Mendoza is a place full of life in summer: festival, tourists and buzz all around.

Vendimia is the vital city’s party, which celebrates harvest.

From weekly Tango meeting - where locals dance with whoever fells like taking part - to an open air cinema at the beautiful San Martin park- with stars, picnic and cigarettes allowed.

Summer seems to have its best here.

Last Saturday I took advantage of the good weather, after a sprinkle of rain, and had an asado (Argentine barbecue) at the patio of the hostel I was staying for the last month. It was in fact a “leaving party”, as I rented my apartment – finally.

To prove locals are not wrong, I paired the asado (meat, chorizo and morcilla – in this case) with the local specialty: Malbec.

However not just obvious combinations my experiments in Mendoza are made of. Last Friday I went to a “Chocolate and Wine Pairing”, where we had the opportunity to try some interesting matches, such as an Orange Flavored Chocolate (Rio Arriba, 62% Cacao, Ecuador) with Viogner (Lorca Poetico 2007, Bodega Mauricio Lorca) and, guess what?! It was divine! What a delicious surprise – literally - with the two of them embracing each other towards to a higher level.

Other good pairing was between an unexpected blend (Torrontes and Malbec) in a version of a fortified wine (Dona Albina Fortified, Bodega Familia di Tomasso) and an extra indulgence of chocolate (Lindt Extra Creamy, Milk Chocolate, Switzerland). The two of them had some lively similarities: the wine with a caramel hit and the chocolate was just as “dulce de leche” (if you don’t know what is that, you have to come to Argentina), however, dancing together they played their role smoothly.

A good match is like a fine dancer couple, both has to complement each other and to be in harmony and balance: Takes two to tango!

Salud,

Marcia

Since I wrote on this sort of blog, I was just back in Brasil.

Well, right now, I am already out of there again!

Not that I wasn’t busy last year, I think I just avoided writing and I’m not a great writer anyway.

I had much to say, I just thought I didn’t want to talk much publicly and as you know, there is nothing more public than a blog on internet.

Now I believe I need that, maybe to share how I feel or I just feel alone.

2008 was a good year of experiences and decisions made.

On the experiences side, I had some good ones and finally some of them were in the wine field – professionally.

Both of them made me rethink about on which part of the wine business I wanted to be.

Concerning at the decisions made, the most important was to find a job in a foreign country where I could work close to the wine-producer and live there – of course.

So here I am, away from home, looking after my desires and working to making my aims and dream to come true.

At this time, my journey wasn’t that far – at least I didn’t cross any ocean and I am still in South America.

In fact, I am in the city that I liked most during my round the world, which is Mendoza, Argentina: “Land of Sun and Good Wine”.

However, it took me I quite long ride to get here. So, this time, it is what I will be talking about in the next lines.

To make the decision of leaving my job and life in Brazil was not difficult as it was thought that never come out of my mind. To decide where to go next I had to consider many different aspects involved and all the answers leaded me to Mendoza.

It was a natural choice, since I loved city when visiting it; I very much I like they wine -that is one of the finest that South America produces; I felt quite comfortable in the “Argentine way of life”; it is not that far from home – not more than 3000 km and last but not least: it is one of the easiest places to get a work visa.

So, in the end of 2008 I quitted my job and had a time for “holiday” in Brazil that I used mostly to arrange my move to Argentina.

After a great festive end of year, I took a long trip to Mendoza.

Trust me when I say it was long!

First I took a flight from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre - South Brazil. Then a bus from Porto Alegre to Montevideo (12 hours travelling) and after 5 wonderful days spent in Montevideo, I made the last journey, by bus again, towards to Mendoza: 23-hours-journey at this time!

Uruguay

I arrived at Montevideo’s Bus Station at 8:00h on the 5^th of January and bought straight way my ticket to the following Friday to Mendoza.

After that all my eyes were on the beauty capital of Uruguay.

What a good surprise! Montevideo is really charming and welcoming place to be.

I stayed in the coolest hostel I have been, for that I mean well located clean, friendly, charming and very quiet. As it was located in the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town), it was easy to go anywhere interesting.

Mercado del Puerto is a must with all that Parillas lying gorgeously in front of you. My first Uruguayan Parilla experience was delighting: great food, nice atmosphere and good service– especially from the kind attention giving to the costumer from the “assador”.

The second one was OK and neither impressing was the “medio-y-medio” I had
(50% with wine, 50% sparkling wine), which was served carefully warm (urgh!). What I did like that dinner is called “chimmi-shurry”, a delicious sort of sauce that I learn to adore and keep it close to my casserole always since on. Even thought it is usually used only with barbecue.

Any case I had the chance to have a good experience with their wines. I contacted some wineries and for my luck one of the best ones replayed inviting me to visit them.

They gave me all directions to find them, which I did, in a small town called Progresso – a name not very justified for a little city where time seems to have stopped.

In this small town I found Pisano Winery and was welcomed by Daniel Pisano who was my host in the visit.

I must admit that I haven’t tried many Uruguayan wines before – even thought Uruguay is so close - just around the corner! However, the ones I tried left a good impression of what the country is able to do.

The winery had a diverse variety of wines in their portfolio and I had the chance to learn about their history, production and to try a couple of them.

I tasted ones from two of their range. The first one was named Rio de Los Pajaros (translation for Uruguay, from the Guarani Language, which means River of Birds) in a sparkling wine version made of Torrontes, very fresh, aromatic and lively wine.

The second one was a Reserva Personal de Familia, Petit Verdot, 2006, which I loved and I was so pleased to taste on of my favourites grapes in a well made Uruguayan wine.

I also bought another one, moved by a curiosity for trying a very unusual one: Rio de Los Pajaros, Red Sparkling Wine made of Tannat, which I opened in the very same evening at the hostel.

About this red sparkling wine I can’t say may best words, as I didn’t like it. Tannat doesn’t seam to be the best choice to make it as it is too hash and the tannins present don’t really fit well with the low temperature and freshness needed to spark my taste.

Anyway it was good to try.

Two days latter I left Montevideo, with a feeling of admiration for its hospitality and impressed for our cultural similarities: food, music, landscape and much more that I maybe didn’t have time to discover at full. The good thing of that is that it is not far to go back again: just 1 day-travel from where I am now: easy-easy.

Cheers,

Marcia Amaral