TS Eliot once said, “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice”. For 2009, let’s spice up that new voice by pairing Argentinean wine with spicy food.

Although Argentinean winemakers have been producing wine since the 1500s, they have only become popular in the States within the last few decades. Most of this popularity is due to the country’s success with the Malbec grape.

Originally grown in France, Malbec (also known as cot in Cahors, France) was often referred to as the “black wine” due to the deep colors of the grape and robust tannins. Unfortunately for the French, the weather in Cahor often caused the crops to deteriorate before the grapes were ripe. This prevented the grape from living up to its potential and it soon lost its luster among French wine makers. Today, the few crops that still exist are primarily grown as blending grapes for Bordeaux wines.

Thankfully, European explorers traveled to Argentina and brought this grape along with them. Vintners soon found that the warm sunny days and cool evenings of the mountain climate in Mendoza region allowed this grape to prosper and show its full potential.

Rich with color, robust with tannins and exploding with aromas of licorice, tar, and plum, Malbec has become a popular, inexpensive alternative for those seeking a “Big Red” to drink with their steaks. Many Argentinean cuisines often include various meats such as lamb, chicken and beef, so its no wonder this wine pairs well with steaks.

Since the Malbec wines are not quite as tannic and full bodied as a typical California Cabernet, we have some wiggle room to add a little spice to our steak sauces and supplement the spice in our meal.

When you’re ready to officially establish this as a spicy New Year, start by trying this easy to make authentic Argentinean Chimichurri sauce full of spice and flavor. Just cook up your favorite steak, pour this sauce on top and experience the extraction of the spices when you pair it with a Malbec wine. I found this recipe delicious with the 2006 Crios Malbec, but it should be delightful with whichever Malbec you choose.

I would be amiss not to mention that another wonderful, yet less spicy alternative is to simply throw some blue cheese crumbles on top of your steak and let them melt in your mouth with the smoothness of the Malbec.

Now that we’ve explored the wonders of the Argentinean Malbec, let’s discover another less known Argentinean grape. Torrontes is a light green aromatic grape that is only grown in Argentina. The two main regions that produce wines made with this grape are Salta and Mendoza.

The Salta region produces slightly different tasting Torrontes than the Mendoza region due to its higher altitude. In fact, Salta boasts vineyards with some of the highest altitudes in the world. This difference in terroir produces a Torrontes wine with higher acidity than those you’ll find from Mendoza. Regardless of which region, the aroma of these wines is abundant with scents of peaches, grapefruit and floral essences. Even though these smells are deliciously sweet, don’t be fooled, these light to medium bodied wines still finish dry.

These characteristics allow for Torrontes wines to be enjoyable on their own as well as being paired with food. In regards to spicing up our New Year, try a Torrontes as a compliment to spicy Asian, Thai or Mexican cuisine.

Interestingly, due to the slight differences in acidity and sweetness the results of the same grape from the different regions will leave us with different pairing outcomes. For a quick at home taste test, whip up some nachos (don’t forget the jalapeños) with my favorite guacamole recipe and try it with of Torrontes from both Salta and Mendoza. I recommend the 2006 Don Rodolfo Torrontes from Salta and the 2008 Norton Torrontes from Mendoza. The higher acidity in the Salta wine upholds the spiciness and awards your meal an added kick. Alternatively, the sweeter more balanced finish of the Mendoza wine offsets the spices and lessens the impact of the spice rather than pronouncing it.

No matter how spicy you want your year, may its language bring you joy and happiness.

Salute!

Tags: Argentina Wines, Malbec, Spicy food and wine pairing, Torrontes

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