Trapiche winery is among the very first wineries I discovered when I began drinking wines from Argentina. A very historic estate with more than 130 years, I could not say no when offered a sample of two of their wines for this month’s #WorldWideTravel blogging group. I received two samples pictured above.

Getting the wines and tasting them reminded me of the incredible trip I took to Mendoza where the winery is located. That trip was in 2007 and the wines from Argentina have improved, grown more popular, and expanded in terms of their reach, breadth of grapes grown, and finesse. These two wines are a perfect example.

The Gran Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 which had been created for their 125th anniversary comes from vineyards in the Uco Valley.

Tasting Note:

Deep ruby red in color with notes of black fruit, oak, graphite, cedar, and broom on the nose. On the palate the wine was very full-bodied with medium + acidity, fine tannins, with medium to high alcohol. The wine had the same notes as those on the nose but also vanilla, plum, and a hint of mint. I thought they used the oak judiciously despite its permanence for 18 months in new French oak, and the wine had a very long and persistent finish. This wine could be opened in another 5 years. I may have to go get a bottle and add it to my collection. I would like to see how it evolves over time.

Pairing suggestions:

At 14% it did not overwhelm me but was too much for the Halloween candy I was eating it with, as would be expected. It would have been wonderful with a steak on the grill. Luckily the weather is warm enough for me to try that today.

When I did visit Mendoza years ago, I found that it was a beautiful little city that has been transformed by the popularity of Argentinean wines. It is also home to a fabulous restaurant where I had the best steak of my life, except for the one at Peter Lugar’s where I had my first solo dinner with my dad when I was 10 years old and literally wearing white knee socks…

Francis Mallman’s 1884 is a delight both for the ambiance and the food. Located in an urban winery Bodegas Escorihuela, it has been called one of the 10 best restaurants in the world. I had a succulent wonderful steak that melted into my mouth. This wine would have been perfect with that steak but my own on the grill will have to do.,

It’s hard to express how beautiful this region of Argentina is without being extremely cliche. While driving through areas that often look like parts of Italy, you are constantly aware of the gorgeous backdrop – the Andes.

I so much enjoyed revisiting Argentina through the wine that I am going to wait until tomorrow to post about the second wonderful wine I received, Unánime. Both Trapiche and the Unánime brand which is made by Mascota Vineyards are owned by Grupo Penaflor, an important Argentina company which has “3,200 productive hectares, wineries in six provinces, 2,900 employees and buys grapes from more than 700 independent producers annually,” according to the website. 

Here are the articles my fellow bloggers are sharing“
Join our chat on Saturday October 28, 11am-12pm Eastern Time on Twitter. You’ll find us at #WorldWineTravel.

• Camilla at Culinary Cam shares “From Soil and Sea to Sky: Miso-Glazed Squash and Salmon with Trapiche Medalla Chardonnay“
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Celebrating Day of the Souls with Carbonada en Zapallo and Trapiche Cabernet Sauvignon“
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares “Off The Beaten Wine Path in Argentina“
• Steve at Children of the Grape shares “The Dance of the Vine“
• Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog shares “Savoring Argentine Red Wines From Trapiche and Unànime with Roasted Mushroom Risotto“
• Deanna at Wineivore shares “Unanime and Trapiche Wines with Argentinian Inspired Tapas“
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “Not Just Malbec: Argentina’s Trapiche Cab Blend and Syrah Paired with Burgers 2 Ways”
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Pairing South American food and wine long distance“
• And here at Avvinare, I shared “Trapiche Fall Flavors For Halloween Celebrations”