Before people begin sending nasty comments (ok, we’re not even sure anyone is reading), let us state that we’re well aware that Mendoza is the premier wine growing region in Argentina and we do have hopes of one day making the trek there to taste their lovely wines. Nevertheless, a recent trip to Argentina included an interesting few days in the country’s fledgling Patagonia wine region, where we found wines that were good, though not quite up to the quality of some of the more established Mendoza wineries. We did, however, meet some of the nicest people in a very friendly country, which in the grand scheme of things may be more important than the quality of the wine.
First off, a brief explanation of how we found ourselves in what some call “the end of the world” wine region (the region is the closest wine growing region to the South Pole in the entire world). Our trip to Argentina began in Buenos Aires before we flew to Patagonia to enjoy the country’s beautiful lakes region. Rather than hopping a plane back to Buenos Aires, then flying to Mendoza (Argentina is a huge country), we decided to drive to Neuquén and check out what was going on. Wine Spectator did a fine review of the region that you can find here.
We stayed at a beautiful new wine resort, Valle Perdido, where the staff couldn’t have been any friendlier, the food was first rate and wine certainly pleasant enough to drink in the mass quantities in which we were served.
We recently drank a bottle of Valle Perdido’s 2006 Malbec Reserva that we brought back and the first taste sent us right immediately to our memories of Argentina. The Malbec was rich and dark, with a smoky smell that made you want to indulge in something off the grill. Nice plummy Malbec taste, though perhaps not with the sophistication of its Mendoza brethren. But we’re here to praise, not criticize, and considering that wineries in the region began making wine in the early 2000s and basically sit in the middle of a desert, it’s certainly as good as many other reasonably-priced Malbecs out there. We discovered that one of our local wine shops, K&L in San Francisco, is selling the Valle Perdido Pinot Noir so we’re excited to continue drinking Patagonian wines and monitor their progress as they evolve.
If you ever find yourself in the Neuquén area of Patagonia, the few wineries there are worth the trip. You won’t believe that really affordable tasty wine is grown in this desert region and you also will be blown away by the winds that engulf the area some days. In addition to tasting at Valle Perdido, we visited Bodega NQN and Familia Schroeder. Our lunch at NQN was out of this world delicious and the wine selection at Familia Schroeder rivals any Sonoma winery. Don’t forget to brush up on your Spanish though, the locals speak little English.
In preparation for our trip to Argentina we drank some Malbecs and are hard-pressed to find wines that offer better value for the money. We would not hesitate to buy a $10 Malbec, and most wine stores and grocery stores (at least where we live) are littered with them. With barbecue season upon us, they are the perfect accompaniment for grilled meats. Enjoy!
Jill and David Shabelman
With the Red Wings beating up on our Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs it may be time to take a break from red and taste a little pink. Rosé that is.
Rosé’s have grown in popularity the past couple of years and they’ve become kind of trendy. But there’s a good reason. The easy-to-drink pink is very refreshing, among the most food-friendly wines out there and have become popular enough that you can find a wide variety at your local wine shop. Best of all, it’s not your mother’s White Zinfandel.
The 2008 Toulouse Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir from California’s Anderson Valley is an excellent example of everything that’s good about rosé. The first thing that lets you know you’re not drinking White Zinfandel is that it’s very dry – no sweetness here. The wine is crisp and has a lovely berry flavor, strawberry in particular.
Anderson Valley is one of the best places in California to grow Pinot Noir, which no doubt also makes for a great Rosé. The area is also famous for other varietals that thrive in cooler climates like Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. The most famous region for Rosé in the world is the Tavel region in southern France. Tavel Rosés also can be found at many wine shops.
This all leads to something we will harp on in future blog posts. For those who become intimidated by a wine list or a wine shop, you should spend some time finding wines that you enjoy and learning where they are grown. When you’re struggling with a wine decision, you’ll know what wines and regions you can fall back on. We also recommend knowing your price point. The Toulouse Rosé is $24, which hits our sweet spot of good wines for under $30.
We were lucky to get friendly pour of the Toulouse Rosé at the winery during a recent trip to Mendocino County. The tasting was in a barn and winemaker Vern Boltz was actually pouring and educating visitors about his wines when we were there. It made for a great experience. Look for a review of the Toulouse Pinot Noir in a future post.
David and Jill Shabelman
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