Mendoza recommendations?
- Thread starter Asher
- Start date
Saina Nieminen
Saina Nieminen
I have had one interesting wine from Mendoza: Bodega Nofal's Alonso from 2003. It tasted like "natural" wine to me. The rest of Nofal's range wasn't so memorable though they didn't seem spoofed up to me.
Eden Mylunsch
Eden Mylunsch
You might check out Carmelo Patti's joint, right there in Mendoza City. He's pretty old school, to the point of being one of the fathers of oxidative winemaking practices, way before anyone was talking about aging in amphorae.
There aren't a lot of wines that don't show vestiges of the winemaking, but it's not as bad as it was even five years ago. Lots of modern approaches are apparent, but cut them some slack; it's only recently that they've had any capital to work with, plus there's only recently been any sort of tradition where the winemakers would work (or go to school) in places other than Mendoza. If this is your first trip to Mendoza, spend a day in Maip (you can rent bikes from Bikes & Wine and get some exercise) and visit the winemaking museum at Bodegas la Rural (http://tinyurl.com/yles525), have lunch at Almacen del Sur (http://www.almacendelsur.com/) (sit inside and do the full fancy lunch, not the biker's lunch), and just stop at any winery along the road that looks interesting (Zuccardi is worthwhile, despite its enormity).
Better yet, spend a couple of days south of Mendoza. Lots things to experience. Chacras del Corio is a cool suburb to spend time in (at least a couple of degrees cooler than the city), with a great art gallery (Mucha Museum), restaurants and a shop called Ayllu which is where you'll want to buy any souvenirs you'd want to take home from the trip. Alta Vista (http://www.altavistawines.com/) is French-owned and they're doing a really good job of balancing French attitude with what works in Argentina. Vistalba (http://www.carlospulentawines.com/) is nearby too, and you owe it to yourself to go to the restaurant at the Vistalba winery called La Bourgogne. Impressive food from some guys who really know how to cook (and source ingredients).
There is no lack of wineries in Tupungato...Salentein, Andeluna, Clos de la Siete, J&F Lurton, et al are down there. Most importantly, you need to stop at La Posada de Jamon (http://www.laposadadeljamon.com.ar/). It's a wonderful place, unless you're a pig. If you're not a fan of pork, hit El Hilo right downtown. It's a seafood place (most comes from Chile) that's quite good. It's worth going there for the queso fresco.
If you really want to get away from it all, I strongly recommend a day or two at Estancia Rancho Cuero (http://www.ranchoecuero.com.ar/). It's kinda in the damn Andes and you go horseback riding, eat lots of meat, and have a great time away from whatever passes for civilization.
Having been there several times recently, my advice would be to not worry about whether a wine is old style or new, and just enjoy the energy of a wine region in transition. Stop into the Vines of Mendoza wine bar and taste through a bunch of stuff. The staff there knows their stuff and should be able to steer you to wines you'd like.
-Eden (everyone I know who's visited Argentina now wants to move there)
Better yet, spend a couple of days south of Mendoza. Lots things to experience. Chacras del Corio is a cool suburb to spend time in (at least a couple of degrees cooler than the city), with a great art gallery (Mucha Museum), restaurants and a shop called Ayllu which is where you'll want to buy any souvenirs you'd want to take home from the trip. Alta Vista (http://www.altavistawines.com/) is French-owned and they're doing a really good job of balancing French attitude with what works in Argentina. Vistalba (http://www.carlospulentawines.com/) is nearby too, and you owe it to yourself to go to the restaurant at the Vistalba winery called La Bourgogne. Impressive food from some guys who really know how to cook (and source ingredients).
There is no lack of wineries in Tupungato...Salentein, Andeluna, Clos de la Siete, J&F Lurton, et al are down there. Most importantly, you need to stop at La Posada de Jamon (http://www.laposadadeljamon.com.ar/). It's a wonderful place, unless you're a pig. If you're not a fan of pork, hit El Hilo right downtown. It's a seafood place (most comes from Chile) that's quite good. It's worth going there for the queso fresco.
If you really want to get away from it all, I strongly recommend a day or two at Estancia Rancho Cuero (http://www.ranchoecuero.com.ar/). It's kinda in the damn Andes and you go horseback riding, eat lots of meat, and have a great time away from whatever passes for civilization.
Having been there several times recently, my advice would be to not worry about whether a wine is old style or new, and just enjoy the energy of a wine region in transition. Stop into the Vines of Mendoza wine bar and taste through a bunch of stuff. The staff there knows their stuff and should be able to steer you to wines you'd like.
-Eden (everyone I know who's visited Argentina now wants to move there)
Jeff Grossman
Jeff Grossman
Ha! A wine/chef friend of mine did just that, and he is now running a "closed door" restaurant in Buenos Aires.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
I dunno if it's anywhere near Mendoza but if I was in Argentina I'd try to hunt down some of Bodega Chacra's Treinta-Dos pinot noir, assuming it costs any less there than here.
Eden Mylunsch
Eden Mylunsch
Bodega Chacra is way to the south of Mendoza, down in Patagonia. The climate there is ideal for Pinot Noir, thus the interest of non-Argentine winemakers. Bodegas Chacra is owned by Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, he of the family that also makes Sassacaia. Consequently, it's unlikely to even be available in Mendoza, and if so it would probably be more expensive than tracking it down here in the USA. If Asher were to venture down there, in addition to the beautiful scenery he could also visit a winery called Noemia (owned by the heiress to the Cinzano and Fiat/Ferrari fortunes) and another so exclusive it's known only by its initials, NQN.
-Eden (and at Familia Schroeder, they've got like 80 million-year-old dinosaur eggs on display to distract the kiddies while mom and dad get tanked)
-Eden (and at Familia Schroeder, they've got like 80 million-year-old dinosaur eggs on display to distract the kiddies while mom and dad get tanked)
Bill Averett
Bill Averett
For great sparkling, check out Cruzat. It's down the road from Catena. It is a modern, state-of-the art facility. They make a great Rose. The winemaker is very experimental, and there are different cuvees with varying dosages.