Thank you to Dick and Judy for helping me host the Argentina Malbec tasting at their house .
Argentine wine-overview
The Argentine wine industry is the fifth leading producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in Spain. During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, vine cuttings were brought to Santiago del Estero in 1557.
Historically, Argentine winemakers were traditionally more interested in quantity than quality with the country consuming 90% of the wine it produces (12 gallons a year per capita according to 2006 figures). In the 1990’s quality started to improve dramatically and today Argentine wines are in demand.
The most important wine regions of the country are located in the provinces of Mendoza and San Juan and La Rioja. Salta, Catamarca, Río Negro and more recently Southern Buenos Aires are also wine producing regions. The Mendoza province produces more than 60% of the Argentine wine and is the source of an even higher percentage of the total exports. Due to the high altitude and low humidity of the main wine producing regions, Argentine vineyards rarely face the problems of insects, fungi, molds and other grape diseases. This permits cultivating with little or no pesticides, allowing even organic wines to be easily produced.
There are many different varieties of grapes cultivated in Argentina, reflecting her many immigrant groups. The French brought Auxerrois, which became known as Malbec, which makes most of Argentina's best known wines. The Italians brought vines that they called Bonarda, although Argentine Bonarda appears to be the Corbeau of Savoie, also known as Charbono in California, which may be related to Dolcetto.
Torrontés is another typically Argentine grape and is mostly found in the provinces of La Rioja, San Juan, and Salta. It is a member of the Malvasia group that makes crisp, aromatic white wines and has a Spanish origin.
History
Viticulture was introduced to Argentina during the Spanish colonization of the Americas and later again by Christian missionaries. In 1541, Vitis vinifera vines were brought from Spain and planted along the Río de la Plata by the Atlantic coast (near what is now Buenos Aires. The vines did not thrive in the humid subtropical climate of the region . 1542, dried grape seeds taken from vines in Peru were planted near what is now the Salta Province east of the Andes. Eight years later another expedition from Peru brought vine cuttings. In 1556, cuttings from the Chilean Central Valley were brought to what is now the San Juan and Mendoza wine region which firmly established viticulture in Argentina. Ampelographers suspect that one of these cuttings brought the ancestor grape of the Chile's Pais and California's Mission grape. This grape was the forerunner of the Criolla Chica variety that would be the backbone of the Argentine wine industry for the next 300 years.
The first recorded commercial vineyard was established at Santiago del Estero in 1557 by Jesuit missionaries which was followed by expansion of vineyard plantings in Mendoza in the early 1560s and San Juan between 1569 and 1589. During this time the missionaries and settlers in the area began construction of complex irrigation channels and dams that would bring water down from the melting glaciers of the Andes to sustain vineyards and agriculture. In the mid 19th Century The Provencial Govenor Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, instructed the French agronomist Miguel Aimé Pouget to bring grapevine cutting from France to Argentina. Of the vines that Pouget brought were the very first Malbec vines to be planted in country.
As with many wine regions around the world the transport of the wine from the producing region to the major cities was an issue. Don Tiburcio Benegas, governor of the province of Mendoza and owner of El Trapiche wine estate, was instrumental in financing and pushing through the construction, convinced that in order for the Argentine wine industry to survive it needed a market. The 19th century also saw the first wave of immigrants from Europe. Many of these immigrants were escaping the scourge of the phylloxera epidemic that ravaged vineyards in their homeland and they brought with them their expertise and winemaking knowledge to their new home.
Climate and geography
The major wine regions of Argentina are located in the western part of the country among the foothills of the Andes Mountains between the Tropic of Capricorn to the north and the 40th parallel south. Most of the regions have a semi-arid desert-like climate with annual rainfall rarely exceeding more than 10 inches a year. In the warmest regions (such as Catamarca, La Rioja, San Juan and the eastern outreaches of Mendoza, summer temperatures during the growing season can be very hot during the day with temperatures upwards of 104°F. Nighttime temperatures can drop to 50°F creating a wide diurnal temperature variation. vines.
Some of the warmer regions can see an average of 320 days of sunshine a year.
The Andes Mountains are the dominant geographical feature of Argentine wine regions, With the snow capped mountains often serving as a back drop view in the vineyards. As winter time snow starts to melt in the spring a intricate irrigation system of dams, canals and channels brings vital water supplies down to the wine regions to sustain viticulture in the dry, arid climates. Most of the wine regions are located within the foothills of the Andes and recent trends have saw a push to plant vineyards on higher elevations closer to the mountains. The climate in some of these regions can be more continental and less prone to extremes in temperatures. Soils throughout the country are most alluvial and sandy with some areas having substrates of clay, gravel and limestone. In the cooler Patagonia region, which contains the winemaking provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, the soil is more chalky.
I think we all learned why this previously French varietal grape has made a home and a name for itself in Argentina.
We learned that Malbec wines typically share these characteristics: ripe black fruits, such as plum and blackberry; peppery notes; earthy; firm tannins; ample acidity; conducive to oak aging. In other words, a flavor profile that may be somewhere between California Cabernet Sauvignon and California Merlot. These wines pair well with beef
The Malbec wines called “Cahors” tend to be more inky, more earthy, and a bit more tannic. The Argentine examples tend to be riper and more jammy (though there are some “old school” Argentine wineries that go more toward the rustic side).
Starter Wines
2008 Zolo-Torrontes-Mendoza, 87 pts. WA: Brilliant yellow color with marked green touches. Aromas are delicate and intense where tropical fruit and flowers predominate.
2008 Dominio del Plato-“Crios de Susan Balbo”-Torrontes –Mendoza, 90pts. WA: Alluring perfume of Spring flowers, peach, apricot and a (big) hint of citrus. On the palate the wine is dry, smooth textured, layered and succulent while retaining a sense of elegance.
First Flight (Old World vs. New World)
2005 Chateau Pineraie Cahors-3 Stars Decanter: Opulent violet damson aroma. Smooth attack. Vibrant fruit on mid-palate. Tightly knit, well balanced. Long finish. Drink 2009-14." -Decanter Magazine, 3 Stars, Best Value Cahors
2007 Dona Paula-Malbec-Mendoza-90pts. WS & WA: Opaque purple color, a brooding black fruit bouquet, with warm currant paste, cocoa powder and Turkish coffee notes backed by solid grip of the fleshy finish. Drink now through 2016
Second Flight (Focus on Mendoza)
This group of six wines should show these characteristics: ripe black fruits, such as plum and blackberry; peppery notes; earthy; firm tannins; ample acidity. To be labeled as Malbec in Argentina the wine is required to have 80% Malbec content.
2006 Vina Alicia Paso De Piedra Malbec-91 pts WA: "It begins with the dark ruby-colored 2006 Paso de Piedra Malbec. The expressive bouquet offers up cedar, tobacco, red cherry and black raspberry leading to a forward, elegantly-styled wine. Impeccably balanced, the wine has complex flavors, ripe tannin, and a lengthy finish. 100% Malbec Drink it from 2010 to 2018."
2006 Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec-Mendoza-90pts ST: "Full ruby-red. Musky, vinous aromas of blackberry, mocha, espresso and tobacco. Suave, juicy and palate-coating, with a distinctly saline element adding complexity to the flavors of raspberry, tobacco, smoke and green olive. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lovely aromatic lift. A distinctly soil-inflected wine with loads of personality-and an excellent value."
2006 Lagarde Malbec Single Vineyard-90 pts WA: "The dark ruby-colored 2006 Malbec DOC was sourced from a vineyard planted concurrently with the founding of the winery 111 years ago. With replanting, it now averages 70 years of age. It exhibits an enticing bouquet of cedar, tobacco, spice box, black cherry, and black raspberry. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with good density, lingering, savory flavors, and a fruit-filled finish. It will evolve in bottle for 3-5 years and drink well through 2020."
2006 Mapema Malbec-Mendoza-90 pts WS: "Ripe and forward, with dark licorice, fig, currant preserve and chocolate notes riding along round, rich tannins. Rock-solid finish. Drink now through 2010. 2,000 cases made."
2007 Susana Balbo Malbec-Mendoza-91 pts WA: The purple-colored 2007 Malbec contains 10% Cabernet Sauvignon while receiving the same elevage as the 2006 Cabernet. It reveals an enticing perfume of coffee/mocha, baking spices, violets, black cherry, and black raspberry. Smooth-textured, layered, and ripe, it has loads of succulent fruit, enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years, and a lingering, fruit-filled finish. Drink it over the next 6-8 years."
2006 Bodega Coloma Malbec-Mendoza-92 pts WS: "Very inviting, with crushed plum and boysenberry aromas followed by a very lush textured palate of warm figs and currant paste backed by mouthwatering hints of mesquite, mineral and Turkish coffee. Long finish really holds your interest. Drink now through 2011.
Click photo to enlargeThe Prime Rib Roast was a fun addition to the food portion of this tasting and everyone’s side dishes-salads, potatoes, appetizers were stellar-thanks for the effort!
