Bernadette Fideli
Over the past decade Argentina has evolved from a country not well known on the global wine scene to the New World’s fastest growing exporter of wines. Credit this achievement to the massive immigration of the late 19th Century. Between 1880 and 1890 nearly one million immigrants came from Europe to live in Argentina. Most were from Italy and Spain, bringing with them the knowledge and experience of viniculture.
Eileen Whittaker and Jim Fox invited the Wine Stewards to explore the wines and foods of Argentina. The wines presented came from the Mendoza region of Argentina. Nearly 80% of the nation’s wine production is centered in this region. Santa Ana’s Sauvignon Blanc opened the evening’s tasting. Santa Ana is one of Argentina’s oldest and best known wineries, founded in 1891 by an Italian immigrant. It is a fresh, crisp wine with tropical notes and herb nuances, a perfect choice for appetizers. Torrontés is Argentina’s signature white grape. Phebus Torrontés offers delicate aromas of white peach, citrus and jasmine. The wine is fresh and elegant and is great with spicy dishes, Thai food and seafood. Unánime Gran Vino Tinto Red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cab Franc. It is a highly rated wine that is deep and lush with appealing aromas of blackberry and toast and well-balanced flavors of blueberry, black plum and chocolate. The evening would not be complete without a bottle of Malbec, the leading grape in Argentina in terms of reputation and quantity. Alamos Malbec is an authentic Argentine wine that blends the deeply concentrated plum flavors of Malbec with small portions of Syran and Bonarda to add dark cherry and blackberry flavors along with brown spice and vanilla. The Wine Stewards are discovering that wine and food afford a wonderful way to study geography. Learning can be such fun.