Pick This Pair Of Affordable, Earth-Friendly Wines From Argentina

Affordability, outstanding taste, and organic grapes – that combination is hard to beat when shopping for wine. When uncapping two releases from Art of Earth, we were transported back to Argentina and the delicious wines we tasted in Mendoza. They delivered that winning combination.

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Art of Earth is a collection  of wines from the finest organic vineyards making wines within classic appellations. These wines are true to their origins and winemaking traditions without the use of pesticides or herbicides.

The range includes wines from Argentina, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The two we sampled were the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2022 Chardonnay, both from Mendoza.

We opened the Cabernet for a dinner of grilled steak and sauteed vegetables on the patio. This was an eye-opener, with fresh fruit flavors bursting from the glass. There were luscious notes of ripe cherries and red currants.

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This isn’t a complex wine, but it is eminently satisfying. The tannins are soft and smooth with a long finish. This is a wine meant to be consumed while young. That’s probably a good idea with organic wines in general, as their shelf lives are shorter.

Both the Cab and the Chardonnay have an SRP of $11.99. That’s an excellent value.

We opened the Chardonnay while playing some games with friends. The group wanted some wine and I poured the Chardonnay. Little did I know what would happen next.

Chardy Party with Art of Earth Chardonnay

Not only did the group like the Chardonnay, but a “ChardyParty” erupted with singing, dancing, and wine. They loved it.

This Chardonnay comes from an organic vineyard above 2,300 feet near the Andes Mountains, the snowmelt of which waters the vines. The crisp flavors are preserved by fermentation in steel tanks. There were bright notes of tropical fruits, pears, and citrus. There is a fullness thanks to malolactic fermentation.

In addition to being organic, these wines are vegan – just another reason to add them to your shopping list.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Argentina’s Achaval-Ferrer Raises The Bar For South American Wine

Finesse and style is propelling Achaval-Ferrer wines to international accolades and a new benchmark for South American wines. And yes, there is more to this winery than Argentinian Malbec.

Elevating Wine From Argentina

We love wine from Argentina. To confess, one of the reasons we do is the low price. You get a flavorful glass of grape goodness for just a few dollars. For some, the perception is that wines from Argentina are all just simple, fruit-forward bottles with no real sophistication.

That perception was crushed by our recent tasting of Achaval-Ferrer wines as part of the Wine Studio online education program.

Achaval-Ferrer was founded when friends Santiago Achával, Roberto Cipresso, Manuel Ferrer and Tiziano Siviero came together in the mid-‘90s to map out their plans for a winery. In 1998 the initial vision was realized with the purchase of a vineyard and their first crop.

From that beginning, Achaval-Ferrer has grown to a wine enterprise that spans 65 countries and is present on every continent. Malbec continues to play a leading role in their product mix which features three different lines.

Malbec As It Should Be

The Achaval-Ferrer winery is located in Luján de Cuyo, 10 minutes outside of Mendoza. Mendoza is the world epicenter for Malbec. Suitably, we started our exploration with the Achaval-Ferrer 2015 Malbec Uco Valley.

Complexity is the first impression upon sipping the 2015 Malbec. The wine is ruby red in the glass with earthy flavor notes. The tannins are smooth and help provide a nice structure – certainly due in part to the aging in French oak.

The long finish is a key element that elevates this above the commonplace Malbec. This has sophistication that is welcoming to any wine lover.

Cabernet From Argentina?

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the “most international” grapes. It grows in a multitude of countries and, as a result, there is a broad spectrum of styles. We sampled the Achaval-Ferrer 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon to get a reading.

Green Dragon whipped up a suitably sensational meal to pair with the Cab. We had Teriyaki steak with Asiago scalloped potatoes, braised kale and corn on the cob. The meal would have been delicious even without the wine, but with the Achaval-Ferrer, it was over the moon.

The Cabernet offered fresh fruit flavors in a medium body. The tannins are silky and the kaleidoscope of flavors included cherry cola and red licorice. The style is beautiful and flowing – a decided contrast to some tightly wound Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Double Blind Mystery

We wrapped up our tasting of Achaval-Ferrer wines with a blind tasting on World Malbec Day. Silly me – I assumed we would be drinking Malbec. We would, but only in part…

Two smartly wrapped bottles arrived for our tasting. In the kitchen, a thirsty Green Dragon was whipping up another tasty meal. This time she prepared a beef filet with mushroom sauce and Cajun potato wedges. There was black pepper aplenty – always a good match with Malbec.

We had two bottles concealed in tissue paper – one with lines and the other with triangles. As we munched on our dinner we compared the wines and participated in an online chat.

I was convinced that one of the wines was more vibrant than the other. Our host then mentioned that there were two different vintages. I asked Green Dragon to pull the corks, which had the vintages stamped on them, so I could make this a true blind tasting.
The wine was succulent and expressive, with acidity bringing life the the wine. Imagine my surprise when the wrapping was removed.

This was Quimera, Achaval-Ferrer’s premier blend. Not only that – but our host had mistakenly sent two of the same 2013 vintage. We were drinking the exact same wine, but were coming up with a hatful of qualities unique to each bottle. Luckily it was pointed out that each bottle is like a snowflake – just a little different than each other, even if they are the same vintage and blend.

Speaking of which, Achaval-Ferrer calls Quimera their warm-blend. It’s a mix of 50% Malbec, 24% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a soft, nuanced wine that is rich with floral notes. At $35, this is a showstopper!

If you thought that Argentina was simply fruit-forward Malbec, that myth has been busted! Achaval-Ferrer offers thoughtfully made wines that express the region and grapes used in a complex way. These are food friendly wines that pair perfectly with beef dishes or lighter entrees. They also offer a highly praised Cabernet Franc.

Allamand 2015 Cuvée Saint Jeannet, Mendoza

What? Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of the Saint Jeannet grape. We hadn’t either – until we tried this bottle.

Exploring The Unknown In Argentina

Occasionally we get the itch for a different type of white wine. When that happens, the itch must be scratched.

In this case I happened to spy this bottle in Walt Churchill’s Market for about $12. I said, “Why not?” and the bottle rested in the cellar for a few months.

When I retrieved the bottle to chill it, I noticed that this was not a run of the mill white. It was a special cuvée of a very unusual grape. I’ve never tried it before and I suspect I’m not the only one in the dark about the Saint Jeannet grape.

Saint Who?

Saint Jeannet is a grape that has its origins in France, where it is known as Gros Vert Blanc. We believe that Luminis Winery and Vineyards is the only commercial producer of Saint Jeannet or Gros Vert Blanc in the world.

This is a rare and almost extinct grape variety. It has been confirmed by DNA analysis that Luminis is indeed cultivating the rare Saint Jeannet grape. Cristian Allamand, the winemaker, and his father Raymond rescued the variety and have planted almost two hectares of Saint Jeannet. The 2015 vintage was limited to just 250 cases.

The Taste Test

All this unique and cool background doesn’t mean beans if the wine is no good. We were delightfully surprised with the fresh taste of Cuvée Saint Jeannet. It’s a blend of 75% Saint Jeannet and 25% Chardonnay. While the Chard is evident on the palate, this isn’t a Chardonnay driven blend.
It’s only 11.5% alcohol, and we’ve found that low alcohol wines are very food friendly (Riesling and rosé for example). There are clean, citrus flavor notes with a dollop of minerality. There are fragrant aromas of white flowers.

Green Dragon guessed this wine was Viognier, and it shares the delicate flavors and fragrance. As we sipped, the Chardonnay component became more evident in a pleasing way.

Apparently I bumbled into a bottle of wine made with an almost extinct grape. Lucky me! This is worth seeking out – and it won’t break the bank either at about $12.