Wine Tasting in Palermo

The world’s fifth largest wine producer, Argentina is now firmly established as South America’s leader on the international wine scene.

But despite Argentina’s high profile on the global wine market, Buenos Aires has a dearth of quality wine tastings available in English. This is where the American-owned Anuva Wines comes to the rescue for those in search of unique world-class wines at reasonable prices.

* EDITOR’S NOTE: ANUVA WINE IS NOW CLOSED, PLEASE CHECK OUT OTHER PREMIUM WINE TASTINGS ON OUR TOUR PAGE

⇒ You can also book The Malbec Trail of Palermo wine tour or the Buenos Aires Wine and Food Experience online. You pay the same price when using these links, while helping us provide free Argentina travel information. ¡Thanks!

Argentine Wine & Women

Anuva’s founder is wine pioneer, Daniel Karlin, who came to Buenos Aires in 2004 from his native Oregon. Like a story straight out of an Argentine telenovela (soap opera) within 36 hours Karlin met his future wife, and decided to stay in the country renown for its wine and beautiful women.

Karlin and his staff have scoured the hills of Mendoza and other wine producing regions of the north to discover the country’s best boutique wines, many of which are only available in Argentina.

Wine Tastings in Buenos Aires

Anuva’s tastings are intimate sit-down affairs held weekly in the Palermo neighborhood. These low-key gatherings allow visitors to try five diverse boutique wine varieties. Each selected wine is carefully paired with an hors d’oeuvre, or tapa, as they are called in Argentina.

The accompaniments help to bring out the unique qualities of each wine and get any hobby chef’s mind racing for special dinner party ideas.

The tastings start off with a white wine. Featured first is usually an espumante, or sparkling variety such as the crisp, lemony Hom. This extra brut blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, referred to as their ‘crowd pleaser’ is Anuva’s number one seller.

The second wine will inevitably be a Torrontés, made from the native grape of the same name. After trying a clean, aromatic Torrontés, those who usually reach for the Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay may become avowed converts to Argentina’s signature white.

While only making up about 20% of the white wine sold in Argentina, in recent years Torrontés grapes planted in the dry high altitude Calchaquíes region are resulting in superior Torrontés, such as the 2010 Coiron featured by Anuva.

Malbec and Beyond

The final three wines at the Anuva tastings focus on the wine that Argentina is famed for – its vino tinto or red.

Undoubtedly a superior Malbec makes an appearance, but the reds featured go way beyond Argentina’s most popular wine.

One lesser-known variety, is the robust and slightly fruity Bonarda, better known to Californian wine drinkers as Charbono.

Anuva is currently featuring the 2005 Mairena Bonarda an exceptional, complex wine that received a 90 point out of 100 rating by international wine expert, Robert Parker.

Delicate blended varieties also make their debut. One outstanding example highlighted is the 2009 Caluna Blend, containing 48% Malbec, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot. This particular wine of which a mere 7,200 bottles were produced, was aged for 14 months in oak barrels. It’s only available for purchase through Anuva and is flying of the shelves.

Book a Tasting in Buenos Aires

Anuva tastings are appropriate for experienced vino aficionados and those who are just learning their wine ABC’s – that’s ‘Anything but Chardonnay.’ They are also an excellent primer for those planning to head to Northern Argentina to explore the bodegas in Mendoza.

The Anuva hosts are happy to give neophytes wine tasting tips, discuss the basics of Argentine wine production and throw out interesting anecdotes for more experienced connoisseurs.

Tasters can purchase bottles of the featured wines, ranging from a modest US$20-$40, on site.

To book a tasting, get in touch through our contact form.

Porteño Corner: Alberto Baiz , Owner of Rincón de Quesos

Alberto Baiz
Owner, Rincón de Quesos
Age: 49
San Telmo

• When and why did you open a wine and cheese store here?

We opened it 2005 after doing an investigation into what type of businesses the area was lacking. There wasn’t a winery in this neighborhood so we decided to open one that would also feature specialty products from the provinces.

• What’s your most popular wine?

The Alma Negra line is our most popular. It’s a wine put out by Ernest Zapata. There are three varieties. The only thing the label displays is the color of the wine – the type of wine is not revealed— it’s a mystery, that’s the gimmick. We’ve tasted it here. It is nice. We think the red is about 70% Malbec because of its body and flavor, it also is quite a brilliant red which means it has to have a lot of Malbec.

• Argentina is celebrated for its red wine, can you tell me a bit about the market for white wine?

Here the market is 80% red wine and only about 20% white wine— if that. There’s not a big market for white because in Argentina we don’t consume a lot of fish – and that’s traditionally the food that is accompanied by white wine. You can eat fish with a red wine but it has to be prepared very well.

The two classes of white that dominant the market here are Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as well as Torrontés. Lately sushi is the food that is most often accompanied by a white wine. Sometimes people will chose a rosé as well, which isn’t as acidic as some young white wines. You can’t have a very acidic food with a very sweet wine.

People think of rosé as being sweet, but doesn’t necessarily have to be, particularly those that are a blend of Malbec and Chardonnay. A rosé that is a blend of Malbec and Cabernet will be fuller bodied though because Cabernet is a stronger wine.

• Among all the specialty foods in your shop, what sells the most?

We sell cheese more than anything else. We sell to a few French restaurants and catering companies who offer cheese platters with six or seven varieties of cheese. The interesting thing is in Argentina we eat cheese as an appetizer but the French eat cheeses such a Camembert or Brie after dinner, as a dessert or, more specifically, as a prelude to the actual dessert.

• Are most of the cheeses you sell national or imported?

We carry a few imported cheeses from France but now there are big problems with importation, so we mostly utilize Argentine cheeses.

The government makes it difficult to import some products such as cheese because they would prefer people to be purchasing national products. Also there is a requirement that all cheeses have to pasteurized but many of the French cheeses aren’t pasteurized, so we can’t import them at all.

Argentine cheeses are much smoother— we don’t have those very pungent cheeses — really there is no comparison because those types of cheeses don’t exist here.

• With all this wonderful food in the store how do you avoid eating everything in sight?

You can come over here and eat free for a week and very shortly you will get your fill! After a while even the smell of all the meats and cheeses is off-putting.

These day we tend to eat fresh food, like a lot of salads and occasionally beef — basically things that have nothing to do with cheese and cold cuts.

On the weekends we do take some products home to prepare a meat and cheese platter. If we go to a friend’s house they always want to try the new foods we have and it’s pretty much expected that we’ll have the goods, so that’s mostly when we taste the products.

• What do you like to do as a family?

The only day that we all have together as a family is Sunday so we go walking around or to the club or go to see friends that have activities. We’re here at the store so much that we like to get out and about on Sundays.

• Have you thought about hiring another employee?

Yes, we have in the past but right now there is less work so we decided run everything ourselves for now instead of hiring another employee. That way we can reinvest the money in the business. Our daughter sometimes comes to help on Saturdays as well.

November and December are big months for us though so we may hire some one at that time.

• You and your wife work together everyday. Not every couple is able to do that what’s the trick?

You need to know how to adapt and accept differences. Before opening the store we both worked in multinational corporations for twenty years so we know how to handle certain pressure and take pleasure in having our own business.

We just try to respect each other and be calm. You have to be flexible and be open to suggestions of your partner. When one of us gets a little crazy we straighten up pretty quick. Really we have so much work that we don’t have time to fight!

It is true that sometimes I like to do things one way and Virginia likes to do things another way. In the end we usually arrive at the same conclusion, but we get there by different roads.

• What are the rules on taking wine on the plane or shipping it home?

It depends on the place. For the U.S. you can usually take four bottles, and to some areas you can take six –- it’s restricted in California due to the competition with the wine market there.

We find that if a customer is flying first class they are generally able to carry more.

We ship our wines using DHL, sometimes there are taxes on the other end — it depends on the number of bottles and where we are shipping. Generally, we handle it on a case-by-case basis.

• What’s your favorite restaurant in San Telmo?

Well if you had asked us twenty years ago, we always went to Des Nivel. It was great back then. There were plastic tablecloths and all the plates were mismatched and everyone was friends with one another. A lot of people went there three or four times a week. It was really a typical neighborhood cantina.

We don’t eat too much meat now but if we want to have a nice dinner we go to La Brigada.

• Anything else you’d like to add?

We like to think of this as a warm, welcoming place where people can come by and visit. Once or twice a month we invite neighbors to a wine tasting.

Anyone who comes by can get our email list to get updates about tastings.

0800 Vino—Wine Delivery & Storage

One great thing about Argentina is you can get virtually anything delivered to your home — including wine.

The company 0800-VINO provides a free wine home delivery service for purchases over AR$150 within most of Capital Federal, and by prior arrangement to Greater Buenos Aires and other provinces. For smaller deliveries, a AR$20 surcharge applies. Outside of regular delivery times, orders can be placed online or by calling the sommelier’s cell number, and deliveries arranged accordingly.

The 0800 wine cellar is generally closed to the public, except for tasting events, although purchases can be made there by prior arrangement. Serious connoisseurs can even hire space in the cellar to store premium wine. Film director and part-time resident of Buenos Aires, Francis Ford Coppola counts on owner, Nigel Tollerman as his personal sommelier in Argentina and also uses the cellar to store his local collection.

So how do Argentine wines rate on an international scale, and which ones should we buy?

“The Malbec is leading the way amongst the reds and the Torrontés as a distinctive, fresh, aromatic, and economically-priced white. Malbec is developing a deserved reputation as a concentrated, full-bodied wine with complex dark spicy fruit, interesting aging potential and ability to adapt to the diverse local terrains, and an excellent price-quality relation on the international market, particularly in the USA,” says Tollerman.

“The quality at the top-end continues to increase and compete with the best of the New World, and greater consistency is now being achieved across all price points. Apart from Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon (most notably from Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza), Bonarda and Pinot Noir (from Río Negro, Patagonia) are also gaining in prestige and market share,” he says.

And if you’re looking for a great bottle of wine for under AR$50, Tollerman says there are plenty of options.

“Personally I would go with the Amalaya from Colomé, the Hess Collection winery located in Salta Province, along with the adjacent Tacuil winery— it is the world´s highest, and is a pioneer in high-altitude biodynamic winemaking,” he says. “It´s a distinctive and complex blend of principally Malbec, plus some Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tannat.”

“Otherwise I might plump for one of the fruit-forward entry-level Malbecs or Bonardas made by Hector Durigutti — a real up-and-coming force in Argentine winemaking.”

–by Dan Colasimone

0800-VINO
Anchorena 695, (corner of Tucumán)
Abasto
Phone (Office): 4966 2500
Cell: 155 771 0259

• Credit Cards Accepted
• Regular Delivery times:

Monday : 10am to 1pm ; 4 to 6pm
Tuesday : 10am to 1pm ; 6 to 8pm
Wednesdays : 10am to 1pm ; 6 to 8pm
Thursday : 10am to 1pm ; 6 to 8pm
Friday : 10am to 1pm ; 6 to 8pm
Saturday : 10am to 1pm ; 7 to 8pm

Mendoza — Beautiful Wine City at the Foot of the Andes

Mendoza, with its tree-lined streets, plentiful plazas, and prime location at the foot of the Andes is one of the world’s most beautiful wine cities, ideal for casual strolling through the streets.

Early immigrants from Europe realized the potential for viniculture when they saw that not only was the area blessed with abundant sunlight all year round, it also had a ready-made canal system, courtesy of the Huarpe natives, which brought water from the Andes mountains. The area proved ideal for the cultivation of wine grapes, especially the previously under-appreciated Malbec grape.

The effective water-distributing canals are also the reason for the healthy verdure of the trees lining the downtown streets, as well as the fact that it is illegal to cut down or even trim one of the city’s characteristic trees without permission from the local council. That particular law is great for the aesthetics of Mendoza, but not always favorable to its residents – it’s not uncommon to see a huge tree smack in the middle of someone’s driveway, or slowly strangling some poor telephone wires into a crackly death.

It’s also surprising that more people don’t break their ankles by tumbling into the grate-less streams running alongside every street, which are especially hard to notice after a few glasses of the local product.

Such a clean, organized and well thought-out city seems like a far-fetched idea for anyone who knows the lovable, but shambolic Argentines well. The contrast between Mendoza and sprawling, chaotic Buenos Aires is striking. This can partly be put down to sheer size difference between the two cities, and perhaps the typically slower pace of provincial life.

Tragedy has also played a part in shaping the Mendoza of today, as a massive earthquake in 1861 almost totally leveled the city, and wiped out an estimated 80% of the population. From the rubble, the city was rebuilt along a carefully laid out plan that included low buildings, wide streets and dozens of open plazas, which would act as sanctuaries in case of future earthquakes in the volatile region.

Visiting the Vineyards

Conveniently for tourists, the main wine producing districts are all located within 40km of Mendoza city center, so it’s easy to visit a handful of vineyards in a single afternoon. Hiring a car is a popular option, but those who haven’t can either visit the vineyards as part of a tour group (easily booked through most hotels), or by hiring a personal driver for the day for a fixed rate.

The latter option is surprisingly inexpensive, and allows a great deal of freedom to roam. The drivers are used to escorting tourists around, and they’re locals, so their inside knowledge can be really valuable. The best strategy here is to mix it up — visit a couple of the big name wine producers, and also some smaller, boutique bodegas (wineries).

One of the biggest names in Argentine wine is Rutini, and their lovely La Rural Bodega (Montecaseros 2625 – Maipu) is well worth a look. Tours start with a visit to their very own wine museum, which offers an insightful journey through the history of wine production in Argentina, from the early days of pressing the grapes by foot in large leather troughs, right through to the modern methods involving the grape passing through a series of impressive looking machines, each the size of a room, before the juice is fermented in massive temperature controlled vats. The tour guides are slick and well informed, and at the end of the tour they will talk you through a tasting of some of Rutini’s famous wines.

There are other similarly extensive tours in the likes of La Guarda (Abraham Tapia 1380 – San Juan), and Terrazas de los Andes (Thames y Cochabamba – Lujan de Cuyo – book in advance) with their vast vineyards and sophisticated production facilities, show visitors how traditional methods have been combined with modern technology to produce the quality wines, in vast quantities, that end up on our dinner tables.

Small Bodegas around Mendoza

One of the real pleasures of visiting a wine region like Mendoza, however, is discovering for yourself your own little gems of winemakers. One such gem is Carinae (Videla Aranda 2899 – Maipu), owned by French couple Brigitte and Philippe Subra, who fell so in love with the region and its wine culture, that they decided to become a part of it, enlisting the help of world renowned French Enologist Michel Rollan to produce a multi-award winning range of wines. Phillippe’s other love, astronomy, works as a theme all through the bodega, from the names of constellations which appear throughout, to the starry design of the labels on the bottles.

Bodega Cecchin (Saez 626 – Maipu) is a maker of organic wines and olive oils of excellent quality. Tours have that personal touch, and the wines you can taste and buy here can’t be found in stores.

Similarly intimate is the vineyard Cavas de Don Arturo (F. Villanueva 2233 – Maipu), a family-run vineyard whose staff is knowledgeable and passionate about their product. You can also find limited edition wines, which are designed by Don Arturo himself and produced especially for family occasions such as weddings and birthdays, and are available to buy only at the estate.

These are just a few examples of what can be found amongst the 682 wineries of Mendoza. Once you are there you can go ahead and discover some of your own. It’s worth noting that harvest time for the grapes is between February and April each year, and culminates with the Vendimia Festival – a huge celebration of the grape harvest and a perfect time to visit.

Other Activities in Mendoza

La Puente de las Incas outside of Mendoza city, Argentina — La Puente de las Incas

There are plenty of other things to do in and around Mendoza apart from tasting wine all day, although you could be forgiven if that’s all you did.

Apart from vineyards, the region is also prosperous in fruit growing and oliviculture. Many wine tours will also include a stop at one of the numerous olive groves, where you will be able to see how olive oil is pressed, and sample some delicious varieties on crusty bread.

For the more adventurous, there are plenty of outdoor activities such as kayaking, horse riding and trekking, as well as some very good trout fishing.

A typical city tour, which takes half a day, will include pretty plazas, historical ruins left by the great earthquake, a drive around the General San Martin Park with its elaborate gates and Romanesque fountains, and a trip up nearby Cerro de la Gloria (Hill of Glory), which has a view of the picturesque city and its surrounding vineyards.

At the peak is quite simply the coolest monument you will ever see, depicting San Martin, ‘Liberator of the Americas’, astride his horse with arms crossed in all-conquering confidence, flanked by a horde of hellacious warriors, above whom rises Liberty, in the very moment in which she is shattering the chains of oppression. It’s as subtle as a train wreck, and spectacular. General San Martin is a constant presence in these parts – his name is on everything – as this is the place where he crossed the Andes in 1817 to liberate (or invade, depending on who you talk to) Chile.

Being so close to the Andes, a must while in Mendoza is taking a drive up through the three levels of mountain ranges, each greater than the last.

The long and winding road up Mount Villavicencio, famous in Argentina for being a source of bottled spring water, culminates in some spectacular views from the top. Deeper into the ranges is Las Penitentes, one of the most popular of numerous ski resorts in the zone.

Just before the highest peaks, and the border with Chile, is an attraction known as La Puente de las Incas, a colorful natural bridge formed by limestone that is rooted in native Huarpe legend, and renowned for the healing qualities of the hot springs found there. Looming over everything is Aconcagua, the Andes’ highest peak, and the tallest mountain in the world outside the Himalayas.

Mendoza offers so much variety that it’s an ideal destination for young and old travelers; couples or families; adventure seekers or those just wanting a relaxing time drinking wine and wandering around.

You’ll need at least three or four days to see the basics, and could spend much longer time here without running out of things to do.

For anyone planning to visit more of Argentina than just Buenos Aires, sunny Mendoza is a worthy destination.

—by Dan Colasimone

→Read our guide to accommodation in Mendoza here

→ See all hotels in Mendoza

→ Read Meandering Mendoza: A Walking Tour

Malbec: Argentina’s Signature Wine

Some say you haven’t been to Argentina unless you’ve enjoyed a glass of Malbec with a big juicy steak. The ubiquitous Argentine nectar made from the Malbec grape had been around in France for centuries without gaining any real popularity on its own. Although utilized somewhat in the southwest of the country under many different names and often as a blending variety, the name Malbec has never become synonymous with great French wines. In fact, it was rather looked down on in France, and considered to have quite a bad smell.

According to one story, this is where the name Malbec comes from — the term is a rough interpretation of the French word for ‘bad beak,’ or ‘bad nose.’ The problem turned out not to be the grape, however, but the climate in the French wine country. This important fact was discovered in 1868 by Frenchman, Professor Pouet, who brought with him to Argentina a variety of vine cuts to try out on the American continent.

This New World pioneer, and the other French, Italian and Spanish immigrants who followed him, found that the dry, gray earth of the Mendoza plains which crept up the western base of the Andes mountain range was the perfect environment for the Malbec grape to thrive. Not only was the area blessed with abundant sunlight all year round, it had its own natural water supply – provided by the Andes themselves. As spring settled over the white clad peaks, the melting snow flowed in rivers down to the Uco Valley below; a natural irrigation system which was first harnessed centuries ago by the native Huarpes to water their crops.

The Spanish then took this idea and improved on it, ingeniously installing a series of gates which were opened and closed at specific times during the day to control the flow of the river to the city and its surrounding farmlands through the canals. This system, which is still used to this day, ensures a fair and even distribution of water to every vineyard in the district.

The most popular wine in Argentina is rich and intense, generally dark ruby red in color, and is the perfect partner for a big, juicy steak – the staple diet in Argentina. The aromas often include fresh fruits such as red or blackberries and plum, as well as earthier scents. Tastes are usually bold and spicy, with velvety smooth tannins. Plums and other dark fruits usually make an appearance and hints of coffee and chocolate are not uncommon.

Mendoza Vineyard — A Mendoza vineyard with the Andes mountains in the background

Malbec is a fresh, potent wine when young, but older Malbecs, especially when aged in French or American Oak, can also be subtle and fragrant. Aside from red meats, it’s a variety that also complements pastas, gamey birds, and anything barbecued. In blended wines, Malbec is frequently combined with other popular Argentinean varieties, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Bonarda.

To learn more about Argentine wine while in Buenos Aires, check out local wine tastings while visiting Mendoza or head to a professional tasting in Buenos Aires.

⇒ Book the Malbec Trail of Palermo Tour online now

Malbecs to try:

• 2015 Finca La Malena Malbec 750mL

• 2015 Canoe Ridge “The Expedition” Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, 750mL

• 2008 Zorzal Malbec, Mendoza 750 mL

—by Dan Colasimone;/ Cover photo: Ian L.