Contributors

• Allen Dale "Ole" Olson

Recent Posts

• Taming Wine
• You Can’t Miss with Swiss
• A Good Summer Read — and Drink
• Oregon, Oh, Oregon!
• Awards — or What’s in a Name?
• Cork, It Seems To Be
• Collecting, Investing, and Drinking
• Prepping for the Rhineland
• Burgundy in Oregon
• Travels with Wine

Archives

• July 2010
• June 2010
• May 2010
• April 2010
• March 2010
• February 2010
• January 2010
• December 2009
• November 2009
• October 2009
• September 2009
• August 2009
• July 2009
• June 2009
• May 2009
• April 2009
• March 2009
• February 2009
• January 2009
• December 2008
• November 2008
• October 2008
• September 2008
• August 2008
• July 2008
• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008
• March 2008

Links

• Hoosier Wine Cellar
• Bloomington Herald-Times
• Bedford Times-Mail
• Martinsville Reporter-Times

Admin

• Log in

I recently returned from a 10 day wine extravaganza in Argentina with wine genius and importer Fran Kysela. I, along with 15 others from across the country, toured the vineyards and wineries that compose Kysela Pere et Fils’ Argentine portfolio. Let me just say that trips like this are not for the faint at heart…or vegetarians. We have all heard about Argentina’s passion for beef, but it is impossible to comprehend the extent of this passion without actually seeing it firsthand. It seemed like there was beef in front of us 3 meals a day and during all times between. The art of making an asado, Argentine barbecue, could be the national leisure activity. Everyone has a different approach to their grilling method – high heat vs. low heat, direct vs. indirect heat, flipping frequently vs. only once. The only commonality that I found amongst them all was their source of flame – wood. I don’t care what the “Burger Count” is on your gas grill at home or whether it is equipped with infrared, you don’t have anything on these guys! (For what it’s worth, neither do I.) These men were born for 2 things: grilling meat and drinking Malbec.

In Mendoza, Malbec is as prevalent as beef. Equaling if not surpassing the different cuts of beef are the various styles of Malbec.  I think Walter Bressia, winemaker and owner of Bressia Winery, explained it best as “Vinos de Autor,” which translates to “Wines of the Author.” Argentine wines are true expressions of the passion and skill of the winemaker. This “international style” of winemaking creates rather different taste experiences to combine with the various methods of asado. I had one of my favorite combinations at Estancio Rancho’E Cuero. It involved the famed Bife de Chorizo (sirloin) with two wines from Cueva de las Manos. The beef was seared to a crispy goodness on the outside, yet maintained jugosa(medium rare) perfection.  This dish was paired with two wines from Cueva’s 2007 vintage, their Reserve Bonarda and Reserve Malbec.  The aroma of the Bonarda jumped from the glass with dark flavors of plum, blackberry, and violet.  Its jammy blue/black fruit profile carried perfectly through the beef and left lingering, sweet tannins that made us all reach for another taste.  The Malbec, on the other hand, brought a brighter spectrum to the table.  It offered bright cherry and raspberry with hints of mocha and spice.  It created a vibrance on the palate when combined with the Bife de Chorizo.  Go asado style the next time your fire up the grill and bring on some Malbec.