Young fruit soaks up the rays at the Bodega Cataena Zapata. At this time of year, the buds are vulnerable to afternoon hail storms and torrential downpours.
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Last March we were in Mendoza, Argentina´s wine capital, during the wine harvest. The bodegas were intensely busy processing the grapes, and we were able to see the wineries in full-swing. We toured many wineries, tasted some gorgeous wines, and had a really nice time chatting with local artesanal wine-makers. I came away from Mendoza for a new appreciation of wine, and love for the art and science of wine-making.
Yesterday we were back in Mendoza and visited three more bodegas in the Lujan de Cuyo region: Cataena Zapata, Carmello Patti, and Ruca Malen. If you can get your hands on some bottles from any of these producers you won´t be dissapointed.
Mendoza has recently been named the hottest travel destination for 2007 by the New York Times. You can read a bit more about the area in this article.
December 14, 2006 at 4:11 am
Hey good news – found Catena Zapata listed in the BC Liquor Stores! What do you recommend – Malbec or Chardonnay?
Prices fyi are $17.18 for 2003 Chardonnay, $25.10 for a 2001/2002 Malbec and $17.18 for a 2002/2003 Malbec.
December 14, 2006 at 8:36 pm
we tried an Alamos malbec, really nice and fruity and lively. Alamos is Zapata´s ¨economic¨ line, available both here and abroad (24 pesos per bottle, or roughly us$8).
Generally, the Argentinean reds are the favourites (not including the Torrontes varietal form Cafayate).
Also at Cataena Zapata, we bought a Saint Felicien Cabernet-Merlot, as a treat for Christmas, but it probably won´t last until the end of the week!
Also deleicous is Ruca Malen´s Sauvignon Blanc, a young citrusy wine, meant to be drunk within a year or two of bottling. At 12 pesos a bottle, we could be drinking it like water.
We tried a yummy 2002 Gran Assemblage (Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Malbec/Merlot) from Carmello Patti (a delightful artesenal wine maker) as well as a cabernet and a malbec 2006 straight from the barrel.
We have been revisiting some of the wines we drank last year, or tried in the wineries, with these you can´t go wrong: anything from Luigi Bosca, especially the reserva malbec – especially if you like bold italian-style wines, gorgeous syrah from Carinae (exported in very limited quantities) and Carlos Pulenta Vistalba Corte A (Cabernet/Malbec/Bonarda).
For a good resource for argentinean wines, go to: http://www.vinesofmendoza.com