These Argentine students either ride on horseback, bicycles or  walk to a school.  Forget computer labs, gymnasiums or state of the art classrooms this school has neither electricity or water in rural northern Argentina.  Two years ago, with the goal of helping disadvantaged children in their home country some  friends of ours decided to set up Abriendo Caminos MN, a non-profit organization, whose mission it is to support underprivileged rural schools in Argentina and their educational, nutritional, health, and logistics needs.  They believe that education breaks the circle of poverty and opens the door to a brighter future.

Come join us for an exciting evening of great food, awesome wine (provided by yours truly) and tantalizing tango.

February 18, from 6:30PM to 8:30PM (+21).

Location: Elixir Loung www.elixirmpls.com
Address: 322 N 1st Ave Minneapolis, MN 55401
Parking for your convenience in Ramp C Down town Minneapolis http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/parking/ramps/parking_c

For more information about the Pantaleón Palacios School Project  www.abriendocaminosmn.org

See you there! 

“If we celebrate the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 today, I would choose Argentinian Wine”

If we asked those who work in the wine industry what the event that changed the scenario of the industry was, they would not hesitate to choose the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. It was a historic moment in which Californian wines defeated French wines for the first time. The person who organized this event was Steven Spurrier, a 70-year-old man from Britain. He arrived in Seoul on the 4th of this month to attend the inauguration of the wine school Academia du Vin, and is currently working as a critic for the British wine magazine Decanter and other media. We had an exclusive interview with him.

I can’t help but ask you about the Paris Wine Tasting first.

The main objective at that time was to announce that Californian wines had reached a certain level. But as everyone knows, the results were incredible. I had no idea that they were going to turn out that way. Thanks to that historical event, I became famous, and I’ll be remembered forever.

Why didn’t you include in the wine tasting American brands that were already well-known like Mondavi?

I wanted to reveal wines from small producers that had put in much more effort than large-scale producers.

Why was it a “blind” wine tasting?

It was a time when no one even knew where Napa, the main wine producing region from California, was. The only judge who had tasted wines from the US was Aubert de Villaine. I was worried that if they knew the wine was American, they would be prejudiced and give it a lower rating. That’s why I covered up the labels.

If you were holding a Paris Wine Tasting today, wines from what places would you include in it?

Wines from South America. It’s currently the most interesting place. Within South America, Argentine wines. They still don’t surpass Chilean wines, but their quality is impressive. The passion of its producers is surprising as well.

What type of wine would best pair with Korean food, which is spicy and made primarily with vegetables?

If the food is spicy with a strong flavor, the wine should also match the strong flavor of the food. Strong wines like Rhone and Languedoc from France, and Toscana and Sicilia from Italy would go very well. But delicate wines like the Loire Valley wines from France would not pair very well.

What is the secret to enjoying wine?

You just need to concentrate on the wine you’re drinking. There is no one who possesses an absolute sense of taste or smell. All of us humans are given the same sense of taste and smell. The difference lies in how much we concentrate on wine as we drink it, and in doing so, how deeply and fully we develop our memory bank of wines.

It’s said that the wine critic Robert Parker has a nose that’s worth millions and that he has it insured.

Likewise, that doesn’t mean that he has an extraordinary sense of taste or smell. He just has an exceptional memory for wines.

How can an average consumer who doesn’t have a memory bank of wines, or perhaps not a good one, choose a good wine?

It’s simple. Find a wine merchant with a good reputation. If you keep a good relationship with a seller whose tastes are similar to yours, you can get good recommendations, and then if you concentrate on the wine while you drink it, you will be able to develop your own sense of discernment in wines.

Are expensive wines the best?

That statement is not incorrect. Normally the best wines are expensive, but it’s a different issue to determine if a wine is good in relation to its price.

What do you consider to be a good wine?

A wine that balances the fruity flavor (an expression that refers to wine that has abundant flavor and aroma) and the pH (acidity). The fruity flavor and the acidity make up the yin and yang of wine, that is, they are its essential components. If personality is added to that, we have a better quality wine. It means that it has an originality that differentiates it from other wines. A white wine produced from the same Sauvignon Blanc variety can either have the distinctive characteristics of New Zealand wines or the personality of the French Sancerre wine which expresses better the land where the grape was grown. The more personality a wine has, the better it will be, but at the same time, it will be more difficult to obtain it.

The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 changed the scenario of the world wine market.

Grandview Lodge’s Blog -

There’s nothing better than a good winter red wine.  Offering richness and depth, a big crimson glass is a great counterpart for an evening in front of a crackling fire.  From Merlot and Shiraz to light or full bodied, understanding red wine can be a difficult task.  While typically Cabernet Sauvignon has been the most popular red wine grape to date, and probably the most well-known, Malbec, Argentina’s red grape has become a rising star in the world of red wine.

Although originating from the Bordeaux region of France, Malbec only found its fame in the sun-drenched climate of Argentina.  This is Argentina’s signature grape and it is quickly making a name for itself with red wine lovers.

Gascon Malbec, Terrazas Reserva, Trivento Reserva are other Malbecs Cru carries.

Grand View Lodge’s newest dining venue, Cru, is featuring Famiglia Meschini’s Malbec Reserva 2009. This wine represents a very authentic style of Malbecs from Argentina.  Full-bodied and fruit forward yet plenty of depth, the taste has a very smooth integration of oak into flavors of plums and blackberry.  The round tannins and the earthly, wood-like appeal make for a fairly rustic, yet versatile wine.  A classic Malbec is a great accompaniment with red meat; consider giving Famiglia a try with roasts, grilled meats, stews, and duck, or come into Cru and we will walk you through how to pair featured wines with our extensive menu.

Yes, beef is great. Yes, it’s cheap and grass fed  and all that great stuff and Eugenio would happily eat it everyday of the week but the meal that most stands out for me was the trout.

Argentina is much, much more than bloody steaks and big red wines.

The Famiglia Meschini Premium Line is the accomplishment of our
dream to bring the true characteristics of each varietal to your glass. From the
vineyard to the bottle we limit our intervention so that the aromas and senses
come to life as you unleash these young and lively wines.

From the Bottle:

Our 2009 Premium Malbec Syrah is deep red in color with shades of indigo blue. Plum, red
cherry and spices come alive in the nose. Balanced with a round and smooth finish.

SRP of $12 and available for around $10. Sampled received courtesy the winemaker for review purposes.

50% Malbec, 50% Syrah from Mendoza, Argentina. 14.0% Alcohol

SRP of $12 and available for around $10. Sampled received courtesy the winemaker for review purposes.

I’ve previously reviewed a couple white wines from Famiglia Meschini, the Chardonnay
– which took 3rd place in The Chardonnay Showdown, and also the Sparkling
Torrontés which we also liked quite a bit. As such, I was excited to try my
first red wine from Eugenio and Teresa Meschini, a husband/wife team that
imports wines from their vineyards in Eugenio’s homeland of Argentina.

The 2009 Famiglia Meschini Premium Malbec Syrah begins with
strong aromas of plum and other dark fruit plus some floral and herbal notes.
The wine has lots of dark berry flavor upfront when tasting followed by some
surprising and really nice tannins that give the wine nice structure. This wine
has a rich, silky texture. The Premium Malbec Syrah finishes with a great kick
of spice and the dark fruit flavors keep going and going. An excellent and
affordable wine for all those Holiday get-togethers that are fast
approaching!

100% Chardonnay from Argentina, no oak. SRP of $12, but available for around $10. Sample received courtesy Famiglia Meschini for review purposes.

From the bottle:
The Famiglia Meschini Premium Line is the accomplishment of our dream to bring the true characteristics of each varietal to your glass. From the vineyard to the bottle we limit our intervention so that all the aromas and senses come to life as you unleash these young and lively wines.
Our 2010 Premium Unoaked Chardonnay is perfectly balanced and presents hints of tropical fruit. Welcome this unaltered and unbelievable Chardonnay into your wine experience.

This wine was a late addition to the Showdown, but one I’m glad we were able to include. The 2010 Famiglia Meschini Premium Unoaked Chardonnay exhibits aromas of melon, pear, and orange. The wine tastes of citrus and tropical fruit with a little white pepper. It has a great, sweet finish with lemon and orange zest that lingers almost like a sweet dessert wine. This wine is very easy to drink and could be very easy to consume quickly! A great choice for a hot summer day!

Taste Rating: 7
Value (Cost) Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 7.3

All ratings use a simple 10 point scale with 10 being the best. Check out the Interactive Wine Rating Chart to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive spreadsheet.

They captivated the 70 participants with their charm, passion, sense of humor, and outstanding wines!

Eugenio & Teresa are third generation wine makers commited to producing the best full body, authentic, Argentine wines made by Argentine wine makers.  Already a big fan of their Premium Malbec, I was interested in learning  about and tasting their full line of wine.  I was dully impressed with their whites as well.

One of my favorites last night was the Premium Malbec Syrah.  It has a superb bouquet of black current, blueberry, and black cherry.  Followed by a layeredwine with gobs of ripe fruit, a plush texture, and outstanding balance.  Wine critic, Stephen Tanzer gives it 87 points.

Here’s what my friends had to say about this amazing wine.  “I was surprised at what a great value these elegant wines are, it’s difficult to find this great of wine for this price point”, and “when we moved into the Cabernet Reserva and Gran Reserva,  it tasted like we were drinking a $60 bottle of wine – I love it!” One more; “Loved learning about Argentine w ines from an Argentinean and the authentic recipe was a fun surprise.”

To learn more about their story and delicious wines go to: http://www.famigliameschini.com/index.html

Thank you Eric for introducing us to this fabulous Argentine wine and thank you Eugenio & Teresa for your sharing your story, passion, and outstanding wine with us.  All the best as you take the U.S. by storm with your authentic Argentine wine!