Argentina: The other side of the Andes

Argentina is a land of Malbec and beef. The slight tannins of the Malbec work well with the beef, and the simple flavors of the wine match the uncomplicated flavors of the unadorned meat. Of course meat is not the only food here, a rich Italian heritage has brought with it pasta, and the Spanish background is responsible for Tempranillo.

These are just many of the flavors I hope to discover as we explore Argentina for the next few months. The diverse people, culture and wine scene promise to give me a glimpse of South America that I have yet to experience.

In Chile I was able to visit many wineries and taste many more wines. The result of which is my new ebook "Exploring Chilean Wines" that is now available for sale and download. I am hoping to have the same opportunity here in Argentina, and maybe even squeeze in one more stop while I am south of the equator.

The joy of grilled meat for the Argentines has almost more to do with texture than taste, and so their wines too have been chosen for texture. The ubiquitous Malbec, which is far and away the preferred variety in this country is a wine with a great deal of texture.

In France, Malbec can be found in Bordeaux going by the name Cot where it is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and or Merlot. It is also found in the region of Cahor where the inky dark wines are legendary.

Malbec made its ways to the shores of Argentina centuries ago where it has come to produce a less intense wine than in Cahor, but one that is still notable in color and mouthfeel. At its best it has hints of leather and tobacco with layers of dark cherry fruit.

Since many of the Malbecs are offered well under $10 plenty of examples are simply red wine of little note. Even in these simple versions Malbec has proven to be worthy of distinction as it keeps these value priced wines from being either too tart or too fruity.

Tempranillo is an altogether different grape. At home in Spain it is responsible for some of the nation's top wines. Here in Argentina, it is produced less than Malbec, but from what little I have seen so far, is usually given a reserve status and decent chance to shine.

As I have entered each country I have shared my first impressions. Ultimately, I have found much more than a glance can show, and so too am I waiting to see what Argentina has to offer. There are plenty of wines, restaurants and adventures to come, and by the end of my stay I will have a better inkling of what Argentina is all about.

Chile: A Final Look

Our time in Chile has drawn to an end. These 10 weeks have been a great eye opener. I have discovered the Chile I was hoping to find. Not only are the well known value wines here, but so too are an increasing number of higher end quality wines that the world needs to know more about.

By far and away two things struck me the most about Chile. The first is the size of the vineyards and wineries, and the second is the fact that in this country they are looking forward towards the future, instead of relying on their past. The first may be changing, and the second is why.

Chile is wine production on a huge scale. We visited a single vineyard that was almost 5000 acres. And it was only half of their holdings. Compare this to the whole of Burgundy's 13,500 acres or Oregon's 13,700. And this is just one large producer. A medium sized grower here has about 1000 acres, and that is more than the whole acreage of a large California producer like Mondavi.

To combat the industrial scale of these numbers the best large producers have teams of winemakers that keep the different levels of wine separate. It is like having several wineries under one roof. That way the finest wines can still be made with the hands on attention that a small winery can afford to give.

Everywhere we went the wineries speak about how they are experimenting, and how much more they have to learn. This is a pleasant contrast to so many other regions around the world where you are more likely to hear about their traditions and how they make wine like their predecessors did. Making great wine works, no matter if you use the most modern or the most ancient techniques, but striving to improve yourself or your wine always gets my vote.

It is this predilection to forward movement that will propel more small wineries into existence. 20 years ago there were only a handful of wineries, and they were all industrial sized. Now there are closer to 200 properties and they range greatly in production. The smaller artisanal efforts are just starting to appear, and I expect to see the trend continue, and the general level of quality to continue to improve.

The hospitality we received was remarkable. Everyone that we visited went out of their way to make us comfortable and to take care of us. We made some great friends on the trip and look forward to having the chance to see them all again at some future date. While we only got to the chance to visit less than 10% of all the wineries, we got a look at a good cross section of the market.

With our thanks here, in alphabetical order, or those wineries that played host for us:

• Anakena


• Anityal


• Casa Lapostolle


• Casas del Bosque


• El Principal


• Hacienda Chada


• Huelquen


• J. Bouchon


• Perez Cruz


• Portal del Alto


• San Estaban


• San Pedro


• Ventisquero


• Vina Haras de Pirque


• Vina Tarapaca


• William Fevre

We also want to give special thanks to the two wine stores that took the time and went to great expense to hold private tastings for us. El Mundo del Vino and Wain. With their help we were able to expand our understanding of the wines of Chile beyond just the few wineries we visited.

And final thanks go to the ever hard working Andes Wines without whom we would never have had the opportunities to explore as much of the Chilean wine scene as we did. They put together the tastings, introduced us to the community and garnered a good deal of press for us. Not willing to rest on their own laurels, they have already begun to work their magic for us in Argentina as well.

I am hard at work on two books about our Chile adventures. The first tentatively titled "Exploring Chilean Wines" will be a well organized ebook with the scores of wines that I tasted on this trip. It will be the first time an American has published such an exhaustive look at these remarkable wines.

The second book, with the working title of "Visiting the Wineries of Chile" will be a guide for seeking out these wineries for yourself. It will be a lavish publication with some of the more than 3000 photos my photographer wife Janet Engelhard took in Chile.

Off now to Argentina, for even more adventures on the Wine Road Less Traveled®!

Chile: Restaurant Review - A Smattering of Eateries

Santiago, and Chile in general, is undergoing a gastronomic renaissance. New restaurants are springing up left and right, and the new flavors and experiences they bring are most welcome. Some of the restaurants are truly doing their part to raise the bar, while others are simply expensive versions of the same old thing.

Here is are few of the establishments we tried, some new, some that have been around for awhile. This is hardly a complete list of the culinary scene but it will serve as a glimpse of what the city of Santiago has to offer.

Las Condes

Just a few steps from the El Golf Metro stop there are three restaurants almost next door to each other that are all worth visiting.

The first is Adra, the dining room of the Ritz Carlton. Here chef Tomas Oliveira is bringing a flair to classic dishes of Chile. With an eye for plate design and a desire to update the foods he grew up with, Tomas is one of best of the new breed of chefs in Chile.

Across the street Dale Taylor is holding court at her Akarana Restaurant. With one of my favorite wine lists in the city, she has brought a little of her native New Zealand cuisine to Chile. Creative pizzas are served at lunch while fine selections of fresh seafood and meats can be enjoyed in the evening.

Only one more block down the street you will find the Danubio Azul (Blue Danube). This palatial restaurant is serving what may well be the best chinese food in the country. The unusual name reflects the restaurant's past. It once offered continental dining before changing directions for the Far East.

Vitacura

This trendy part of town is a must for any lover of all things gourmet. Fine shops and restaurants abound. Next trip to Santiago we plan on spending more time in this intriguing neighborhood.

Osadia Restaurant was one of the most memorable that we visited during our stay. Chic and modern with a decent, albeit terribly overpriced wine list, the food here was fabulous. The fare was on a par with some of the best restaurants we have visited around the world.

Tierra Noble was one of the most frequently recommended locations and so we approached with what may have been too great an expectation. The chef was away on vacation, but it is hard to say if his presence would have helped the over priced and almost boringly simple dishes we were served. The approach of the restaurant is to emphasize the flavors of the food without drowning it in sauces. I applaud the concept, but not the execution. Ungarnished meat that tasted as plain as it looked did nothing for us. What was priced as and advertised as Colby beef was no more tender than what we get in the local supermarkets for a fraction of the cost.

Bellavista

A mix of artists, university students and the see and be seen crowd haunt this part of Santiago. Most of the restaurants have sidewalk tables, and the flow of people only increases as the wee hours approach.

Como Agua Para Chocolate (like water for chocolate) is a great name, and the dessert was fun, but not as wonderfully chocolate as you might expect. The food was simple, and over cooked in the Chilean tradition, but at least it was well priced. A moderate establishment that has the good sense not to over reach and hits what it is aiming at.

I loved the concept of De Tapas y Copas, and I really enjoyed the decor. Alas, the wine list was uninspiring, and the food no better. The lackluster service and poor attention to detail spoke of mismanagement. Our whole party was disappointed and our Chilean guide felt it necessary to complain. Perhaps they will get their act together, because sipping wine and nibbling on many different tastes should be one of life's great pleasures. A quick look at reviews online show that our experience was shared by many others.