Food & Drink
ARGENTINE WINE PROVIDES GOOD VALUE.
ARGENTINE WINE
DANA YOUNG
Winter 2010 |
Updated: Feb. 25, 2010 Wine enthusiasts and novices alike are encouraged to tune in as expert LCBO product consultants Janet Nastamagu and Laura Ruffolo taste and compare notes on three Argentinean malbecs – Argento Malbec 2009, Fuzion Alta Malbec 2008 and Domaine Jean Bousquet Malbec 2007. The following appeared in the Fall 2009 issue of Sudbury Living. Can you name the top five wine producing countries in the world? France, Italy, Spain, United States, and Argentina.
“We chose malbec as the feature wine for our inaugural virtual wine tasting because, as one of the most popular red grape varieties today, it offers quality and value at every price point, particularly at $10 and under,” says Bob Downey, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, LCBO in a news release. “We also think our customers will enjoy discovering a wine that matches well with many different foods and is suitable for all occasions.”
LCBO customers are encouraged to participate at home by hosting their own malbec wine tasting with the featured products during the webcast and emailing their questions and comments to the wine experts in real time throughout the event.
Customers can also get advance information about the virtual tasting by scanning the 2-D code on the in-store signage promoting the event with their cell phones at select LCBO locations. They will be directly linked to the malbec virtual tasting landing page, where they can receive an overview of the event, submit a question prior to the event, view a short video with the two host product consultants, add the event to their favourite calendar or social media application and learn about the featured products.
And, as always, customers can go directly to www.lcbo.com for more information about these and other featured malbec wines, as well as the webcast. They can also call the toll-free bilingual LCBO Infoline at 1-800-ONT-LCBO (668-5226). In Toronto, call 416 365-5900 or visit your nearest LCBO store. The TTY number for the deaf and hard of hearing is 416 864-6898 or 1-800-361-3291.
Argentina? Who knew?
Argentina produced 1,520 million litres of wine in 2005, almost twice as much as its neighbour Chile, and more than Germany, Australia or South Africa.
Argentine wines are some of the least expensive at the LCBO giving savvy shoppers good value drop for drop. According to David Lawarson, wine critic for Toronto Life, some of the cheaper bottles are better than the ones over $20. Many bottles come with a screwtop. Get over it. A cork doesn’t make for a better wine.
Vines were first planted 400 years ago by missionary priests in the Mendoza region. In the last 15 years, high volume, low quality vines that produced wine for the domestic market, have been replaced by premium varieties with the backing of major international wine companies.
The Argentines first built their international reputation on the malbec grape. It was grown in France for centuries and used in the Bordeaux blend. After a frost in 1956 destroyed most of the crop, many French growers replaced it with hardier varieties.
Malbec was introduced to the slopes of the Andes in 1868. The Argentinean Andes, and in particular the region of Mendoza, provides a perfect environment: lots of sun, a dry climate, ample water, warm days and cooler nights.
Malbec is typically a dark, inky wine that is medium- to full-bodied with plenty of soft tannins and deep plum and berry flavours. It is often described as somewhere between merlot and cabernet sauvignon.
Other reds from Argentina are tempranillo, a grape native to Spain, a popular Italian variety called barbera, as well as pinot noir, bonarda, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot, and sangiovese.
The country produces white wine, but its hot, dry climate is best suited to red grapes.
Great reds under $10
Argento malbec, deep and dark in colour, it is described as rich and smooth with blackberry and black current flavours and a touch of chocolate. Argento was created in Mendoza in 1999 by one of the region’s most respected vignerons. (750 mL $9.85)
Trapiche Varietals syrah has the aroma of red berries and liquorice with fruit and spice notes. Light to medium body, this fruity wine goes well with lamb, stews and barbecue. (750 mL $8.95)
Trapiche Astica merlot/malbec is an intense ruby red wine with fresh berry flavours. It goes well with grilled meats, roasts and cheese. (750 mL $7.45)
fuZion shiraz/melbec blend is a medium-bodied deep violet-coloured wine with aromas of prunes and blackberries. It has a long finish and goes well with barbecue, beef, pasta, and cheeses. (750 mL $7.45)
