Wines of Argentina: Wine, empanadas and tango in NYC
“Argentina Making Wine History” was the ideal title for an evening where Wines of Argentina (WofA) showcased the rich diversity of Argentine wines to NYC influencers and sommeliers. The tasting hosted at the Argentine Consulate in New York by Veronica Kathuria, WofA’s US & Canada Area Manager, and led by sommelier Carrie Lyn Strong featured wines from Patagonia, Cuyo and the Northern wine regions.
The soiree was fantastic, not just due to the delightful wines we discovered, but also because it signified a return to “normal” for the guests as in-person events resumed in NYC.
On June 10th, we enjoyed delicious wines, indulged in tasty empanadas—the humita empanadas were my favorite—and we tangoed! During the intermission a couple of dancers did a show and taught us a few moves. “Left, right, left, and then we drink wine”, the lady said. Needless to say, we all perfectly performed the last move!
DIVERSITY OF TERROIR AND STYLES
We were greeted with a glass of Tapiz Sparkling Torrontés. This was the first time that some of the guests had sparkling wine from Argentina. I must say it was a smart move from the hosts as it gave us a glance of what was to come later.
Following remarks from the Ambassador Consul General of Argentina, Santiago Villalba, and Kathuria, the tasting began with a selection of white wines. The universe of white wines is expansive and producers in Argentina are embracing not just traditional white grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the popular Torrontés, but they’re also making wines of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Sémillon.
White wines we tasted were:
- Tapiz Sparkling Torrontés (Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo).
- Wapisa Sauvignon Blanc (Rio Negro, Patagonia).
- Versacrum Geisha de Jade blend (50% Roussanne and 50% Marsanne. Los Chacayes, Uco Valley).
- Susana Balbo Signature Brioso white blend (40% Sémillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Torrontés. Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley).
Regarding red wines, I was pleasantly surprised by the selection of Criolla Grande Pet-Nat and this was equally appreciated by the other guests. This served to highlight the diversity of Argentine wines beyond bold Malbec. The rest of the reds were in line with this statement. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon were also part of this flight. The wines selected for this tasting demonstrates how the terroir influences the flavor profile of wines.
In addition, we had the opportunity to taste organic wines and learn about sustainable techniques employed in their production.
In this selection, there were bold structured reds but also very expressive and medium-bodied wines. As Carrie said, “This is not your average purple juice”.
Red wines we tasted:
- Alpamanta Breva Pet Nat Criollla (Ugarteche, Luján de Cuyo).
- Durigutti Family Proyecto Las Compuertas Malbec 5 Suelos (Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo).
- Escorihuela 1884 Single Vineyard Organic Grapes Malbec (Pampa El Cepillo, Uco Valley).
- Colome Autentico Malbec (Valles Calchaquíes, Salta).
- Terraza de los Andes Grand Malbec (Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo).
- Casarena Lauren’s Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc (Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo).
- Viña Cobos Bramare Cabernet Sauvignon (Luján de Cuyo).
- Doña Paula Selección de Bodega Malbec (Gualtallary, Uco Valley).
- Matervini Antes Andes Malbec (Valles Calchaquíes, Salta).
I would like to thank Veronica and the WofA team for inviting me to this event. It was a pleasure to listen to her and Carrie talk about the rebirth of Argentina’s wine industry. Their words confirm the mission of this blog.
Photos provided by Wines of Argentina.
