Last week I had the pleasure of attending an Anuva Wines tasting to sample some of Mendoza’s finest grapes. Dan Karlin, one of the personalities behind the previously blogged-about BA Cast, invited me to the event, which was held at the sweetly French Rendez-Vous Hotel in Palermo Hollywood.
Five other Americans traveling through Buenos Aires were also present for the tasting, and we were all seated together at a table, filled with Anuva wine glasses and large, triangular white plates holding tapas to accompany the wine. The number was perfect; everyone had a chance to converse with each other, chatting about their travels, impressions of Buenos Aires and just how much they loved the wines we were trying.
The tasting was relaxed and informative, and something I am sure any wine lover would enjoy, whether he or she were a budding connoisseur or didn’t know a word of wine vocabulary. We tried each of the wines, by smelling and discussing first, tasting it and sharing our feedback, then trying each accompanied with the food pairings. Our host Sarah offered explanations and guidance, and we learned about Argentine history and along the way. I have visited vineyards in Mendoza and picked up a bit about Argentina in my 11 months in Buenos Aires, and I still learned quite a bit of new information about the country and its wines. (For example: The devastating Argentine economic crisis in 2001 actually helped propel the country’s wines into the global market.)
I expected the wines to be excellent, as they were, but what really impressed me was the food pairings. I had not expected food other than palate-cleansing crackers, also which were provided, and I walked in to a full, beautifully plated spread of thoughtful food accompaniments. While tourists stopping in Buenos Aires and attending a tasting might find, for example, the Persicco sorbets served delicious, I appreciated knowing that it really was the best of Buenos Aires and Argentina we were consuming.
Below is a detailed list of the five wine and traditional tapas food pairings at the tasting I attended. If you notice, as far as Malbecs go, we only tried a blend. The reasoning? Many people already identify Argentina with excellent Malbecs, Sarah said, while people are less aware of the other quality wines the Mendoza region produces, and that is what Anuva Wines is focused on showcasing.
- Hom Espumante sparkling wine + a modified Waldorf salad on crackers
- Carinae Torrontés + two Persicco fruit sorbets, orange-peach and frutiera
- Mairena Bonarda + a traditional picada with a slice of Fontina, Romanito and salamin and longaniza meats
- San Gimignano Syrah Roble + a beef empanada, carne cortada a cuchillo from La Fidanzata
- Caluna Blend + two Aguila dark chocolates, one from Ecuador and the other from Costa de Marfil
Anuva Wines is not run by sommeliers, rather just individuals who love Argentina, Argentine wines and want to share that with others. In the end, I think it all works to their advantage and makes for a thoughtful, fun 1.5 hours of enjoying wines without any pretension. I highly recommend attending the Anuva Wines tasting, for those of you visiting Buenos Aires (especially if you do not have a chance to make it to Mendoza) as well as those staying long-term.
In addition to tastings, Anuva Wines also sells its select Argentine wines online, (available for purchase in the U.S. at very affordable prices) runs a wine club and stocks a number of establishments in the U.S. with top Argentine wines. Cheers to that!
–Karina
Tara and Karina Go Out 