We woke up early and packed our bags. A big day in wine country lay ahead of us.
Map in hand we set out for our first winery.

Exiting the city there is nothing. Sweet beautiful nothing. Just cows which we loudly yelled at  “ Moo cow Moo!” Turns out there are more cows than people in this country.

As you can see from these photos we have some prime cow butt and 2 delicious baby steaks.

num num

We wound down country roads until we neared our first wine visit. En-route we passed a man working in the vines. We pulled over to talk with him.
“Spraying for ants” with a toothless smile.
He showed us this destruction some had done to the vines…. Very impressive.
We asked what he was growing.- He gave us an overview of the vines and told us we could wander through them as we pleased. I don’t think I’ve seen Stu happier!

At this point the vines have no grapes only buds, which will flower in the coming months.

We thanked him and hoped back in the car heading to Marichal Bodega. This is a winery operated by 4 generations of family. We were given a tour and sat down for a tasting with one of the enologists, Juan Andres.

Uruguay is primarily known for growing Tannat, a thick-skinned inky grape that can stand up to Uruguay’s humid climate. We were surprised to find a pinot noir, complex with lots of earth and mushroom.

3 hours went by. Spending time at one or 2 wineries is the way to go.  You can stop and pick the wine maker’s brain and get to know some fantastic people. We tried 6 wines including a pinot noir, a pinot noir tannat blend, and a chardonnay pinot noir rose. (And yes mom Stuart spit out the wine and was perfectly fine to drive.)

Thanking him for a great tasting we took off down the road to our next destination. Vinos de los Vientos. This winery is run by a young couple, Pablo and Mariana. Their project intrigued us.

Originally Pablo’s grandfather, an Italian immigrant from Piedmont planted several traditional varietals like Barbaresco and Nebliolo, Pablo was now growing Guerzteminer and Amarone- not something you see everyday in South America!

He currently was turning over much of the vineyard and planting new vines. His style seemed to be pretty experimental, with some traditional flare. While focusing on his own limited production wines from quality grapes he also grows chard grapes to sell as bulk wine. (Good source of income to fuel creative projects)

We spent some time out in the vines with Pablo and his three crazy dogs. We watched one of his workers graft vines and observed the unique trellising system. In the production facility we learned the origin of the winery’s name “Wines of the Winds”. Located closer to the shore strong gusts sweep through the area. They have knocked over some of his barns and blown off roofs!

We made our way inside for the tasting which included a very nice assortment of meats and cheeses. We really loved the two reds served and the desert wines.

Heading back into the city we passed a family zooming down on their moped. SAFE!

Unfortunately our trip ended shortly after. With the nature of my job I never know when I will have a wine tasting. I was called back for work. Stuart and I parted ways as he went to meet his father in the north. I left pouty and seething with jealousy.

After a nice lazy Sunday rise at 12 pm Stuart and I made coffee and planned out our day. We felt a bit cooped up this week and jumped at Bruce’s invitation to take a day trip to Mataderos.

In English Mataderos translates to “slaughterhouse”. Mataderos is a section of Buenos Aires traditionally known for its live stock market and meat packing. Cattle were brought to Mataderos to be killed and shipped to other parts of the country. Some times Mataderos is refered to as the new Chicago.

Our day however had much more to do with merriment and gaiety rather than carnage and gore.

Every Friday and Sunday the neighborhood of Mataderos hosts a bustling street fair.

We descended into masses. Street vendors, artisans, and entertainers packed in around the center square as passer bys made there way through. Unlike San Telmo we saw far less tourists, mostly just Argentine families spending a day outside for great food and shopping.

We were surrounded by smoking grills, traditional song and dance, artisan wines, massive knives, leather goods, mate gords, trotting horses, leather faced toothless gauchos with riding crops the size of base ball bats. At one point we even saw a performer charging people $2 to beat a fake cat with a stick.

We stopped to watch dancers perform Zamba, a traditional folk dance. Couples line up facing each other stepping forward and back. Quick steps take them circling around eachother as the women playfully wave scarves above their heads.

Stuart and I were impressed by the quality of the crafts. Especially  the hand made leather bags and engraved knives. We wandered around admiring the artisanship before looking for the group. We were told “ 3 pm pink café on the corner.” And laughed when we discovered half the buildings are one shade of pink or another.

We found Bruce waiting on the corner of the hot pink café directly across from the band stand. We all agreed to be hungry and headed for the smoke. Mataderos is a great place for parilla. You can also find traditional foods from the province like tamahles (steam corned husks stuffed with xyz) and locro ( a delicious meaty white bean stew). 

We opted for churipans and an $8 peso bottle of Vino Patero, Cab Sauv. The vendor informed us they produce less than 4,000 liters per year. Fruity but better than what I could produce in my basement.

Much more talkative after having been satiated we made our way to the track. We missed the spectacle but Gauchos, which are essentially Argentine cowboys line up and bolt like bats out of hell towards the finish line. Each carries a small metal spear which at full speed they must pierce through a metal loop dangling from the finish line. They charge closely past grandmothers, bundled babies and clumsy children, very exciting.

As they wrapped up gauchos paraded around on their horse as a few children pranced around on ponies and mules. We even saw a dog riding a horse. We made our way back and finished out the afternoon with a beer at the hot pink café.

Thursday normally marks a trip to Nigel’s for his wine tastings.  However it was a guest tasting and the price was a little high and in an effort to save a little bit of money we just went out to dinner with Bruce instead.  Bruce brought along 3 of his classmates from Spanish class.  We returned to the same Peruvian restaurant that we ate with him the week before and between the six of us we ate one and a half chickens, a few pounds of French fries and salads and two bottles of Malbec that Bruce donated to the cause.  One of Bruce’s classmates was Canadian and she unfortunately was on the receiving end of a large number of poorly crafted Canadian jokes.  His other two classmates were Brazilian.  One of them spoke six different languages (in varying degrees, but 3 fairly fluently).  We talked a lot during dinner, much about comparing cultures, how men and women related and what to do in Buenos Aires (Ashley Edit: And mostly about how much Canada sucks.)
On Saturday we headed off with the intention of going to the modern art museum, stopping by the English book store and picking up a canvas for Ashley to paint of (as I hauled all her paints here for her and she has yet to actually touch them).  Unfortunately the modern art museum was closed for renovations, the English books store was a little pricey and low in selection, and the art store was closed.  Instead we purchased a book aimed at “young adults” in Spanish, and made a trip to a Parrilla that Ashley wanted to show me.  I obliged her request, and struggled through my greasily delicious blood sausage sandwich. 
We spent the afternoon butchering the Spanish version of “Artemis Fowl” out loud to each other.  Sunday we are planning to host an Asado, which we had to research both how to cook and what to cook.  The first answer was complex, as some parts you cook slow and some hot and fast, but the second was easy: everything.

Checking the weather report everything was a go for Sunday. Saturday night we sent invitations to some friends for an impromptu bbq on our terrace.

Sunday morning we set out for fresh pickings at our local supermarket. The butcher seemed skeptical of two eager Americans preparing an Argentine asado. Where were we going to grill? And what were we doing buying meat on a Sunday? Everyone knows the fresh kill is delivered on Saturday.

 He interrogated us some more as he portentously hacked at slabs of meat with his colossal gleaming knife. He filled the order giving us one last quizzical look before wishing us luck.

We turned the lock and Stu bolted to the terrace, setting to work immediately heating the coals. I took a second trip to the store for wine, beer, soda and other fixings. My absence left me in the dark about much of the grilling ritual. I returned to the smell of seared meat and the sound of Skynard.

We read online about cooking a few of the curious cuts. One site instructed the following “Lay meat on grill. Leave it alone and drink a beer. Finish beer, turn meat” Done.

By 2:45 Stuart had single handedly prepared a full Argentine asado. We relaxed a bit and chased Carlos around the terrace as we awaited the arrival of our guests.

We became nervous after an hour passed with no sign of our guests. Worse yet the sky darkened and it began to rain. We had enough meat for 10-12 people.

As we moved the food downstairs we became scared that the rain had deterred our guests. As we calculated ways to use up the meat during the week we heard the doorbell. Moments later our kitchen was filled. Bruce brought some of his friends including the Canadian, the Brazilians and his son. We uncorked the wine and carved the meat.

We had a great time and made merry in traditional 4^th of July fashion. The festivities carried on into the evening. We wound up at a near by bar called El Federal. Stu and I returned home proclaiming the day as a huge success.

After a long day of internet research on various segments of the international wine market and real estate in Beunos Aires it is nice to unwind with a glass of vino. Stuart is cooking a spicy curry dish to accompany our fragrant splurge on 2008 Domingo Molina Torrontes (retail $14.99 in the states).

Flashing back to last Thursday we attended Nigel’s (0800 vinos) weekly tasting which  featured 4 wines from Bodega Tapiz. We used our $25 peso credit to satisfy our curiosity for a recommendation from an aquaintence at  aprevious tasting. We strolled out with a bottle of the torrontes before heading to dinner at a Peruvian dive with our new friend Bruce, a sommelier from Denver.

Abasto is a historic tango barrio in Buenos Aires, with many Milongas and older buildings. Currently there are many Peruvian and Bolivian residents. This is no Palermo or Recoletta and makes for some of the best cheap eats in the city.

Bruce invited us to dine with his Australian friend at a traditional Peruvian grill. We noted the Brazilian SoapOpera playing on the 12 inch and the contrasting purple and red walls. But we ordered Pollo en brazas for 4 which included water, and massive heaps of salad and fries for less than 60 pesos total (about$4 dollars each). They even let us uncork our own wine free of charge, a bottle of Tapiz Sauv Blanc from Nigel’s cellar.

After the meal the weekend flew by. Friday we worked and then had a farewell party for Sophia, who departed for Germany yesterday. Saturday Stuart and I went to Belgrano to Barrio Chino. On our walk across the train tracks we observed a very Argentine phenomenon; fast approching train, agressive cars… The man featured here hoisted the saftey barrier to let honking Portenos pass in haste across the rails to Av. Libertador.

As you could imagine this part of town is home to many Chinese immigrants and is one of the best places for spice shopping. We enjoied a nice stroll through the neighborhood and bought a bundle of curries, peppers and herbs. Stuart explained his love for Dim Sum on Sundays in North Carolina as he nibbled (destroyed) a 6 pack of pork dumplings. Someday we will return to try the slow cooked chicken feet.

Sunday we considered a day trip to San Izidro but decided it was wiser to stay home and work. For Anuva we have been conducting a lengthy market study on trends in wine consumption and sales.

We recieve some happy news this week. My brother in-law’s sister, Sarah is getting hitched. And in two weeks Chip, Stu’s dad will be in Buenos Aires for business… we can’t wait. Most of tonight will be spent getting excited for his visit.

Cuisine and Vin Every year Buenos Aires has a wine event called Cuisine and Vins. This year it was last week and we attended half for pleasure, half for work. This meant of course that we had to go twice to get a full visit of fun out of it AND to get a full visit of work out of it, since we are such responsible young adults (and the free passes helped as well.) For an event called Cuisine and Vin one notice an incredible lack of Cuisine, which seemed to be represented by bread sticks, Olive Oil, a pasta stand and an ice cream stand. Mixed with the 50 different wineries, some of whom had wines that required a LOT of food to clear ones palate, and it was actually slightly a fault. The good wine however (here’s looking at you Dante Robino 2006 Bonarda) was really good; enough to make you wonder what producers of lesser quality wines were thinking putting their booths so close to the others. Eventually I noticed that cup size and amount of skin being displayed by the wine representatives was inversely proportional to the quality of wine that the booth had. As sexist as it is I started to focus my attentions on the stalls manned by balding men over 50, hopefully with a mustache. I actually worked out pretty well.

We really need to get better about the frequency of our blogs. Where to start, probably with something funny…

Saturday morning, or rather late Saturday afternoon Stuart and I woke up and set out on a misson. Operation “Eat Delicious Churi Pans and Find Stuart Pajamas Pants because Buenos Aires is Cold.” 

The original plan also included a stop over in the city’s Armory Museum, which unfortunately was closed.

We set out to Maipu Street where Stuart brought me to a whole-in-the-wall parilla, our favorite type of place.

He had passed the dive early in the week and insisted I try “The best churi-pan”.

For those unfamiliar with this delicacy a churi-pan is a typical street food in AR; spicy chorizo sausage grilled and placed lovingly in delicious bread, topped with chimichurry, Argentina’s tangy sauce.

He may have been right. The Churi pan was pretty good, even better with beer and the giant veal sandwich he ordered to go along with it. Grando total $22.50 pesos

(Stuart’s Note:  If you are not aware of what a “parrilla” is I will fill you in.  A parrilla is, in essence, a grill, and that is all that is necessary.  Some parrillas are sit down restaurants frequented by tourists, others are… not so much.  Some are single rooms, half of which are a giant grill, where the remains of various animals roast merrily on a carbon encrusted grate.  You order directly from the guy at the grill, and pay at the cash register.  If there is a place to sit down (normally in short supply, and occupied by grizzled Porteños gobbling meat, bread and beer) you may do so as you wait for your order.  There are a variety of things to order, but we stick to the Churripan (Chorizo sandwich) and sandwich de Lomo (Steak sandwich) though in this instance I ventured WAY off the reservation and got a sandwich de Milanesa (veal sandwich) for which I was rewarded with a giant sandwich, which ACTUALLY contained vegetables.)

With full bellies we wandered up Florida Street, avoiding the people hustling leather products and passing out flyers. After stopping in a few shops and listening to Peruvian Flute Players pipe out “Ava Maria” we found a pair on sale.

Upon check out we learned the 49 pesos pants were bottom to a set. The clerk returned with a traditional button up top, baby blue size XL.

Later that night after we returned home. I heated up dinner and forgot about our purchase. Looking up from the stove I noticed Stuart strutting into the room in full garb. I am not sure which description works better; 1. an over grown baby dancing around shaking his butt or 2. a tired old man in grandpa-jamas. Either way hysterical.

During the time between pajama shopping and our return home we headed to Las Canitas. We had some time to kill before my 7 pm in-company tasting for Anuva. So, we walked around the neighborhood I mentioned once before, this time armed with cameras. We stopped into the Natural Deli, an organic restaurant/ whole foods shop/ yoga studio.

At 7 we met up with Daniel and Lourdes. The tasting was short only 9 wines, 6 were from Lourdes’ trip to Salta. I tried my first Argentine dessert wine. The smell reminded me of Halloween candy or Mary-Jane caramels. At the end of the tasting we took 3 bottles including the dessert wine.

This weekend Stuart and I celebrated my birthday by going on a mini wine bar crawl. A while back the Washing Post featured an article on the best places to drink wine in Buenos Aires. Cero 800 Vinos is also featured in the article.  We followed the advice by mapping out our own tour. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042501367.html

Friday night we went to Gran Bar Danzon, the dark swanky bar I have visited multiple times. I was with good cause to return, I knew Stu would enjoy the extensive wine list. To conserve money we cooked dinner; a recipe from Lenny, Spicy Portuguese chorizo, kale and white bean soup.

Saturday I woke up early and went to the gym, using the pass mom and dad got me for my birthday. (Thanks!). With work this week I didn’t have much time to go.

Later that afternoon Stuart and I suited up to get ready for our tour. We aimed to visit 3 of the bars mentioned in the WP article.

The adventure started in Almagro a quiet neighborhood I had never been to. We headed to Disneo Liquido, a small wine bar which sells by the bottle. Glancing at the list we decided on a bottle of 2004 Petite Verdot by Don Baltazar. An unusual choice for Argentina but a wise one. We stayed for a long time letting the wine change and breathe.

Afterwards we walked to La Cava Jufre in Villa Crespo. I loved this place. We curled up in cozy velvet arm chairs and spoke with owner. We enjoyed two glasses of wine for 10 pesos each, once again having the place to ourselves.

Before we knew it 9 pm rolled around.  In order to make our dinner reservations we were unable to make it to the 3^rd and final wine bar. The Lobby Wine Bar will have to wait for another day. We had booked a table at the Armenian Restaurant for the Saturday dinner and show.

I had wanted to go for a long time. Every Friday and Saturday they put on a show with traditional dancing and food. There is a large Armenian population in Buenos Aires. The local cultural centers run the restaurant. All profits fund student trips to Armenia.

Check out the video on the bottom of this page to see the dances. http://www.armeniarestaurant.com.ar/shows.htm

Opa! As you would imagine with a few drinks in us we loved the show. Especially the elderly man with the bushy mustache dancing circles and high-kicking around the room.

At one point they called all the ladies to join in. We spun around a bit waving our arms seductively over our heads . Stuart laughed at my attempt to be mysterious and graceful.

He laughed until he was called the dance floor as well. The women folk knelt forming a circle around the men. As we clapped the men entered the circle one by one showing off their best moves like some sort of Armenian Soul Train.

Each got a few claps and a few laughs. When the time came my jaw dropped in surprise to learn that Stuart is a lord of the dance. He lowered to one knee and spun around executing several moves in perfect form. And although he received the loudest applause of all he refused the accept any of my compliments.

As Stu joined my side in the circle we watched the rest of the show, which included Ozuo drinking, money throwing. In the final dance the man with the bushy mustach swept up the money and made it rain. Then he took a giant shot before standing one-footedly on the glass and rotating 360 degrees.  Other memorable drinking dance moves included balancing glasses of Ozuo on the forehead and a nose dive to pick the glass up with his mouth, leaning back on to his shins and laying back on the floor to drink.

It reminded me of Paul and Vicki’s wedding how everyone dances together. We both agreed it was a lot of fun as we headed back to our table for dinner and desert.

The birthday was everything I wanted; a fun night out with my favorite boy, full of wine and wild dancing. I laughed when a waiter announced the birthdays that night; apparently women over 80 and I know how to live it up.

I never realized how many people are in Buenos Aires until a main subway line breaks down and 30,000 people emerge from the depths.

Around 6 pm I went to take subway line D from Catedral to Palermo. I wound up in the city center packed in with everyone else. There was no way out. You couldn’t move.

Throngs of people lined every block waiting for buses and traffic slowed to a snails pace.  If you felt like a yell now was the time.

I was surrounded by people screaming Spanish into their cell phones.

“Te pregunto a voz que puedo hacer?”  Talk about a nightmare, nothing more inconvenient than broken mass transit during rush hour.

I called my boss and told him the situation. He laughed and wished me luck. Thus began my taxi hunt. After 45 minutes of no luck I became aggressive.

I had my first cab fight last night. I stood my ground and yelled at a woman who tried to jump in front of me and steal my ride. I won and got in. Quickly afterwards I realized I may have  been better off walking to the other side of the city.

Fortunately my tardiness gave the wine time to breath and I arrive just before 8. We sampled 30 wines. Normally I spit but I drank in a few sips to ease my transit stress.

Tonight I met Nigel, whom I ignorantly referred to as “some fool on a bike” in a previous post. Turns out there is a lot more to his business than a bike and a few bottles of wine. Nigel is a Sommelier with a bike and a gorgeous wine cellar.

0800 Vinos delivers to their clients and hosts tastings near the Abasto shopping center. -I particularly enjoyed the novelty ponchos offered to guests to keep warm in the temperature controlled space.

The tasting was started with a few light and friendly party wines referred to as “credit crunch” values. About 20 people attended. We moved on the featured wines, Sur de los Andes. The wines were varietals wines with grapes from various sub regions in Mendoza.

My top pick for the night was the Bonarda. Very juicy, fresh blueberry bomb all the way. (Stuart try this wine) 45 pesos?

Earlier in the day I had gone to Starbucks with Sophia and Andrea. Just like old times. We drank large coffees and buzzed away on our own projects. It turned out to be a very productive morning. We worked for almost 4 hours before leaving for lunch. Andrea and I went to California Burrito Company which put me into a burrito comma, A beautiful lethargic hour ensued.