Welcome to the Wine Tasting Adventure. This website focuses mostly on Argentinean wine.
Argentina cherishes a long tradition producing top quality wines, and is the number fourth exporter of wines in the world. The quality of the Argentinean land at the foothills of the Andes, the height and the temperature range combined with state-of-the-art technologies provides a unique condition for the generation of unique wines including Malbecs and Torrontes. Argentinean wines are a part of the identity of the country, comparable to the famous Argentinean beef. Argentina has a very long history of making wine with nearly half a million acres of vineyards available for production. The first wines produced in Argentina were brought from Spain, around the middle of the 1500s. Italian and Spanish growers helped to promote the growth of vineyards in Argentina. In 1853 the first agricultural school was set up by a French producer, who introduced French grape varieties and new viticultural techniques. In the 1880's there was an explosion in the construction of waterways to the deserts of Argentina. There are four major wine regions in Argentina: Mendoza, San Juan, La Rioja, Rio Negro and Salta, Mendoza being the most productive. This region produces about 70% of the wine in Argentina.
LIGHT THE FIRE. Asado: a cookout that is more than a meal
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick, Globe Correspondent | May 20, 2009
MENDOZA, Argentina - Paula Barraud, winemaker at La Mision, says that Argentines have a reputation for three things, "malbec, Maradona, and tango." Malbec is their widely recognized emblematic wine. Diego Maradona is their equivalent of Pele. And, tango, of course, is the sultry dance performed in the streets of La Boca, the capital's Italian neighborhood.
Yet, walk any street on a Sunday afternoon, and you will discover that there's a fourth passion in this region. Aromas will direct you to asado. Large slabs of meat, seasoned only with salt, are roasting slowly over wood embers while hungry guests wait patiently. Martin Puebla, Argentine native and chef on Spain's Mediterranean coast, says, "Asado is the Argentine culture. Every Argentine in any place in the world eats asado." Puebla's girlfriend, Spanish native Ana Moreno Atencia, says, "If [Argentines] are living in Spain, they don't dance tango, but they do eat asado."
Asado is essentially a South American cookout. Served to small and large groups, this style of grilling vast quantities of meat over an open flame is based on the traditions of the gauchos, or cattle herders, who once roamed the grasslands of Central Argentina. Modern reunions demonstrate the influence of Mediterranean winemakers, who began arriving in 1885.
But asado is more than a meal. When several generations of large families or groups of friends get together, greeting one another with hearty embraces and multiple kisses, the meat may be the centerpiece of the meal, but the camaraderie is the most important event. Mendoza resident Betiana Antonietti says, "Asado not only refers to the beef . . . it is also the company."
This communal nature is woven throughout the culture. For example, mate, a bitter green tea, is consumed with friends - never alone. In a receptacle resembling a gourd, one member of the group places a metal straw and a handful of mate leaves. That person pours boiling hot water over the leaves and consumes the first brew. The steeping process is repeated, and the mate is passed to the next person. Each person takes turns drinking from the same vessel.
Like the word mate, which refers to both the utensil and the beverage, the term asado applies to the event and the beef. The cuts of meat here are larger and have more surface fat than their American equivalents. Individual steaks are far less common and often reserved for high-end restaurants.
The slow cooking process of asado melts the fat cap of less expensive pieces, giving way to tenderness and flavor. The grill master's technique is key; various components are placed on the parrilla, or grill, according to cooking time and order of consumption. Chorizo, the lightly seasoned pork sausage, and morcilla, a blood sausage, go on the grill first, and consequently are consumed first. Organ meats follow, and large cuts, often the showpiece, are the finale. The grillman will slice and offer up each piece immediately after removing it from the parrilla. In this way, the meal is served in rounds.
Accompaniments are straightforward, designed not to overwhelm the beef, nor take away from socializing. The fire is lit as guests begin to arrive, ensuring that the main event will not occur for several hours. In the meantime, invitees nibble on a variety of picadas made up of olives, salami, cured ham, and cheeses - all washed down with local beer. Andes and Quilmes brands of beer vie for the top spot; both are crisp, light lagers, served ice cold. Argentina's robust red wines, usually young malbec or tempranillo, were made for asado and thus reserved for serving alongside the entree. © Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
Recipe Chimichurri: Similar to a vinaigrette, but more highly seasoned, chimichurri is traditional to Buenos Aires, but popular throughout Argentina. Make the sauce ahead of time because the longer it steeps, the deeper the flavors. Never brush uncooked meat with chimichurri before grilling. The sauce goes onto the table with other condiments, including lemon juice and mayonnaise. "Asi Cocinan los Argentinos/How Argentineans Cook," by Alberto Vazquez Prego, and written in both English and Spanish, is a lengthy guide to food techniques and ingredients. He dedicates more than 20 pages to asado.
1/2 cup oil
1 cup warm water
1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 small bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1. In a large bowl, combine the oil, water, vinegar, salt, garlic, parsley, scallion, bell pepper, paprika, cumin, red pepper, oregano, and bay leaves. Stir well.
2. Transfer the mixture to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Adapted from "Asi Cocinan los Argentinos" That is the way Argentineans cook. © Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
My recipe
Chop three cloves of garlic
Chop parsley (1/4 of cup)
Chop a small amount of fresh basil
In a container mix the above ingredients with a little less than half a cup of olive oil, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and less than a 1/4 cup of water.
Add to the mixture oregano, salt, nutmeg and red crush pepper (just a pinch because is very hot).
Mix all together very well and spray over you meat, chicken or sausages before and after they are cooked.
Get a great Malbec and voila (enjoy)
Tips for a perfect Argentinean parrillada when using American Rib eye, New Yorl sirlon Stakes, and filet mignon.
1. Clean and pre-heat your parrilla (grill) with good hardwood or charcoal. If you have a gas grill it will do it too, but it will not have the full flavor of wood.
2. Lightly oil everything before you put it on the grill. This helps the searing process and prevents sticking.
3. Add salt and season your meat and other parts before grilling.
4. Sear the outside of steaks when grilling. This really helps with the flavor and juiciness.
5. Use tongs or a spatula to turn your meat on the grill. Using a fork can damage the meat.
To turn American cuts such as skirt steak, flank steak, brisket, and short ribs into asado, make a hardwood or charcoal fire and let it burn until half the wood has turned to glowing embers. Slide the embers to one side of the grill, placing the grate 3 to 4 inches above. Grill the meat directly over the embers while the remaining wood (or coals) continues to smolder. After the meat has cooked on one side and been turned, season with large-grain salt. Add condiments, like chimichurri, a piquant herb salsa, and mayonnaise, at the table.
Side dishes should be simple: sliced tomatoes, lettuce, ripe avocado, and shredded carrots, all sprinkled with olive oil and vinegar. Gather some friends, uncork the malbec, and light the fire.