Cowboys, Desert and Wine? It’s Mendoza time!

Day One (February 8, 2009) & Day Two (February 9, 2009)

If there was such a thing as a time machine in winemaking, so many of us Napa lovers would travel back about 30 years and visit Napa Valley before the enormous tour groups took hold and wine tourism became big business for that region.

Short of a time machine, what one can do – and what I got to do this past week, thanks to one of our favorite wine importer’s invitation – was get a glimpse of that past by traveling to Mendoza, Argentina. In so many ways, it feels like the Wild West come alive again with stagecoaches and outhouses.

From the minute my plane touched down in Buenos Aires, I could sense that Argentina was nothing like I expected. Here in the “big city,” I didn’t yet get that frontier feel, but what surprised me was how remarkably European the city was. It was as if my plane had taken a wrong turn over the Atlantic Ocean, and I had somehow ended up in some hybrid of Paris, Rome and Madrid. The cafes, the lush parks and green space intertwined so carefully with city life, and the obvious interest in pleasing the palate felt so entirely European and, in my case, very unexpected.

But it was only 24 hours later that I got to see Argentina’s wine country as we quickly transferred to Mendoza and started visiting winemakers whose wines have become real favorites of ours at Hinsdale Cellars.

Arriving in Mendoza is an experience for the senses. Among 11 in our traveling party with names like El Falcon, El Tigre and Sugs, I really felt like I was in an unspoiled, yet-to-be-discovered part of the world, and the Argentine cowboys known as gauchos, only heightened this feeling.

Mendoza is probably considered the driest wine-growing region in the world. And to look at it, you might think I’m crazy to compare it to Napa Valley. No hillsides of grapevines. Instead, you find the driest, desert-like terrain. But, it is this very special terrain, indeed, that is able to produce beautifully small grapes, with very concentrated flavor, and make those gorgeous Malbecs and Cabernets that the world is really just beginning to appreciate. And as the vines mature, we know these wines are only going to get better.

Mendel Winery

Our first stop made the perfect tour beginning: Mendel Wines, a good, albeit modest, Mendoza winery. Roberto de la Moto, whose father was also a winemaker, answered our many questions, including, “Why isn’t Merlot popular in Argentina?” And for an area as arid as Mendoza, we learned that this grape suffers in the heat here, and that the stress results in lost aroma. Instead, they have followed the Bordeaux example that has worked since the 19^th century: Cabernet and Malbec. In 1855, Malbec journeyed from France to Argentina to start a new history in the New World. While folks rave about the Malbecs of Argentina these days, Roberto said his money is on the Cabs. He believes they will become more popular in Argentina over time. And, judging from the wines we tasted there, it makes sense. His vineyards have an 80-year history, so his family has seen the good just get better.

Mapema Winery

After an evening touring and tasting wines at Mendel, the obvious thing to do next was go to another winery for more wine tasting and a good old fashioned Argentine barbecue on the parrilla or grill. These days, most folks know that Argentina is all about its beef—all kinds of cuts. And even, in Buenos Aires, the city folks have many parrilla restaurants that serve up flavorful, range-fed beef, sausages and sweetbreads, all accompanied with the ubiquitous chimichurri sauce made of parsley, garlic, olive oil, and more garlic. It’s food that matches beautifully to the huge red wines that have so much depth there.

Here at Mapema, Mariana again showcased their wines to our groups. Typical of the people I met on this trip, these winemakers are producing world-class wines because they have experience that transcends even their family’s time in Argentina, in many cases. Italian immigrants and other European immigrants have helped this wine region evolve—it’s quite clear and the wines show this influence. There’s an eagerness here to share and be discovered, and honestly, it’s very refreshing.

So, as we finished our dinner, tastings and tour, I think many of us were beginning to assimilate with our surroundings. The zest for life and love. The feeling of being out on a frontier. Yes, like good Argentine frontiersman, we then went off into the summer sunset to drink beer at a local saloon until the wee hours of the morning.

–Sean Chaudhry