Last
month, the Consejo Federal de Inversiones (CFI), a federal trade organization
from Argentina whose main purpose is to promote the development of the provinces and regions of its country, hosted 12 wineries, or “bodegas” in a wine tasting event that
took place at the beautiful St. Regis Hotel in Bal Harbour. The focus of the tasting was
to introduce distributors and importers to the wide variety of wines produced in
Argentina, assisting the boutique and medium-sized cellars, and further expanding
their market in the United States.
I
had a chance to speak with Dario Ciscar, consultant for the CFI, and talk a bit
about wine and the influence Argentina is having in the global market. “Although
Argentina is known to be part of the “New World” wines because we are outside
the traditional wine-growing areas of Europe, we have been producing the grapes
for centuries,” said Ciscar. “Currently, we are the fifth largest wine producer
in the world.” We also talked about the uniqueness of each wine- producing region in
Argentina, and the exceptional quality of the grapes due in part to the low
relative humidity and scarce rainfall. While a higher percentage of production
corresponds to red grapes, there is significant cultivation of white as well.
Ciscar recommended I try Torrontes, a white wine known for its subtle citrus flavor
and lingering finish; primarily produced in the Riojana region. Making mental
note of that expert suggestion, I headed over to the tables as soon as we
finished our chat.
While
I didn’t taste a wine I didn’t like, there were some that really stood out for
me. One of my favorites was the Malbec from
Apogeo A16. It was one of the deepest and most intense I sampled all evening.
Exhibiting a brilliant color, it had sweet and juicy tannins with an elegant
finish. There’s a wine I would love to pair with my churrasco.
Another
I thoroughly enjoyed was the Santa Florentina Torrontes, from La Riojana Coop. This was the first time I had tasted this
white wine from Argentina. Medium bodied, and notably aromatic of melons and
peaches, it had a crisp, refreshing finish. I can see this as a perfect
companion to a light appetizer or a nice seafood dish.
Other
wineries participating in the tasting were Bodega del Desierto, Carelli, Don Cristobal, Gouguenheim Winery, La Guarda, Mauricio Lorca, Munoz de Toro Wines,
Rewen Estate, San Huberto and Valcosta Estate.
Between
the sampling of wines, light bites (loved the ceviches) were served and a live
band played a few songs. The next day, the wineries headed off to London,
to participate in the London International Wine Fair; one of the most important
trade shows in the world for the wine industry. For more information on these
fine Argentinian wines, visit Consejo Federal de Inversiones.
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