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Posts Tagged ‘Argentina’

Week 22: What to Eat with the Belasco de Baquedano "Llama" Malbec

01 Feb

So J and I totally had an ambitious plan for tonight’s meal.  We were going to recreate the Sorrentini de Lomo (handmade steak-stuffed ravioli) with a mushroom cream sauce.  It was going to require an entire day’s worth of cooking to get the meat fall-apart tender, and we were fully prepared to dedicate our Sunday to doing so. 

What derailed this brilliant plan, you ask?  B&L’s wedding, of course.  (Congrats, guys!)  Let’s just say that we had a bit too much fun at the wedding, followed, of course, by a couple more drinks with Malka* and R at the Viceroy, just up the street from the wedding venue, Casa del Mar. 

After laying on the couch all day nursing a couple of major hangovers, it was clear that the Sorrentini de Lomo boat had sailed, so we decided to alter the plan a bit.  We weren’t prepared to totally give up on the fresh pasta, however, so we ended up with fresh Tagliatelle with Mushroom Ragu.  Not a bad Plan B, huh?

Ingredients:
2 extra large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 pound wild mushrooms (shitake and oyster work well), sliced
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Belasco de Baquedano “Llama” Malbec

Preparation:

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Saute the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent.  Add the carrot and celery, season with salt and pepper and saute about 5 minutes.  Season the pork and beef and add to the skillet.  Once the meat has browned, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes or so before adding the tomatoes.  Add the wine, cover and turn the heat down to low.  Simmer for as much time as you’ve got (this is a great sauce to start early, as the flavors will just continue to melt together into wonderful layers of yumminess).

Put the flour in a food processor.  Lightly beat the egg and stir in about 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the egg mixture to the food processor and pulse to combine, scraping down the sides a couple of times.  Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball, kneading until smooth.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Take a palm-sized piece of dough and flatten it out a bit, dusting with flour if it’s too sticky.  Using a pasta roller or rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as possible and then cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch wide strips (tagliatelle).  Cook in a large pot of boiling salted water.  The pasta will cook quickly (it’s done when it rises to the top), so make sure to set the table before you put the pasta in the water.  As the pasta finishes cooking, remove from the water with tongs and place in the sauce, stirring to cover the pasta completely.

Sprinkle with fresh basil and Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese and serve with crusty grilled bread and a simple salad.  Yummmmmm……

Cheers!!

* Malka and I went to law school together.  Her bf, R, went to law school with B, the groom.  I had no idea she would be at the wedding, and it was SO great to catch up with her….

 
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Posted in Argentina, Belasco de Baquedano Llama, fresh pasta, recipes, red wine

 

2008 Punto Final Malbec

30 Jan

Wine writing is an interesting thing.  Wine writers (myself included) can sometimes go on for days about a wine’s bouquet, aroma, flavor profile and mouthfeel and still barely give their readers any realistic idea of whether they will like the wine or not.  In addition, some argue that the tendency of wine reviews to describe wines as, for example, “smoky” or ”leathery” or having notes of “spice box” or “blackberries” actually influences what readers themselves taste.  I suppose my thought on all of this is that I think wine reviews are helpful to the extent that you agree with them, but they should not prevent you from coming to your own conclusions and developing your own opinions about a particular wine.

Take the 2008 Punto Final Malbec, for example.  Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it 90 points and described it as follows: “The unoaked 2008 Punto Final Clasico contains 97% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc aged for 10 months in stainless steel. It was sourced from own-rooted vineyards over 50 years of age. Made in a late-harvest style, this deep purple-colored wine reveals a nose of spice box, incense, and black cherry. Layered and rich on the palate, it conceals some ripe underlying tannin that should allow the wine to provide pleasure over the next 4 years. It is an amazing fruit bomb for $10! ”

Now, while I do certainly get some exotic spices and dark fruit on the nose and palate and can definitely detect the tannin, I would not call this wine a “fruit bomb” (a descriptor that I would reserve for wines such as this one).  And to be honest, although this is certainly not an offensive wine, I’m not sure I’d give it 90 points either (WA seems to be giving away those 90-point scores like candy these days…).

All in all, 3.5 corks popped….

Of course, should you like to come to your own conclusions about this wine, you can fine it at wine.com for $11.99/bottle.  And if you decide to try it, please let me know what you think!!
Cheers!!
 
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Posted in 3.5 corks popped, Argentina, Malbec, Punto Final, red wine

 

2006 Belasco de Baquedano "Llama" Malbec (UPDATED 1/29/10)

27 Jan

It turns out that Bertrand Bourdil (the former winemaker at the famed Mouton Rothschild) really does deserve all of those 100 point ratings he’s received from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate…

Made from grapes picked from vines that are over a century old along the foothills of the Andes mountains, the 2006 Belasco de Baquedano “Llama” Malbec is a true “old vines” wine with concentrated flavors and complexity rarely (if ever) found in younger vines.  Inky purple in color with a deep aroma of blackberries and dark plum and great, round flavors of dark fruit, slate and spice, this wine has the balance and complexity one hopes for in a wine.  Pleasantly dry with a long, smoky finish, this wine is great on its own and even better paired with food.  I tasted it with an Italian Sausage, Red Onion, and Wild Mushroom Pizza, and the heat in the sausage and earthiness of the mushrooms worked perfectly with the juicy fruit, delicate spice, and gentle tannins in the wine.

At just $11.99/bottle from K&L Wine Merchants, you’d be silly not to give this one a try… 4.5 corks popped!!

Cheers!!

UPDATE:  J, LoSo and I hit up Hal’s on Abbott Kinney in Venice last night for dinner, and, lo and behold, they have the 2006 “Llama” on their wines by the glass menu!!  You go, Hal’s!!

 
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Posted in 4.5 Corks Popped, Abbott Kinney, Argentina, Belasco de Baquedano Llama, Hal's, Malbec, Venice, red wine, review

 

2004 Monteviejo "Festivo" Malbec

26 Jan

Hailing from Valle de Uco, about an hour south of the city of Mendoza, the Monteviejo “Festivo” is 100% Malbec aged for 6 months in new French oak.  Not surprisingly, then, it has massive amounts of dark ripe fruit characteristic of Malbec - blackberries, blueberries and black plums – on the nose and the palate followed by an extremely dry finish as a result of the time spent in new oak.  (Aging wine in oak, especially new oak, imparts tannins from the wood into the wine, which is often what causes that drying sensation in the mouth.)

Though it opened up and mellowed out a bit after having some time to breathe, there just seemed to me to be something a bit unbalanced about this wine.  The fruit on the palate was massive and “jammy” (my first sip literally tasted like I had taken a spoonful of blackberry preserves), and then the fruit just dropped off a cliff, leaving me with an intense dryness on the palate.  In short, while this wine definitely provided an interesting experience for my palate (and J and I had no problem finishing the bottle), I personally prefer my wine to take me on a ride that feels a bit less like a wooden roller coaster.

All in all, I have to give this one 3 corks popped….

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in 3 corks popped, Argentina, Malbec, Monteviejo Festivo, red wine, review

 

Week 22: Argentinian Malbec

26 Jan

With a great week of Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon in the rear view mirror, it’s time to move along to that country’s fabled Malbec grape.  Though Malbec originally hails from France, where it is one of the grapes approved to be utilized in Bordeaux blends, it has developed quite an Argentine identity, especially in the past few decades.  Typically characterized by its dark, inky color and fruity, almost jammy flavors, Argentinian Malbec is not a wine for the faint of heart (or palate, for that matter).  So, without further delay, please allow me to introduce this week’s contenders for CorkPopper Wine of the Week.

First, we have a 2004 Monteviejo “Festivo” Malbec from Mendoza, which garnered 91 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and is available at K&L Wine Merchants for $11.99/bottle.

Next, we have a 2006 Belasco de Baquedano “Llama” Malbec, also from Mendoza.  This bodega (winery) utilizes the talents of winemaker Bertrand Bourdil, the former winemaker at Mouton Rothschild – one of only two people to receive three 100 point scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.  I couldn’t help but be curious as to what he could do with a South American Malbec that sells for just $11.99/bottle at K&L.

Finally, is a 2008 Punto Final Malbec Classico 2008, which received 90 points from the Wine Advocate and is available at wine.com for $11.99/bottle.

As you can see, this week is (at least on paper) about as close to comparing apples to apples as I’ve managed to get here at CorkPopper.  I can’t wait to see how these apples taste!

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in Argentina, Belasco de Baquedano Llama, Malbec, Monteviejo Festivo, Punto Final, red wine

 

Week 21: What to Eat with the 2006 Andeluna "Winemaker's Selection" Cabernet Sauvignon

24 Jan

There are few things more Argentinian than a big, juicy steak.  Indeed, Argentinians consume more beef per capita than any other population – almost 150 pounds – and Argentina is the world’s third largest beef exporter after Brazil and Australia.  In short, there was simply no question that we had to do a steak dinner at some point during Argentina month, and it is Cabernet Sauvignon week, so, well, …. duh. 

Argentine steakhouses (parillas) are quite an experience – steaks the size of your head accompanied by a myriad of tapas-style sides in cute little ramekins.  In other words, A LOT of food.  Excellent.  Cooking for three, of course, we couldn’t realistically do as many sides as you would get in a Buenos Aires parilla, so to accompany our steak dinner, we picked just a few of our favorites from La Cabrera, the famous Buenos Aires steakhouse that EVERYONE told us to go to (and they were right).  La Cabrera served cannelini beans with olive oil and pesto and marinated artichoke hearts – J and I made a cannelini bean hummus with garlic and pesto and creamy mashed potatoes with marinated artichokes and Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese.  My steak at La Cabrera came with Roquefort cheese crumbled over the top – J and I made a delectable blue cheese cream sauce that we drizzled over the steaks.  Accompanied with some marinated mushrooms, a simple salad and grilled bread, it was a perfect (and amazingly simple) meal.

The steak portion of the meal is quite basic.  Simply season your favorite cut of steak with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until done to your liking. 

For the sauce, reduce about 2 cups heavy cream over medium-low heat until thick and creamy.  Add about 2-3 ounces good blue cheese (try Roquefort or Point Reyes).  Season with salt and pepper and top with minced chives.  Serve in a gravy boat or ramekin so that people can drizzle as much as they’d like over their steaks.

For the hummus, chop a couple of cloves of garlic in a small food processor.  Add a can of (strained and rinsed) cannelini beans and a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.  Puree until smooth.  Stir in about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of pesto to taste.  Season with salt and pepper.  This stuff is great as a spread for your bread.

For the potatoes, peel about 4 russet potatoes.  Cut them into quarters and boil in salted water until tender.  Drain the water.  Mash the potatoes with a masher or hand mixer.  Add some heavy cream (about 1/2 cup) and unsalted butter (about 2-3 tablespoons) and mix well.  Season with salt and pepper.  Puree about 3/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts and a couple tablespoons of heavy cream in a food processor or blender.  Add about 1/2 cup grated Parmiggiano, the pureed artichoke hearts, and  some larger artichoke heart pieces to the potatoes and stir together. 

Yum….

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon, recipes, red wine, steak

 

2007 Dominio del Plata "Crios de Susana Balbo" Cabernet Sauvignon

23 Jan

It’s been a long, cold, soggy week here in Los Angeles.  Six straight days of rain is not only a foreign concept to an Angeleno but sort of depressing as well.  I mean, come on, we’re used to sunny skies and an average year-round temperature of about 70 degrees Farenheit!  So, you ask, how do I stave off Seasonal Affective Disorder when it’s pouring buckets outside, and the amount of time I spend outdoors in a day can be clocked with an egg timer?  Easy…. I curl up on my couch with a luscious glass of red wine and warm myself up from the inside out.  Good thing I’m smack in the middle of my week of Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon!

And so we have our third Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon of the week – the 2007 Dominio del Plata “Crios de Susana Balbo.”  Big and ripe with lots of dark ripe plums on the nose, this is a fruit bomb if there ever was one.  Though not entirely unpleasant, both J and I got quite a bit of prune juice on the palate, which would have been fine except for the fact that there isn’t quite enough minerality or acid to give it real balance.

In short, this wine did the job but just felt like it was missing a bit of complexity.  Not bad, certainly, but not great, and it’s my mission to find the great ones, right?

3 corks popped…

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in 3 corks popped, Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dominio del Plata Crios de Susana Balbo, red wine

 

2005 Finca Domingo Cabernet Sauvignon

22 Jan

Hailing from Salta in the northernmost reaches of Argentina, and made from grapes grown at over 6600 feet above sea level, the Finca Domingo Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely a mountain wine.  Indeed, although Salta lies quite near the equator at a latitude of just 24 degrees south (Egypt and Baja California are at 24 degrees north), this is about as crisp – dare I say light – an expression of cabernet you’re likely to find.

With lots of black cherries and fresh pepper on the nose, this wine smells like it’s going to be California-style and huge.  Interestingly, however, it’s relatively tame on the palate with a fairly balanced presentation of dark fruit, a stony minerality to balance it out, and a nice, long finish.

While all of this sounds great, I have to say that I was a bit bored.  There’s nothing wrong with the 2005 Finca Dominga Cabernet Sauvignon, sure, but there’s nothing really exciting about it either.  And although it’s a decent value at $14.99/bottle from K&L Wine Merchants, it doesn’t present the outstanding value of some other Argentinian cabernet.

All in all, 3 corks popped!!

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in 3 corks popped, Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Finca Domingo, red wine

 

2006 Andeluna "Winemaker's Selection" Cabernet Sauvignon Tupungato

20 Jan

If you are a regular CorkPopper reader, you know that Tupungato is a volcano that dominates the Uco Valley subregion of the Mendoza wine region in Argentina’s northwest.  At a latitude of 33 degrees south (note that Los Angeles is 34 degrees north) and an altitude of over 3000 feet, wines from this area of Mendoza benefit from being irrigated by meltwater from the volcano and enjoy remarkably moderate temperatures.

The 2006 Andeluna “Winemaker’s Selection” Cabernet Sauvignon is quite a nice expression of a high-altitude Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is a dark yet brilliant garnet color and has a nice aroma of dark berries and spice.  On the palate you get tons of that dark fruit and spice, yet there is a remarkable lightness as well.  Although it is aged in French and American oak for a short time (8 months), its tannic expression is not overwhelming and feels like it can be attributed more to the natural tannins in the grape skins and stems than the oak barrels.

In short, while this is not a spectacular wine worthy of collecting, there is certainly nothing wrong with it.  And in an age when there are thousands of wines on the market, that it something to be said.  All in all, at just $10.99/bottle, this wine is a steal.

For the value, I’ve got to give this one 4 corks popped…

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in 4 Corks Popped, Andeluna Winemaker's Selection, Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon, red wine

 

Week 21: Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon

18 Jan

This week we leave behind the Torrontes (I can’t tell you how happy J is about this) and head into some Argentinian reds – Cabernet Sauvignon, to be precise.  All three selections are under $15/bottle and while only one has been given a numerical score, they each sound delicious.

First, we have a 2006 Andeluna “Winemaker’s Selection” Cabernet Sauvignon Tupengato, which Robert Parker describes as a wine with “an easygoing personality.”  It’s just $10.99/bottle at K&L Wine Merchants.

Next, we have a 2005 Finca Domingo Cabernet Sauvignon from the Salta region, which means its grapes are grown at a much higher altitude than most Cabernet Sauvignon.  This one is just $14.99/bottle from K&L.

Finally, we have a 2007 Dominio del Plata “Crios de Susana Balbo” Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza.  Wine Advocate gives this wine 90 points, and it’s available at wine.com for just $12.99/bottle.

Cheers!!
 
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Posted in Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon

 
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