Mercado Vino

If Mendoza, Argentina, isn't the perfect place to grow grapes, it can't be far from nirvana. Less than one per cent organic matter in the soil ensures naturally low yields, while dry weather and complete control over the amount of water in the vineyard means the production of high quality grapes is as much about attitude as it is about altitude.

It seems as if everyone you meet in Mendoza is searching for the perfect spot or the perfect grape, and it's that total effort that will finally put Argentine wine on international store shelves - where it belongs.

Alas, a quick tour of the big three monopoly websites shows listings of Argentine wine to be sparse, and certainly not representative of the value they bring to the party. In Quebec, the SAQ lists a total of 89 labels - not a great deal in comparison to what you can buy from France (3968) or Italy (1168). In Ontario, an LCBO search brings up 71 listings (versus 2401 from France), while in British Columbia the BCLDB has 66 Argentine products in the marketplace versus 768 French ones.

By comparison, The Wine Cottage - run by Argentine native David Dienger - in Calgary, Alberta, boasts an impressive list of 60 Argentine wines. It's the best single collection in the country, and exactly what the private sector should be doing.

It's my opinion that Argentine listings should be ramped up across the country, allowing consumers to see for themselves what they've been missing. And so, you ask, if I were a retail wine buyer or category manager for a week, how would I shape the Argentina category and get it working for consumers? First, cue the dream sequence... add the soft music and the clouds.

To begin, I would get my butt to Argentina at least once a year and spend most of that time in the vineyards. I would consider enthusiasm and passion, along with quality and value, before I listed anything. And without a doubt, my prospective listings would make sparing use of gauchos, llamas, the tango or the Andes on their labels.

Malbec would easily top my buying list, and I see no reason why 50 malbecs couldn't be available immediately. I would reward the best value producers with a reserve listing, then pick off selected bottles from key locations, such as the higher sites in the Uco Valley, Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, or the hot - actually, cool - new area down south, Neuquén.

After malbec, varietal wine made from syrah, sangiovese, cabernet/syrah and even bonarda are all worth tasting, as are a smattering of merlot and cabernet sauvignon labels. The whites are also improving by leaps and bounds, led by chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and lately a bit of pinot gris.

My base value-brand picks would include Argento, Finca Flichman, Finca Los Primos, Los Cardos, J&F Lurton, Nieto Senetiner, Norton, Pascual Toso and Trivento, and through these producers you could explore syrah, cabernet/ syrah, bonarda and chardonnay, as well as malbec.

Okay, that's a start. If you haven't guessed it yet, I'm a firm believer that Argentina should be an important section in the wine shop. It has the potential to return dividends immediately to buyers, sellers and consumers alike. Best of all, the growth of an Argentine category will add substance and what I would describe as a much-needed patina to any retailer's list. Its flavours are new and different, satisfying the needs of the most modern, demanding and curious of wine drinkers.

After that, they still slip it into a brown paper bag. Some things never change.

Anthony Gismondi is editor-in-chief of Wine Access magazine and one of Canada's most influential wine critics. A top-rated writer, broadcaster and speaker, his expertise is widely acknowledged throughout the international wine community. A weekly columnist for the Vancouver Sun, Anthony is also co-host of the popular fast-paced live radio show called The Best of Food and Wine with food writer/author and Wine Access food editor Kasey Wilson. In 2002, he launched gismondionwine.com, a comprehensive wine website that contains a large and growing database of wines and stories chronicling his work and adventures in the world of wine.
This article originally appeared in the October 2006 issue of Wine Access magazine.