Wines of Argentina: November’s Wine and Dine Dinner

Deborah Damery Lazear, CSW

Wine & Dine Around the World dinner series begins its global tour in Argentina, the fifth largest wine producer in the world. The HOA event dinner will be held on Monday, November 15th. The focus of the dinners this season will be on wine education with authentic food pairing. Argentina’s signature dish is beef! Breaded, fried, rolled, stuffed, chopped, combined with raisins, olives, and eggs in empanadas, and asada, a no-holds barred slow-cooked barbecue (the parrilla) over smoldering hardwood logs are favorites. Chimichurri, a piquant parsley, garlic, olive oil sauce, is served alongside. A real treat is costillas, beef short ribs sprinkled with sal parrillera (coarse sea salt). In the 16th Century, Criolla, Pais, and Mission grapes came from Peru, Chile, Mexico and Spain. The original vineyards were planted on the coast but it soon became apparent that the sunny, dry foothills of the Andes were the ideal location providing lots of snowmelt for irrigation. By the 1890’s, a second wave of French, Italian, and Spanish wine makers came to Argentina, escaping the phylloxera epidemic (a louse in the soil that attacks the vine roots) Argentina has not been a widespread victim of phylloxera. Much of the grape production has been exported for blending but high-end vino finos have gained respect and market share around the world. The introduction of new-oak barrels and temperaturecontrolled stainless steel tanks have boosted the quality. The Instituto Nacional de Viniviticultura (INV) controls pruning methods, harvesting schedules, transport of grapes, release dates of finished wines, minimum and maximum alcohol percentages, and the planting of new vines. Appellation is not regulated except for vinos finos, Argentina’s best wines. If the grape variety is named on the label, 80% of the content must be of that grape. Chaptalization (adding sugar to increase the alcohol level) is forbidden. With help from the renowned Bordeaux consultant, Michel Rolland, Iscay, a Malbec-Merlot blend was made by Bodegas Trapiche and named a world’s “sleeping giant” of a wine. Wineries of note are Peñaflor, who owns Bodegas Trapiche, and parent company Bodegas Esmeralda, who owns Catena. Rising above all is Bodegas y Cayas de Weinert, whose Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot blends have been compared to older vintages of top Bordeaux. Above all in Argentina, Malbec is magic! Many other grapes do well in Argentina such as Bonarda (aka Charbono), Merlot. Tempranillo, and Sangiovese. Irrigation has two schools of thought in Argentina. One method is flood irrigation, also known as ditch Irrigation. In desert areas like Mendoza, irrigation is an absolute necessity. In the old days, Argentina’s wine production was consumed by its own large domestic market, so volume was key. Flood irrigation was easy to maintain and can maximize yields. Quality grapes, however, want a lower yield so drip irrigation is the system of choice. Too much water leads to constant shoot-cutting, which leads to dilution of the grape must. However, drip irrigation can offer a home to the louse phylloxera and nematodes, where flood irrigation washes away the insect’s underground tunnels, and eliminates the pest. Malbec does not take well to grafting, preferring to remain on its own phylloxera-susceptible roots, so flood irrigation can be advantageous. Salta is northernmost wine-producing region. Climate is tropical with cooler, high-elevations sites. Regional specialties are white Torrontés and red Tannat. Catamarca has sandy, stony soil perfect for fine wine production. Regional specialties are Torrontés and Syrah. La Rioja is extremely warm and dry. Torrontés, a white grape does well here. Torrontés is the only grape indigenous to Argentina. It is a cross between Criolla and muscat of Alexandria. With deep floral and tropical fruit scents, it is a wonderful aperitif, served very cold. “Like life; sweet at the beginning and a little bitter at the end”. Regional specialty is the red Bonarda. San Juan, second largest wine-producing province in Argentina to the north of Mendoza, has a warm, dry growing season. Regional specialties are Viognier and Syrah Mendoza is the most important wine region. Regional areas are Luján de Cuyo and Maipú. The high elevation desert climate with wide diurnal temperatures lengthens the growing season. Northern area produces meatier structured wines. Further south in La Consulta and Vista Flores, grapes produce more elegant floral notes. Medrano and Chacras wines have a distinctive tar and mineral profile. Regional specialties here are Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Uco Valley is 50 miles south of Mendoza City. Drip irrigation is prevalent in Uco’s Andean foothills unreachable by flood or furrow irrigation. Soil is alluvial sandy loam with rounded pebbles. Malbec grape makes big wines with intense color, fresh fruit aroma, firm tannic structure and aging potential. Cabernet Sauvignon is fresh with black fruit. Patagonia in the south is home to Rio Negro and Neuquén, exciting viticultural areas for Pinot Noir. Cool climate white grapes like Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Sémillon do well here as do Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Moët & Chandon, Piper-Heidsieck and Mumm have developed a substantial sparkling wine industry.