What are Your Favorite Malbecs? Torrontes?
Crush of the Week: 2007 Sagta Torrontés
Yow! This is our first Torrontes review. enjoy.
This wine is delightful with light smoke and a floral character reminiscent of jasmines and roses. There are voluptuous aromas of tangerine and ripe pears. On the palate, the wine has crisp and lively acidity with flavors of fresh peaches and bright citrus. Enjoyable finish.
A little trivia … SAGTA means ‘very beautiful one’.
Country: ARGENTINA
Region: ANDEAN NORTH WEST
Sub-Region: SALTA
Release Price: $11 but find it cheaper here!
Wine & Spirits has Chosen Achaval Ferrer Winery of the Year!!!
Each year, Wine & Spirits magazine’s blind tasting panels review more than 9,000 wines and pass the best along to their critics. The annual Wineries of the Year list is made up of brands who produce a range of wines that score at the top of their categories. Achaval Ferrer performed in the top echelon–a great ambassador for the wines of Argentina.
Santiago Achaval is widely recognized as one of Argentina’s premier vintners under his Achaval-Ferrer label. Achaval-Ferrer boasts four of the five highest rated wines in Argentine history, as judged by Wine Spectator, and the highest rated Argentine wine to date according to Robert Parker.
In addition to the Achaval-Ferrer label, Santiago is head wine maker for the new brand, Hand of God Wines. Hand of God (Mano de Dios in Spanish), a boutique winery in the Uco Valley, Argentina. Planting was done in 2007 and fruit will be ready for harvest in 2010. Hand of God will be the only other Santiago Achaval wines available on the market. We are eagerly awaiting their first release.
Recipe of the Week: Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango and Avocado Salsa
So I have a small confession to make … The main reason I started to cover white wines is so I can feature fish recipes. It no secret that I have a passion for wine but I LOVE fish. I will love fish until the very day I die of heavy metal poisoning. Anyhow, this dish goes well with Torrontes or even a nice Viognier.
Here’s a favorite reposted from foodfit.com – quick, healthy, and very tasty.
Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango and Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
2 fish fillets, such as sea bass, red snapper or salmon, 8 ounces each
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cilantro, lightly packed
1 ripe avocado
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 plum tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup diced mango
freshly ground black pepper
lime wedges, for garnish
8 corn tortillas
salt to taste
Directions
For the mango-avocado salsa:
1. Remove and discard the pit and skin from the avocado and rub the flesh of the avocado with some of the lime juice to prevent it from discoloring.
2. Chop the avocado and toss it with the remaining lime juice, mango, red pepper and scallions. (This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)
For the fish:
3. Preheat the grill.
4. Brush the fillets with oil and season generously with salt and pepper
5. Grill the fillets on both sides until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. (Thin fillets take less time, thicker fillets take more.) Cool slightly and cut into 1-inch pieces.
6. Meanwhile, separate the tortillas into 2 stacks, wrap them in foil and warm them on the grill while the fish is cooking.
To serve the tacos:
7. Fill the tortillas with fish, lettuce, tomatoes and mango-avocado salsa. Serve 2 tacos per person with lime wedges on the side.
** Have you tried this recipe? Love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments.
Torrontes: The White Grape of Argentina
If you first tried Torrontes a few years ago, you may have been overwhelmed by Eau de Cologne florals that quickly fall off to a flat and flabby finish. We’ve tasted a few recently and we’re impressed with the improved quality of the Torrontes . While still opening with a strong floral scent, today’s wines seem to have a much crisper texture, with an elegant, medium-weight body and generally have a powerful punch of peach and citrus flavors, similar to Viogniers. Torrontes is a great sipping or “stand-alone” wine. It’s terrific with salads, cheeses and grilled/smoked meats and can hold its own against spicy dishes as well.
Could Torrontes be the next Pinot Grigio sensation? Argentina Vintners (and a few others) would like to think so. Ambitious wineries are looking to reproduce the Malbec sensation with Torrontes and through some very similar tactics and we’re really excited to watch this market grow. Again, we love the quality to price point ratio.
Torrontes, the only grape considered indigenous to Argentina, is also the most popular and widely grown white grape in Argentina. This native white grape is grown mainly in the provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Mendoza, Salta, San Juan and Rio Negro. Salta produces wines that are less flamboyant, but tend to be more crisp, whilst those from Mendoza are intense and ‘bigger’ wines.
And for a touch of trivia … In Chile, Torrontes grapes are grown primarilly for the production of Pisco. Try ordering a Pisco sour next time you’re our at a nice cocktail bar. yum.
In Honor of Summer, I Relent …
Summer days are precious in the Pacific Northwest and nothing says summer like a chill glass of white wine. So while we will continue to cover all things Malbec, I wanted to branch out and touch on Torrontes – the white grape that is as genuinely Argentine as Malbec.
Recipe of the Week: Pasta Puttanesca
I’m not usually a big pasta fan but I’ve always loved this dish. The olives give it a great zing and depth of flavor. It’s a quick and easy dish good for a weekday dinner and it serves 6 so pack your lunch for the following day. If you’re looking for a little extra protein, you can toss in some tuna or clams. Less traditional but a tasty option.
We like to serve it with the Pascual Toso Malbec I reviewed yesterday. It’s a hearty enough wine to stand up to the flavor of this classic dish. Serve it with a salad and crusty bread dipped in Virgin Olive Oil … I’ll even spare you the bad pun about whores and virgins.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried spaghetti, spaghettini, or linguine fini
- 6-8 garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
- 4-6 anchovy fillets, mashed with a fork
- 1/2-1 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice (preferably Italian), roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered (get the good ones, please!)
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- Pinch of sugar (optional)
- canned tuna or clams (optional)
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh arugula (optional)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preparation
- Cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 1/2 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until barely al dente.
- While pasta boils, cook garlic, anchovys, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes to skillet along with olives, capers, oregano, and tuna or clams if using. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is ready. Stir in sugar and salt to taste.
- Add drained pasta to sauce. Add parsley and arugula, if desired. Simmer, turning pasta with tongs, until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan.
Crush of the Week: Pascual Toso Malbec 2008
We’re really excited about Pascaul Toso’s 2008 Malbec. The 2006 vintage won Wine Enthusiast’s top wine of the year in 2007 and this wine seems to only gain in value and structure with each vintage.
The release price for the 2008 Malbec is $13 but we found it here for under $9 … buy it! It was already had a great price to quality ratio at $13.
The 2009 Pascaul Toso leads with an enticing, foresty, violets and blackberry fruited nose. The mouth has a mild bouquet, cherry and licorice with smooth, fleshy texture balanced by bright acids. With a bit of exposure to air, a characteristic whiff of wood smoke emerges. Rich and long finish with hints of vanilla and lingering oak. Enjoy with pasta, red meats and white meats in light cream sauces. According to Wine Spectator: “Shows a mix of dark toast, currant and plum sauce notes, with fruitcake and blueberry hints on the rather
toasty finish. Drink now. 90,000 cases made.”
Varietal: Malbec
Winery: Bodegas y Vinedos Pascual Toso
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Vintage: 2008
Release Price: $13
Wine Spectator Score: 87
Established in 1890, Pascual Toso is one of the oldest and most
prestigious wineries of Argentina with a strong commitment to
excellence and quality. It is located in Maipu, one of the premium
wine-producing regions of Argentina. Check out their site here.
Happy 4th of July …
Cheers! Drink safe and be careful with those fireworks around the BBQ.
Recipe of the Week: Asado with Chimichurri Sauce
The Fourth is coming right up and it’s BBQ time. Hotdogs, hanburgers, and ketchup stained cloths are the standard buy yesterday I talked about Sangria so I thought I’d throw a little Asado on the grill this year.
Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Asado on the grill
Asado on the grill
Asado with Chimichurri Sauce
reprinted from AsadoArgentina.com
Ingredients
Chimichurri
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Water
1 small bunch flat leaf-parsley; chopped (should equal about 1/2 cup)
1 medium onion; finely chopped
4 cloves garlic; finely minced
1/2 of a red bell pepper; seeded and finely diced
1 tomato; peeled, seeded, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Teaspoon bay leaf (laurel); very small flakes
1 Tablespoon coarse salt
1 Teaspoon ground black pepper
hot chili flakes to taste
Asado
2 pounds skirt steak, flank steak, brisket, or short ribs
coarse salt
Directions
1. Make sure all of the fresh ingredients are well washed and clean before preparing. Add all of the ingredients except the oil and vinegar into a large bowl and toss well to make sure that the salt is spread evenly around the ingredients. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Next add the vinegar and water. Mix well. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
3. Finally add the oil and mix well. Make sure that the liquids cover the rest of the ingredients. If not add equal parts of oil, water, and vinegar until they are covered at least by a quarter of an inch. Transfer to a non-reactive clean bowl or jar that can be covered. Make sure to cover well. Place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend overnight. For better results prepare at least 2 or 3 days ahead of time.
4. Grill the Asado. 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.
This is how it's done in Argentina. Wow!
Go here to learn more about the culture behind Asado.
