There were about 15 of us on a Wine Tour. We visited 3 wineries, learnt how to taste, and then had a sumptious lunch. It is surprising how a lot of sips of wine add up!
The country around Mendoza is flat and it may be that the flat Pampas extends all the way back to Buenos Aires. Heading west is more fun as you hit the Andes. Rising only about 100m allowed us a view to the Andes proper and the chain of snow covered peaks looked magnificent.
As expected acre after acre of vines irrigated by those snow fields. One winery was large with modern equipment, huge stainless steel drums for the fermentation.
The next was completely organic, everything done by hand, from the picking of the grapes to ssticking the labels on by hand! How does that help - however it was the best malbec. The malbec grape is French, however this region is now the most important for this lovely wine. The wineries stressed what they did different in this age old process and time is a huge factor. Do you just let the sediment settle over a period of months or add chemicals and wait a couple of weeks. Let them worry about that and let's get the wine drunk!
I was amazed at the price. The wines we were tasting, which they were proud to have us taste, cost about 6 pounds a bottle or 25 pound for 6! Oh to live closer.
The lunch was amazing.
A table laden with a dozen cheeses, a dozen meats and so many vegetables treated in different ways, some in wine. Obviously a large glass of wine to help it all down. Then a vegetable dish, then spag bol (where did that come from!) and finally Dulche y Leche on ice cream. This is an Argentine favourite - caramel and honey - which they have on everything - fruit, ice cream, toast, probably each other!
1 Comments:
sounds as if you are having a lovely time. i like your last comment, very Bob; the altitude has obviously not tamed your sense of humour :) x
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