Wine on the Radio - September 17, 2004

Argentina Wines                       Picks and Recommendations             

When you think of wine a few countries immediately come to mind, don't they?   France, Italy, Australia, the US . . . right?  

Well here's one to discover . . . Argentina.   It's a real sleeper in our book.   This is a vibrant, energetic and big wine producing country . . . bigger than Germany; over three times larger than Chile.  

That's a lot of wine!   But until recently most of it was consumed locally.  

Not any more.   Argentina is a comer, with more high quality varietals coming to the shelves everyday.   Their trademark wine is Malbec . . . a midnight dark red with lots of tannin and backbone and they make the majors too with Cab, Merlot, Chardonnay and wonderfully fragrant Torrontes.  

Argentine vineyards are at higher altitude and get early moisture from the melting Andes snow . . . then are baked by the hot summer sun of the Mendoza District under mostly clean, unpolluted skies of this less populated country.  

So don't cry for Argentina but cry out for a big Malbec or dense Cab from Mendoza . . . like the ones below!

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Some Wines from Argentina . . . Picks and Recommendations.  All Prices Approximate

Trapiche 2002 Estate Malbec $9
Argentina, South America
Winemaker's Notes
In temperate regions, Malbec benefits from constant sun, which ripens the tannins and gives the wine an intense color

Trapiche 2000 Oak Cask Malbec $8
Argentina, South America
Winemaker's Notes
Dark plum red; aromas of red plums and cherries with a touch of oak; fleshy and finishing with soft, ripe tannins and red fruits

Alamos 2002 Mendoza Malbec $10
Argentina, South America
Winemaker's Notes
From the vineyard to the winery, Alamos Ridge Malbec is made to emphasize varietal fruit character

Bodega Norton 2000 Malbec Reserve $15
Argentina, South America
Winemaker's Notes
Intense red color with purple hue. This wine shows complex aromas of ripe plum

2000 Catena Cabernet Sauvignon "Agrelo Vineyards" Mendoza $18
WA 90 points, A highly aromatic, blackberry-dominated wine

2001 Catena Malbec "Lunlunta Vineyards" Mendoza $20
WS 88 points, Lovely raspberry, plum and blackberry fruit, with hints of vanilla

Catena 2001 Malbec $22
Argentina, South America
Winemaker's Notes
Delicious stuff, this old vine Malbec bursts with intense, peppery fruit

2001 Susana Balbo Malbec Mendoza $12
WS 88 points, With a tasty mix of red and blackberry fruit, this medium-weight Malbec also offers chocolate and sweet spice notes