Mendoza

Alma Negra “M Blend,” Mendoza, Argentina.

Grapes Malbec, Bonarda (Percentages are kept a secret….like we care!)   Facts It’s not mandatory that you sit on the front porch of your house on Halloween with your “better half” to drink the Alma Negra “M Blend,” but that’s what I chose to do last night. In my former life (as a Restaurant Manager) I always seemed to find myself missing out on most of the “fun” holidays (Halloween, Valentines Day, Saint Swithin’s Day…

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High Note Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina.

Grape 100% Malbec   Facts The name of “Malbec” supposedly comes from the surname of a Hungarian peasant who is attributed with being the first person to spread the variety throughout all of France. If you were to ever check-out the big nerdy wine book that is The Oxford Companion to Wine, you’ll find that there are over 400 different names for the Malbec grape! This proving that the grapes’ popularity isn’t just a recent…

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Raspberry-Glazed Peaches with Mascarpone Paired with Santa Julia Late Harvest Torrontes

Ladies and gentlemen! What you are witnessing is my first ever dessert and wine pairing! Remember this post for as long as you can, because I never make desserts in my own home…which is such a shame, because I love them!   Dessert wines are so often forgotten about, and I think they could possibly be one of the most misunderstood types of wine. It never fails to amaze me that when I pour a…

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Familia Zuccardi Malamado Fortified Malbec

Grape 100% Malbec (fortified with brandy)   Facts Q: When is a Port not a Port? A: When it’s made in Argentina. – The Malamado holds the title of the first ever fortified Malbec produced in Argentina; however it can’t be considered a true Port since it isn’t actually made in Portugal, even though it’s produced in the same style.   – All Zuccardi wines are made from estate-grown grapes (they generally don’t buy from…

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Dante Robino Syrah, Mendoza, Argentina

    Grape 100% Syrah   Facts In France, Syrah dominates the Rhone region where it’s often blended with small amounts of Viognier (a white grape) in order to add “aromatic complexity”, and mellow the wines out a little.   Dante Robino was born in Canelli in the Piedmont region of North-West Italy in 1885. After learning the art of turning grapes into wine, he emigrated to Argentina, starting his own winery in 1920.  …

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Torrontes: The Little Grape That Could!

The Story Torrontes  [Tohr-ron-tez] is quite easily the most widely planted white grape variety in Argentina with Chardonnay in a distant 2nd; and with the recent upsurge in sales over the past couple of years, it’s likely to stay that way for a while! Most folks in the wine community are already on-board with the idea that Torrontes has the potential to become as popular in Argentina, as Pinot Grigio is in Italy. It’s not…

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Dante Robino Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina.

  Grape 100% Torrontes [Tohr-ron-tez]   Facts Torrontes is to Argentina, what Pinot Grigio is to Italy. Not quite as famous yet, but certainly has already become the signature white grape of the country. Torrontes is the most planted white grape in Argentina, leaving Chardonnay trailing waaaay behind.   The current vintage of Dante Robino Torrontes is 2010, meaning that this wine (and Torrontes in general) is meant to be drank in its youth, and…

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Antigal Uno Malbec–Mendoza, Argentina 2008

I‘ve had a couple of requests for more Malbec reviews, so here you go… Grape 100% Malbec   Facts In a clever piece of marketing, Bodega Antigal have decided upon strapping a big copper “1” to the front of the bottle! Don’t knock it! It made me notice the bottle on the shelf! Over the last couple of years, Malbec sales have exploded in the U.S., with Nielsen reporting a 60 percent growth between January…

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Review of Cliff Raven Torrontes

Grape 100% Torrontes [Tohr-ron-tez] You’re forgiven if you’ve never heard of the Torrontes grape, however expect to see it more and more over the coming years as its popularity increases. Torrontes really is to Argentina what Pinot Grigio is to Italy. Facts Cliff Raven was a pioneer in tattooing, he was one of the first to incorporate the Japanese style and infuse it with American iconic images creating a signature style that has influenced and…

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Malbec: Argentina Not the First!

The Meaning Supposedly, the word “Malbec”, comes from the surname of a Hungarian peasant who is attributed with being the first person to spread the variety throughout all of France. If you were to ever check-out the big-nerdy wine book that is The Oxford Companion to Wine, you’ll find 400+ different names for the Malbec grape. This proving that the grapes’ popularity isn’t just a recent phenomena. In Bordeaux, it’s also known by Côt or…

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