Gaucho

For quality bread, I would recommend HausBrot. OK, its more German/Austrian style but Im very pleased with their quality.

Thanks for the recomendation on this other site, I will check it out. I havent had a case where my comments were edited or distorted on Guia Oleo, but after your warning I will be on the watch. I think almost all my comments have been published. I also havent had a case where the telephone or address were wrong, but I guess I havent been using the website to explore new places. Ive been adding my reviews as I visit places.

Speaking of Kaiken, they make part of their wines at the Benegas Winery owned by Federico Benegas Lynch. Kaiken also has a Kaiken Ultra which is one step up from the standard Kaiken, I understand it retails for approx. 20-25 dollars in the USA.

Some other great options under US$10 that may be available in most large cities in North America are: From Mendoza: Benegas - Luna Benegas Cabernet Benegas - Juan Benegas Malbec Benegas - Carmela Benegas Rose Benegas - Don Tiburcio Blend Familia Gascon (all varietals) Trapiche Fond de Cave (all varietals) From Patagonia: Schroeder - Saurus Patagonia Select (all varietals) NQN - Malma (all varietals)

Another fan of the Rubicon here. I have at least one bottle of every vintage released since 1999. Great stuff, although there are many other superb blends from SA including: De Toren Fusion V Vergelegen V Vilafonte M Vilafonte C (just to name a few)

I agree that Guia Oleo is not perfect, but I think that its still the best "independent" review tool available to date. Im not sure that a completely unmoderated forum would be better.

Relatively new sushi-fusion place opened a couple of months ago, its in Palermo and is called Osaka. For BA standards, its actually quite good.

Here in Buenos Aires, we live on Asado de Tira...

Barbeque pizza can be found in various places... one of the best known restaurants that carry this today is Morelia.

The best places I can think of, closest to OZ, to get Argentine wine would probably be Singapore. Next bet in the region would be Hong Kong.

There are a number of well known Italian names involved in a few well known brands produced here in Argentina. Below are a few that come to mind... The family that owns Argiano has Patagonia based Bodegas Noemia. They make one of Argentina´s most expensive wines, Noemia Malbec. An interesting Malbec, quite different from what is made in Mendoza, as the Rio Negro Valley has some influence from the coastal area. Roberto Cipresso is the chief winemaker of record breaking (96 points, WS) Finca Altamira from Achaval Ferrer. Alberto Antonini is the creator of Alto Las Hormigas.

The Malbec Reserva in indeed a very interesting wine. Its big brother, the Gran Reserva is also one to watch out for. A bigger and more complex wine, its a cut of the best wine from every outstanding vintage, produced only in select years. The 2000 vintage of the Gran Reserva is basically sold out, but a few bottles of the 2002 are still available. I dont have a reference price for the US retail, but here in Buenos Aires the 2002 is priced at $300 (pesos, all taxes included).

Don't be so sure. Any marketer will tell you that getting you to notice the product is a huge part of the battle. So to the extent that a wine comes in a differently shaped, weighted, colored bottle, an eye-catching label, etc., the greater chance that Joe and Jane Consumer will notice. Also, any marketer will tell you that if you pick up the bottle, there's a greater chance that you will buy it. So picking it up to check out the bottle shape, cool label, etc., well you can figure out the rest. There was a "scientific" market research study conducted several years back ragrding bottling and labeling. If you recall when Sutter Home first released its White Zinfandel, it came in a green bottle with an off-white paper label. After they switched to a clear bottle and a pressurized label, the sales increased by an incredible amount. Collectors don't like long or wide bottles because most cellar racking is made with a standard bottle shape in mind. ← I agree completely with Brad on this one. As a wine merchant, its incredible to see just how many consumers are lured by the big & heavy 750 bottles that look more and more like magnums.... sometimes, you would think that a label and the bottle are secondary to its contents...

Brad, I wonder if you have seen the latest ratings that some South American Wines have received? Are you familiar with Achaval Ferrer?

Finca Las Moras is widely available. Viña Cobos not so much, especially in the upper ranges of their wines like Bramare and Cobos. Punto Final is a very recent release, but most of the higher end wine stores should already carry it. I strongly suggest you try Mora Negra 2003 from Finca las Moras. Please feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions.

I would suggest you consider some labels from smaller estates. Some names I would say you put on a shortlist would be: - Punto Final - Viña Cobos - Finca Las Moras

Just to clarify, I dont believe it was I that mentioned a lack of wasabi and ginger at the places Ive been to. What I will say, however, is that only at very few restaurants did I find the ginger quality to be acceptable. Im still working on getting to those by recommendation only places, as soon as I have more details I will be back and post more information.

Thanks for soem great tips on software for my cellar !!!

Very interesting topic. One thing with young-gun sommeliers is that many choose to use their "credentials" to issue some pretty harsh veredicts. Not that a young sommeliers cant be right, but you have to wonder how much wine one can have tasted by the time you are 25 years old. Its not only an issue of when you started drinking, but also, have some of these folks had access to the budget required to taste some of the cult stuff that they sometimes critique? Furthemore, if one is to issue bold and definitive remarks, does it suffice to have merely "sampled" a few sips of some of these great wines? Can short lived credentials and academic certificates give license to destroy wines made by winemakers with decades of experience and accolades, that have been praised by many? Sure, some young Sommeliers I know really know their wine, but, there are some cases similar to the French Laundry experience posted above that really make me wonder. Finally, dont get me started on the Sommeliers that insist on telling you what you are supposed to smell and taste in your wine glass....

2002 Cheval des Andes - Mendoza, Argentina This is the second vintage of this wine, made by the JV between Terrazas de los Andes and Chateau Cheval-Blanc. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec from the areas of Las Compuertas / Lujan de Cuyo. 13.5% alcohol, 18 months in new French oak, 12 months cellaring prior to release. Available in 750ml and 1500ml magnums. The 2002 vintage is definitely more “new world” than its predecessor. Bigger and fuller, it clearly shows its pedigree (2002 was an excellent vintage for Mendoza reds). Color is deep dark rubi-red, with a subtle nose at first…. But, as you play with your glass the nose “explodes” and shows its full power - hints of tobacco and red fruit jelly appear. On the palate, it provides a big mouthful that is intense yet not overpowering, no aggressive alcoholic kick that you sometimes find in new world young wines with “big wine” aspirations. Well rounded tannic structure, elegant and long finish. I find this “petite Cheval Blanc” will improve with further cellaring and age gracefully. After finding its older brother 2001 to be a little too French for my taste, this “wilder” 2002 is definitely finding its way into my cellar book.

Ive tried various of the commercially available products, with the same variable results posted above. As far as the adhesives used, I wonder if it would help loosen up things if you poured boiling water into the bottle first...? The idea of soaking the label first is good, but some labels dont live after you get them wet. I wonder if the heat from the boiling water would help any on getting the darned adhesive from losing at least some of its strength.

I guess my signature line says it all about where I stand on the "right" side issue, but on a more serious note, I think that the last 2-3 years have shown that Chile is better at making whites, while Argentina is now clearly ahead in the reds department. Of course, each side of the Andes has an exception to this rule. The coming of age of the Argentine wine industry is less than 10 years old, before that almost no wine was made according to current tecnological standards, and almost no wine was exported (at least not quality wine, lots of bulk and mass produced grape juice yes). This is in sharp contrast to Chile, where both the government and the private sector have a track record of at least 15+ years in making a market for Chilean wines abroad. Already in 1996 you could find mini bottles of Concha & Toro wine in the minibars of hotels in Hong Kong. Argentina currently produces a good list of wines of various price ranges that have decent cellaring potential. If one is willing to pay and enter the super-premium range, there are huge wines with decades of drinking potential. Some of the producers making these labels include: Catena Zapata, Achaval Ferrer, Clos de los Siete, Terrazas de los Andes, and Federico Benegas Lynch - just to name a few. In very recent history, some of the best known "gurus" of the industry have taken notice and focused on Argentina. Apart from Robert Parker´s comments on Malbec and its potential, one of the best known flying winemakers (Michel Rolland) has been focusing a relevant portion of his investments in Argentina - not only in Mendoza but also in the northern Terroir of Salta. Sure, one can discuss about the commercial interests behind many of these opinions, but in my view its beyond discussion that Mendoza is now recognized as a region that can and does produce world class wines. important note: In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Buenos Aires based wine merchant.

For fans of Dolium, there is a limited edition Single Vineyard, also known as Dolium Nobile. If you can get your hands on one, dont hesitate. As far as I know most of this wine was exported to the US (California market), although I know of a couple of cases that landed in the UK.

Escorihuela Gascon makes some good Sangiovese, it may be available in your home markets under the Miguel Gascon Label. The Familia Zuccardi estate mentioned above is most famous for its Tempranillo.

Another vote for Platter here. The guide is excellent, I always pick up the new edition when I visit South Africa. On a side note, two of my favorite reds from SA are the Rubicon and the Meerlust Merlot. I must admit that I have to still develop a craze for Pinotage, though.