wine tasting is to compare wine producers and how they did in a given year but also with any wine tasting it is to find out what you like.  If you would do a series of horizontal tastings (not in the same day of course!) of the same varietal, you may eventually learn that you prefer that type of wine from a certain country or region or maybe even more specifically a certain producer because of its consistent quality from year to year.

American oak tends to impart stronger flavors on the wine especially vanilla and give wines a more creamy texture.  The taste and smell of wood is more noticeable in wine that is aged in American oak.  French oak has more tannins and the wood grains are tighter than American oak.  This increases the flavor and complexity of the wine but it does not affect the wine’s flavor and aroma as much as American oak.  French oak also gives wine a more satin or silky texture.

Just like wine the oak barrel has a production process that can lead to different flavors in the wine.  In France, a huge value is placed on which area the wood comes from whereas in the United States, the value is placed more on who makes the barrels then from where the wood comes.  Another aspect in barrel making is when they fire or “toast” the wood.  The level of “toast” will also affect the flavor of the wine.  A more “toasted” barrel will give more smoky flavors to a wine then a lighter “toasted” barrel.

Even though the wine is affected in different ways by each type of oak one is not necessarily better then the other.  American oak does have the benefit of being cheaper then French oak, but the wood is not of a lower quality nor does it lead to lower quality wines.  Similar to other steps in the wine making process, wine makers decide which type of oak will give their wine the greatest flavor. Some wine makers and wineries even choose to age certain wines in both American and French barrels.

1. A hospital stay for an accompanying person in a private room for 4 days. This means that you are so sick or injured that you have to go to the hospital… and with NO additional charge, your significant other or parent or whoever can stay in a private room with you for up to 4 days. Wow.

2. Aesthetic surgery every 2 years. Nuff said.

3. A pair of glasses every year.

4. Home visits by doctors.

5. All exams and labs.

6. The first year of your baby’s life is included + all vaccinations + formula if necessary.

In other words Argentina is a country that believes in taking care of the health of its people. Now 440 pesos per month is a bit high for Argentina, but this equivalent plan would easily cost that same amount in dollars in the USA, which is not an equivalent trade.

60 days of interned psychiatric care’

Mate comes from the yerba plant, which is grown Argentina and other countries in South America.  The leaves are harvested and then dried to create the “yerba” used for the tea.   The “yerba” is placed in a traditional calabash gourd and then infused with hot water.  Some other mate gourd styles include those made of wood, ceramic, or metal.  When traveling in Buenos Aires you can visit the fairs in Recoleta or San Telmo and you will see endless stands full of different styles of mate gourds to choose from.

Although it is probably not the main reason Argentines drink it, mate has many health benefits.  It has many vitamins including A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin and minerals such as Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Zinc.  It is also a natural source of caffeine.  Studies have shown that the caffeine in mate is unique.  Unlike caffeine found in coffee, which is a stimulant, the caffeine in mate has been shown to have some relaxing properties on muscle tissues.

Mate is a very social drink.  When friends meet in the beautiful parks in Palermo or are hanging out in Tigre for a long summer weekend, mate is almost always involved.  One Mate is shared and passed around the circle of friends.  One person is responsible for preparing the mate (called the “cebador”) and refilling it with hot water after each person drinks.  So before you head off to your Buenos Aires wine tasting that evening, grab a gourd and a few friends and enjoy some mate!

The first and probably most apparent reason is that weather patterns change from year to year affecting the quality of the grapes used to produce the wine. If the wine region receives too much or too little rain or too much or too little sunshine, the quality of the grape and the quality of the wine will be affected.

The changes in weather patterns will have a more dramatic effect on old world wines then new world wines, because of the regulations preventing the use of systems such as irrigation in many old world regions (Burgundy for example).  While new world countries like Argentina and Chile can use irrigation to get the right amount of water to the vines, old world countries like France and Italy need to have Mother Nature on their side each growing season.

Another reason why the flavor of the wine may change from year to year is a change in the production process of the wine.  Although wineries do not usually make many changes between years, they may have changed to a new set of oak barrels that year giving the oak a stronger influence on the current vintage than the year before.

A great way to learn how wine can change from year to the other is to participate in or create your own a vertical wine tasting.  In a vertical tasting you compare several vintages of one wine varietal from one winery.  For example, you could buy an Argentine Malbec from the same line of wines from 2006 to 2010.  This allows you to taste how the wine has changed from year to year.  If you attend a vertical wine tasting in Argentina, ask the winery about their growing seasons or if they made any production changes between years.  Just remember the differences will probably not be as dramatic as if you did a vertical wine tasting of an old world wine because new world wine producers are not as dependent on Mother Nature.

Hurray for Landing Pad BA!

Well first simply because it is Torrontes. I have been writing about Torrontes for years but it seems to still be a newcomer for most people. Interestingly Torrontes was recently compared to 3 other staple white wine varietals in a blind consumer tasting and beat all of them! It was put up against Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay and yes, Torrontes won.  But the downside was that even though Torrontes was the clear winner among the 4 varietals tasted, only 18% of the participants in the blind wine tasting had ever heard of Torrontes. This is why we feel it is our duty to always have a Torrontes in our wine tastings.

Now why do we pick Carinae Torrontes? Well there are many different Torrontes to pick from and they are certainly not all equal. Others that we really like that we have worked with in the past are Mairena Torrontes, El Pouvenir de los Andes Torrontes, and yes, I will say it (because it is from a big winery I am reluctant) Colomé Torrontes. Carinae, however, we feel demonstrates the qualities of a great Torrontes from Salta.

There are 3 principle regions where good Torrontes is made: Salta in the extreme northwest of Argentina is considered to be the best due to is extremely high altitude. La Rioja, just a bit south of that still has great altitude but the Torrontes comes out a little less aromatic, and San Juan, which is just north of Mendoza, also makes decent Torrontes but the style is much lighter and more elegant.

The Carinae Torrontes demonstrates the extremely floral bouquet that is the desirable characteristic in Torrontes. Aromas like orange blossom, jasmin and honey are found… but then in the mouth it changes on you. This is why Torrontes is called the “liar’s grape” (“la uva mentirosa” in Spanish) because in the nose you have sweetness and flowers and in the mouth you have a dry expression with crisp acidity of apricot, peach and grapefruit.

This system might work for Shakespeare, but it does not work for wine. Why?  Marketing.  Wine consumers young and old are identifying more with the wine varietal, the primary grape used in the production of the wine.  “Old world” wines, especially those from France tend to be identified by their region rather than their varietal, but with the emergence of “new world” wines from countries like Argentina and Australia into the market, even the French are adapting certain wine labels to the varietal naming system.

Although I have always found the varietal naming system very helpful, I did not realize until recently how it initially handicapped me in my discovery of wine.  Unlike Shakespeare I got caught up in the name – the name of the varietal.   Once I found a varietal I liked, it became my “go-to” and I never ventured much outside my comfort zone.   All of that changed on my first trip to Buenos Aires two years ago when I dared to venture outside my “go-to’s” and tried my first Argentine Malbec. .  I had never heard of the varietal Malbec before my visit, but since I was traveling I allowed my palette to venture as well.   I am glad I did, because I instantly had a new favorite!

This unforeseen discovery made me wonder what other varietals I might be missing.  In addition to Malbec, Argentina has many more varietals to offer including Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Torrontés.  Yes, these grapes originally hail from other regions of the world, but the terroir of Argentina –high altitudes, dryer climate, and the runoff water from the Andes – creates an ideal climate for them to grow resulting in delicious wines.

The moral of the story – explore the world of wine!  The varietal naming system, although helpful, can make it is easy to stick with your “go-to’s”.  Attend a fun wine tasting in Buenos Aires and you may discover a new varietal or an old favorite from a new region of the world.  Maybe Shakespeare does have a point after all …

This is fantastic news for the emblematic white wine of Argentina.

What the study also showed was how little people actually knew about the grape. Only 18% had ever heard of Torrontes while over 90% had heard of the other grape varietals.

I am hoping that this means a bright future for Torrontes in the world market. If only the organizations behind marketing Argentine wine to the outside world would do more studies like this! This is so great for publicity!

Argentina develops such phenomenal Malbecs on account of the unique geography and climate that differs from other regions in the world. It just so happens that the ideal conditions for growing Malbec grapes is found in the foothills of Argentina’s Andes Mountains. Mendoza, Argentina produces more Malbec than any other region in the world, and the high altitude districts of Lujan de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, which are located at the Andes foothills of Mendoza, produce some of the highest quality Malbec. These districts are located between 2,800 ft and 5,000ft elevation.

The Mendoza region offers the ideal growing conditions for Malbec grapes, which encourages the grape to flourish and become a better wine. In France, Malbec was grown, as a secondary component to be blended with Bordeaux wines, and this was a result of the French terroir that could not compliment the Malbec grape. The Malbec varietal of France needed more sun and heat, and needed to be grown in the absence of mildew. Mendoza is refereed to as the “desert oasis”, which became the perfect compliment to Malbec grapes. The loose and sandy alluvial soils found in the high altitude create a harsh environment where pests like Phylloxera cannot thrive. The Zonda winds of Argentina produce a dry airflow that pass through Mendoza, which ultimately keeps mildew away. The vineyards are refreshed from the melting snow of the Andes, and rest under the warm sun for a high majority of the year.

As the Malbec varietal improved, winegrowers took the most superior cuttings to proliferate them, designing a purebred Argentine Malbec. Most Argentine Malbec does not need site-specific root variations, because few Phylloxera exist, so traditional Argentine winegrowers believe these Malbecs embody more focused and true characteristics of the Malbec grape.