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| Reds From Below the Equator by Doc Lawrence Here’s a challenging wine quiz for March. At all times, think in the color red. The country where it is produced is in South America. Its culture has a distinct Italian influence. Instead of cowboys, they have Gauchos. And, the world’s most sensual dance, the Tango, was conceived here and thrives at this very moment. With all these hints on your table, Argentina was perhaps too easy. But, this is about wine enjoyment and not the drudgery of a geography exam. (All of us have had those unfortunate encounters with a moronic wine know-it-all whose sole mission is to talk down to everyone, accomplishing only near-terminal boredom while really succeeding in making a fool out of himself. Why are they almost without exception men?) Now, lets move on to the real fun part: new red wines that are indisputably delicious and very affordable. I believe I just got your attention. Argentina produces some of the finest red wines today. A few years ago, you couldn’t find a bottle in Atlanta, a fact related to consumer demand (we never heard of them before), and the still dominant force of the wine distributors and some retailers and restaurants who market, stock and sell only so-called “popular brands” (translated, that means the lower end axis of Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon sold several times their worth to maximize profits at the expense of your wallet. But, we get smarter and more discerning as we learn more about wine, and by creating the demand for more variety and fairer prices, lo and behold, some lovely choices from this interesting country are here waiting to be purchased, consumed and enjoyed. Malbec is the predominant red grape variety planted in Argentina. Mendoza, a name you will most often find on the label of Malbec, has become the center for world-class Malbec production. Malbec is known in France as one of the wines blended into some of the great and noble wines of Bordeaux, but in Mendoza, it has a character and reputation all to itself. In Mendoza, the soils and climate bring forth an expression of varietal fruit found nowhere else. It is a thin-skinned grape that creates a wine full of fruity components, with soft and sweet tannins. With low acids, well-ripened Malbec is reminiscent of blueberries with hints of currants and the subtle spiciness of white pepper. Because Malbec is Mendoza’s signature varietal, it has earned impressive, almost universal critical praise for having a ripe nose of something between blackberry and black cherry. Its lushness and layered exotic fruit-like combinations make it immediately enjoyable with grilled beef or lamb, or any pasta served with a hearty tomato sauce. Note that most Malbec is ready to drink now. It’s the nature of the grape and the quality production that keeps this wine forever young. Syrah, the ancient grape of Persia that was the wine of choice for Moses and King David, and is the backbone of the very popular Rhone-style wines appearing in better restaurants daily, is flourishing in Argentina. After sampling a few bottles recently, I made some inquiries about why Argentina and Syrah were doing so well together. The answer should have been obvious. Its what makes all wine either ordinary or exceptional: climate, soil and care. Argentina provides a grape-friendly abundance of all three, hence some rather spectacular Syrah. These Syrahs are uniformly medium-bodied, featuring ripe raspberry and black pepper flavors, with a smooth, lingering finish. Try a bottle with casual foods such as hamburgers, barbeque, sausages or even pizza. For a special taste surprise, Syrah can be slightly chilled. Malbec and Syrah from Argentina aren’t too difficult to locate. A good wine retailer will have it or can get it if you ask. What to look for, however, is more esoteric. My own experience brought me to the wines of Bodegas Balbi, one of Argentina’s most acclaimed producers whose reputation for the highest standards in wine making covers the planet. In particular, I recommend the 1999 Syrah and the remarkable 1998 Malbec. The meat is cooking slowly and something tells me I should sneak a glass of Malbec before dinner. There are some hors d’oeruves, tomato-garlic crostini, and it pairs perfectly. Now, all I have to do is make sure I have a spare bottle because this wine is going to be popular. I wonder if Malbec was one of Eva Peron’s favorites? EDITOR’S NOTE: Doc Lawrence’s enjoys the feedback and questions from our readers. You may contact Doc at doclawrence@mindspring.com. |
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