Argentina, Part 2: More Than Malbec

It's an exciting time for Argentine winemaking. Despite long shadows cast by Malbec, the country's signature red grape, wines made from other grapes drew nods of approval at a recent tasting. In Part 2, we take a look at Argentine wines from Salta's dizzying high-altitude vineyards to cool, windswept Patagonia. 

Whites

Torrontés

Considered Argentina's signature white variety, this Muscat relative is usually unblended and unoaked. Floral aromatics and a flavor profile of tropical to citrus fruits underscored by minerality make Torrontés irresistible. The grape may excel in Salta, but versions from other regions don't disappoint. Sparkling versions pop with pure delight.

Colomé 2011 Torrontés

Lovely perfume, unoaked. From Calcaquí Valley. $16*

Finca La Linda 2012 Torrontés

From Salta. Floral and delicious. $10

Maipe 2011 Torrontés

From high-elevation Cafayate in Salta. Guava goodness rings in at a slightly higher alcohol (14.5%) than other versions. $10

Just behind Torrontés in white-grape acreage, Chardonnay is finding its place among Argentine whites.

Catena Alta 2010 Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay spent 12 to 16 months in mostly new oak. Elegant, with bright pineapple and citrus flavors. $33

Postales del Fin del Mundo 2010 Chardonnay

An excellent value and only lightly oaked, this 100% varietal from Patagonia shows crisp citrus and pear flavors. $12

Urraca 2009 Chardonnay

Shows nice complexity in a more Burgundian style. Aged six months in oak. $18

Sparkling

Chakana Sparkling

From Agrelo in the higher Lujan de Cuyo district of Mendoza. All stainless, half Chardonnay, half Pinot Noir. $19

Deseado 2012

A 100% Torrontés sparkler from Patagonia. A festive wine from Familia Schroeder that sees no oak with 9.5% alcohol and a touch of sweetness. $15

Toso Brut

100% Chardonnay, a Pascual Toso sparkler from Barrancas, Maipù district of Mendoza. Price not available.

Reds

No longer confined to blends, Syrah from Argentina's cooler districts shows minerality and heft with warmer regions yielding more fruit-forward versions.

Pascual Toso Alta Reserve 2007 Syrah

Chewy, 100% Syrah from Barrancas Vineyards in Mendoza's Maipù district. $60

Find value and uncompromising flavor in Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon.

Catena 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Aged 12 to 14 months in oak, from Mendoza. Firm, with blackberry and cassis. $20

Pascual Toso 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Made from 100% Cabernet and oak-aged for 12 months. Savory notes with firm acidity. From Barrancas, in Mendoza's Maipù district. $20

Urraca 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Oak aged for 12 months; organic. $20

Other Argentine wines worth your wine dollar include Bonarda, usually made in an easy-drinking and fruity style and Pinot Noir, especially from cooler regions such as Rio Negro in the Patagonian south. 

With world-class winemakers, vast and diverse terroirs, and a strong wine culture rooted in European tradition, Argentina stands poised to enlarge its mark on the global wine scene. These wines provide a snapshot of Argentina's wine diversity, as mighty Malbec leads the charge.

* All prices estimated retail; expect retail outlet and regional variations.

Summer Reds

As thermometer-busting temperatures climb day into night, it's no exaggeration to call desert summers extreme. Adding insult to injury for red wine lovers is the thought of months in white-wine-and-rosé exile. Instead, take these tips for choosing summer reds to help keep cool at the dining table or poolside get-together.

Tame the tannins

Mmm, a beautifully charred steak with a tasty, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. While that combo is a food match made in heaven in cooler weather, it's hardly so during the Hades heat of summer.

As much as beefy proteins mute Cabernet's mouth-puckering tannins, a drying mouthfeel is downright unpleasant in parched, hot weather. Save the Nebbiolo and age-worthy Cabs for autumn. Now's the time to switch gears and seek out lower-tannin reds instead. Think Pinot Noir, Dolcetto, Barbera, Valpolicella, Loire Cabernet Franc, Beaujolais, fruitier Merlot, Syrah and many Côte-du-Rhône blends. Still miss your Cab? Try cooler-climate Australian Cabernets that offer bold and juicy fruit with tannins that are less harsh. The fun-loving group at last night's food-and-wine tasting at Cooking with Class enjoyed the Four Sisters Cabernet from Central Victoria. Its currant and blackberry fruit laced with a hint of mint was lip-smacking delish, with not a dry mouth in the house.

                                                                                   

Similarly, at last month's summer wine dinner, the popular closer from half a world away was the Val de L'Ours 2008 by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). The famed house of Bordeaux purchased an abandoned estate in the Languedoc-Rousillon region of southern France in 1999, now replanted with many of the traditional Corbières grapes. This 75% Cabernet, 25% Syrah blend is vinified in traditional Bordeaux style yet approachable now, with aromas of anise, spice and dark berries and rounder tannins on the palate. Ripe flavors of plum, currants and dark cherry ride out with a peppery kick on the finish. Try this palate pleaser with steaks, barbecue, pizza and spicy pastas.

Watch the Weight

Stay ahead of the heavy, sinking feeling that comes with oppressive heat by choosing foods – and wines – that are lighter in weight, both in terms of body and alcohol content. Medium-bodied Pinot Noir does double-duty as a favorite low-tannin choice to make it ideal for a range of lighter summer food preparations. Pinot Noir goes especially well with foods that don't take well to tannins, as in lighter meats such as pork, veal and chicken, as well as most fish.

At our summer wine tasting, we served 2009 Pinot Noir by Block Nine, a winery expressly created in response to an American market pining for Pinot. The medium-bodied Pinot by this small California producer clocks in at only 13.5% alcohol. On the nose, it is fragrant with violets, strawberries and dark cherries.  Silky on the palate, the wine sends out cherry and cola flavors layered with a touch of earthiness and sandalwood. You'll want to bring on the mushroom, savory and woodsy dishes for this one, perhaps a cherry-sauced pork or fisherman's-style grilled salmon.

The Dashwood 2009 Pinot Noir savored at last night's tasting event hails from Marlborough, New Zealand, a site better known for Sauvignon Blanc and home to more than half of the country's vineyards. The Dashwood blend of Pinot lots from two Marlborough valleys is light on its feet, with bright cherry fruit, crisp minerality and gentle tannins. It made a tasty match for Chef Andie's potato-crusted salmon with pomegranate beurre rouge and 'cousotto,' her risotto-styled couscous creation with basil and goat cheese.

So go ahead and lighten up your red wine palate this summer. You won't miss the mouth-coating heaviness of fuller-bodied wines in stifling heat while you'll still enjoy a range of seductive aromas, delectable flavor profiles and the layered complexity red wine lovers adore. And, at less than $20 a bottle for these winners, you'll stay within your summer budget as well. The school's July food-and-wine tasting falls on Friday, the 22nd. See the online calendar, make your reservations or call for event information and wine availability: 760.777.1161.

Super Bowl Wines

We have pigskin picks to vinify your Super Sunday, but first a few food facts. Just two days after Go Red For Women, the American Heart Association's campaign to raise awareness about women and heart disease comes XLV, the super-snackdown day of the year. 

1,200

Incredibly, the amount of food Americans will tackle this Super Bowl Sunday may gut-bust Thanksgiving Day, the defending pig-out champion. The average fan is set to scarf 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat from game day snacking alone – and that doesn't include any regular meals. Unless you plan to walk around a football field for three hours, no amount of fist-pumping and jump-up cheering is going to burn off those calories. Backfield in motion, baby, and bring out the tape. Or, as comedienne Elaine Boosler would say, why not just rub all that stuff right into your thighs?

Worse perhaps is that so many bowl day foods are close to awful. Can we get a holding foul here? Burgers, fried funkitude and chip-dip combos that scream out for an aspirin-nitro-statin garnish hardly seem worth the angina – or agita either, for the Italians out there. I mean, if you're gonna Hail Mary, doesn't a nice plate of lasagna or a juicy rib-eye off the grill sound more appealing than something that stinks of cilantro or singes your palate? Yuck.   

Bottom line is that many Super Bowl food flavors + wine = false start. Chili, thick dips and weighty or fried foods are hard hits for lighter reds and oaked Chardonnays. In the red zone, Cabernet tannins come across as too harsh when combined with super salty foods. Even bigger or bolder reds such as Syrah or Zinfandel can get crushed in the pileup by four-alarm barbecue sauces or hotly spiced wings. 

Unfortunately, there aren't many takers for the alt idea of super Sunday: flip on the crockpot in the morning and uncork a favorite bottle over a real meal during halftime break. No worries about delay of game or missing the halftime show – odds are it'll be as lame as ever. Bah humbug. So with a shrug to mega-snacking as the official play of the day, here are wine picks sure to score big with the gang:

Riesling

Riesling racks up huge yardage for how well it goes with a wide range of foods, especially spicy dishes, sausage, salads and smoked fish. Many Rieslings are low-alcohol too, to help keep guests safe and under-the-limit. Costco has a German Riesling now that's only 7.5%. Look for Dr L by Loosen Brothers in the tall, teal screw-cap bottle, around $10 at Dan's Wine Shop and Trader Joe's.

Box Wines

The space-saving eco-packaging by Octavin Home Wine Bar holds three liters, equal to four bottles of wine. With a convenient pour spout, these tasty, good quality wines will douse a couch-full of thirsty fans. Find them at Albertsons and Ralphs grocers, better still when they're on sale. Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc is refreshing and balanced, without too much grassiness for game day foods. Kickoff reds worth a runback are the low-tannin Monthaven Cabernet Sauvignon (find the 2007 if you can) or Big House Red, sometimes also at Costco.

Rosé

If you think real men don't drink pink, food-friendly rosé will rock your manly man's playbook. Go with New World rosés made from heartier red grapes instead of more delicate French and Provençal rosé styles. Give it a good chill and watch for conversions. Try screw-capped Tapiz Rosé of Malbec from Argentina (BevMo!), Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese from Oregon or Mulderbosch Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon from South Africa (World Market Cost Plus).

Finally, if your heart beats for healthier Super Bowl recipes, score with the roasted red pepper dip and others here, more recipes and substitution ideas here and funny but real food safety tips from Uncle Sam here.

Coming soon: Not-so-grouchy picks for a romantic Valentine's Day

Wine #5: Crios de Susana Balbo 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

After making wine around the world for nearly three decades, Crios is Argentine Susana Balbo's first project as owner and winemaker. The three handprints on the label represent Susana and her two crios, or children.

Untwist the screwcap for a deep purple pour of plummy Cabernet Sauvignon that will only get better with some air or more time in the bottle. As you swirl it around in your glass, take in its heady black fruit aromas with cassis, cigar box and a whiff of violets. Richer and fuller-bodied than our Napa Valley Cab, the Crios is savory and finishes long with a kiss of espresso and fine, sweet tannins.

                   

Argentina's success with Malbec helped catapult that country to fifth place in worldwide wine production. Like many of the country's stellar Malbecs, this Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Mendoza, Argentina's largest wine-producing region that spans an area about the size of Germany. Vineyards for this wine sit at more than 3,300 feet above sea level where grapes are said to have some of the longest hang-times on earth, that is, time allowed for grapes to stay on the vine and optimally ripen. In fact, the mouthfeel, layers, richness and balance of this wine might remind you of lusty Washington Cabernet more so than California-styled Cabs.

Higher altitudes are unfriendly to many pests, which makes it easier for Argentine winemakers to avoid herbicides. Vines planted in these loamy, well-drained soils fed by Andean snow melt produce lower grape yields that benefit from sunny days, cool air and cooler nights. Add a bit of winemaker magic, five months spent in seasoned French and American oak and the results are balanced wines with ripe and rich fruit flavors, good acidity, lower alcohol levels and smooth tannins.  Bottled unfined and unfiltered, you can give this wine a pass through your aerator or open it up ahead of serving time.  

You'd be hard pressed to find a better quality:price value in Cabernet Sauvignon from anywhere. With 25,000 cases produced, you stand a good chance of scoring this wine around town – just in time for Super Bowl too! Enjoy it with steaks, grilled or roasted meats, cumin chili dishes, black bean soup, empanadas and aged cheeses. Find it for about $11 at LA Wine Company in Palm Desert or Costco, if there's any left. 

I'd say that was an awesome tasting wouldn't you? Thanks to all and to The Girlfriend Factor for making it such a great time!

Coming this week: Super Bowl wines

Wine #4: Sean Minor 4 Bears 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

We closed out our tasting with two styles of Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley led the way with Sean Minor 4 Bears 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Established in 2005, Four Bears Winery is named for the husband-and-wife founders' four children. Despite their new run on the winemaking scene, Sean Minor is turning out some excellent juice at price points so low, you'd do well to stock up on cases of the ones you like best.

Their 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet blends 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The black-fruited beauty delivers the aromas and flavors of cassis and cedar that make Cabernet so irresistible. Unlike fruit-bomb Cabs, the medium-bodied Sean Minor delights with currants and blackberry fruit balanced by dusty earthiness, acidity and toasty oak.  There's enough grip in these tannins to suggest this wine will get even better in another year or two. 

But why wait? Enjoy this wine now with burgers, ribeyes off the grill, smoked mozzarella, roasted bitter vegetables such as radicchio or sautéed escarole. The release price was $17 but you'll find it for a few dollars less at LA Wine Company and Dan's Wine Shop in Palm Desert. If you get a chance to try the Sean Minor Pinot Noir or Chardonnay before we do, drop a comment to let us know what you think.

Last Up: Argentine Cabernet from Mendoza

Wine #3: Mulderbosch 2009 Rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon

This charming South African wine bridges our tasting from two styles of Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, the Mulderbosch 2009 rosé comes from the Coastal Region of South Africa's Stellenbosch district.

And what a pretty pour it is, all watermelon pink in the glass with aromas of wild strawberries and rose petals. The medium body floats a mouthful of fresh red fruits with a dash of nutmeg and peppery spice on the finish. Take this beauty with you to relax and recharge on the patio or serve it with salads, light fish, curry dishes, sushi or other Asian fare.

Rosé is too good to relegate to the warmer months alone. Snap open this screw-capped delight and treat yourself to a generous pour. You'll be a believer too, just as Eric Asimov wrote in this week's New York Times.

Coming next: Cabernet Closers