A Tale of Two Wineries
The Andes mountains are the 7,000 km. “spine” of South America spanning seven countries. Argentina and Chile have thriving vineyards and a wine industry largely thanks to this shared dominant geographical feature. Torreon de Paredes Winery is located on the west side of the Andes in Rengo, Chile (about 100 km south of Santiago) and Melipal Winery is directly across the Andes in Argentina (about a 45 minute flight) on the east side near the city of Mendoza. The Andes, and its water run-off captured by the wineries, are the difference between desert and thriving viticulture. I recently had the privilege of viewing firsthand the vineyards and care-filled viticultural practices that mark these two wineries (a few pictures of each winery can be viewed here).
Melipal Winery
I arrived in Mendoza first. After 24 hours of travel I was ready for one thing: an Argentinean steak. Thus began 4 days (and five steaks) of experiencing amazing local cuisine and, of course, Argentinean Malbec wines. I knew from my experience of the Melipal Malbec 2006 (ID# 6952) and Melipal Malbec Reserve 2006 (ID# 7405) in Saskatchewan that the Melipal Malbecs were hugely satisfying and food complimentary, but Argentina proved that a good Malbec wine is as food versatile, if not even more so than a good Shiraz. Malbecs can cross a wide spectrum of meats and tuber vegetables and pastas and varied styles of cooking. Huge, dense dark fruit that fills the palate and tangos with all manner of dense and flavour-packed foods but with surprisingly non-obtrusive tannins - the gentle giant of reds.
Melipal (from an Argentinean First Nations word meaning the constellation, “Southern Cross”) is the dream and reality of accomplished Argentinean agriculturalist, Ignacio Aristi. Ignacio wanted to enter a sector of agriculture that would allow for involvement from start to finish, planting to the finished product. Around 2000 he found some significant established vineyards with eighty year old Malbec vines, then began to apply himself to the development of the very best vine stock, vineyard management, and talented viticultural team including some of Mendoza’s most celebrated winemakers. Part of the talented team is Ignacio and Marie Aristi’s two daughters and their son-in-law. Meticulous in their organic operation, the results have been impressive. Wine Spectator placed Melipal as one of Argentina’s “10 Wineries on the High Road to Quality” (30/11/06). Melipal has since wracked up the points. But most significantly (for me) has been the way the Melipal Malbec and Melipal Malbec Reserve have been enthusiastically embraced by Saskatchewan red wine appreciators. If a person is unfamiliar with the Malbec grape and wants to know what a Malbec wine should taste like then lead them to a standard setting Melipal Malbec. After a recent evening of Malbec tasting at a Saskatoon wine club, one organizer reported: “The two Melipals were the last ones to be tasted - good thing because their intensity was matched by few others....Very nice.”
Torreon de Paredes
No Chilean winery has been more committed to Saskatchewan over the past six years than has Torreon de Paredes with Javier de Paredes having visited Saskatchewan five years in a row. So visiting Javier and his brother Alvaro at the winery was something of a dream come true. After a 1 1/2 hour ride from the airport to the winery, Javier and I sat down to a late evening beautifully prepared three course meal of traditional Chilean fare, including the breath-taking Don Amado Special Reserve 1988! Something of the health and calibre and painstaking care that goes into the Torreon de Paredes wines showed itself in this bottle of 1988 - full, robust, yet delicate fruit and gracious tannins after 21 years! This Don Amado was a distinguished old gentleman of a wine that walked into the room and quietly commanded respect…perhaps much like the founder Don Amado Paredes Cardenas (1906-2000). The Don Amado Special Reserve 2005 (ID# 6037) available here has a long and rich history ahead - it comes from good pedigree.
The next day Alvaro and I toured the estate vineyards. We tasted the “sweet oil” of just pressed, non-fermented Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc and Gerwurtztraminer grapes used in the Torreon de Paredes Reserve Late Harvest (375 ml - ID# 5967), walked in the vineyards and sampled the upcoming releases, including the 2009 vintage of the soon-to-arrive Torreon de Paredes Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé (ID# 5800), the ultimate summer wine. I was impressed with the Paredes’ focused, hands-on commitment to grow and bottle only the finest expressions of what each grape variety can produce. I try to pay attention to what local wine writers/peers say about wines in their own countries. 2008 Descorchados (”Corkscrew”), Chile and Argentina’s most authoritative wine publication, ranked Torreon de Paredes Private Reserve Merlot 2006 (ID# 6618) and Torreon de Paredes Reserve Merlot 2006 (ID# 5783), number One and number Three of Chile’s many, many Merlots. Congratulations Alvaro, Javier and team. And congratulations Saskatchewan, feel pleased when you pick up both of these at under $20……..barbecues and friends will love you!
Your thoughts
If you’ve had a memorable occasion or food pairing with any of the Torreon de Paredes or Melipal wines, I would appreciate hearing about it. To make it worth your while, I will respond to your comments by sending you a quality Torreon de Paredes or Melipal corkscrew (as supplies last) - make sure I have your mailing address.
Take care.
Doug Reichel