- South American Wine -

Learn about agave based spirits from Mexico from one of our favorite aficionados. Join Nate, of Maverick, today for a free Tequila & Mezcal tasting!

Mark your calendars, because we're hosting a Champagne Event on December 14th with Laurent Perrier!

- South American Wine 101 -

Cheers to the great wines of South America! We love to see Sparkling Argentinean wine make a splash in the North Loop, and you can find the Alma 4 Blanc de Blanc poured at Porzana! Or enjoy this delicious traditional method wine made of 100% Chardonnay, with 30 months lees aging, in lieu of Champagne. The Alma 4 is elegant with toasty notes of lemon peel and white flowers — keep this sparkling wine in mind for the upcoming Holiday Season. The Alma Negra Brut Nature Rose is a beautiful dry sparkling wine, bursting with aromatics of rose petals, red berries and brioche. This sparkling rosé is the perfect way to enjoy Malbec, for those of you who do not enjoy drinking bold red wines.

There are so many delicious white wines produced in the cool, coastal country of Chile. Perhaps the light, crisp, and slightly vegetal Sauvignon Blancs are most recognizable, such as the Prisma Sauvignon Blanc. If you're feeling like an adventure, we love exploring the still white wines made from Pedro Ximenez — most commonly assocoiated with the Spanish dessert wine. We love the Mayu Pedro Ximenez which is a single vineyard, old vine, dry expression grown in one of Chile's highest elevation vineyards. A staff favorite is the No Es Pituko Chardonnay, a sulfite-free natural wine from the Curicó Valley. This unfiltered Chardonnay is creamy with notes of banana, apple, and toasted brioche.

To all you "glou glou" drinkers out there — don't overlook the juicy, low tannin red wines being made in Chile. The Weon Carignan is an organic wine made from 70 year old vines grown on granitic soils; it's juicy but with a distinct stoniness. The Mariposa Pais is a perfect detour for Gamay drinkers looking for bright red fruit. Rogue Vine Grand Itata Tinto is an organic Cinsault with uplifting acidity and notes of red berries and rose petal. The No Es Pituko Cabernet Franc is fresh and silky, featuring florality and black cherry.

There are so many amazing varieties to explore in Chile. The De Martino 'Vigno' Carignan is made from a 4.5 hectare vineyard planted back in 1955, creating a complex and structured wine. Vuelta E Mano Garnacha spends 12 months in French oak, resulting in a biodynamic wine with plummy acidity, backed by salt and smoke. Catalina Ugarte Pais is a new addition to the shop that we adore. This Pais comes from vineyards that are over 100 years old — a cerebral experience. Aromas of wildflowers, an herb garden, and red raspberries punctuate the velvety body of this wine. The Macatho Caña Dulce Cinsault is a low-intervention, biodynamically farmed, natural wine. This Cinsault is medium bodied with notes of cherry blossom, plum compote, and strawberry.

As you move inland from the coast of Chile, you enter the warmer sun soaked regions perfect for ripening thicker skinned grapes. The Pérez Cruz Cabernet Franc is elegant yet peppery and spicy. This wine spends 14 months in French oak, and has a beautiful structure. The Viña Marty Pacha Carmenere Reserva is a classic expression of this Chilean specialty. Pacha is full bodied, with great structure and silky tannins, peppery and black fruited. The Clos de Luz Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in selection massale planted vineyards. It's a perfect chocolate-covered-cherry Cabernet, with an iconic South American dose of pyrazines (greeness).

When it comes to Argentina, there are two benchmark producers we recommend any newcomer explore: Zuccardi and Catena. In terms of Malbec, the Zuccardi is purple in the glass with notes of black fruits, violet and granite. The Catena Malbec is more ruby in the glass, with notes of red plum, oaky vanilla, and tobacco. They both make a sweeping collection of wines, both white and red. The two most notable white grape varietals of Argentina are Torrontes and Chardonnay. Torrontes is an aromatic, dry white wine with notes of rose, geranium, peach and lemon zest. Pair this floral wine with heavily spiced foods such as curries! When it comes to Chardonnay, expect to find riper oaky styles. A great alternative to Californian or Australian Chardonnay!

While Argentina is best known for their Malbecs, there are brighter styles of red wine to enjoy as well. Viñedos Nicolas Catena Vino Natural Ancestral is made from indigenous Criolla fermented in amphora. This sulfite-free, lighter red has bright pomegranate and dried flower notes, with a mineral finish. Grown between 3,675 to 4,921 feet of elevation, Domaine Nico Pinot Noir is the world's first extreme high-altitude parcela Pinot Noir. Expect red berries with a spicy character of cinnamon and black pepper. The Escala Humana Livvera Bequignol is made from 100% single vineyard Bequignol grown in the Uco Valley. This is a great alternative to Gamay or Trosseu, with low tannins and cinnamon dusted cranberry profile. This is a rare grape to find, and we highly suggest seizing the opportunity!

French varietals that thrive in Argentina include more than just Malbec. Bordeaux grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc do well in Argentina, as does Bonarda — believed to have originated in the Savoie region. We love the Antucura Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of fennel, herbs, plum and black currant. The Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda is an organic red with bright juicy fruit balanced by earthy herbal notes. Fabre Montmayou Reserva Cabernet Franc is made by Hervé Joyaux Fabre, who was raised in Bordeaux in a family of wine negociants. His vision was of old vine, high elevation, wines made traditionally but without the use of herbacides. This Cab Franc shows juicy red and black fruits with a dash of mint.

Mendoza produces 85% of the Malbec produced in Argentina, and Malbec accounts for about half of the countries total wine production. There are dozens of delicious Malbec's to try on our shelves, but here are a few favorites to get you started. Familia Furlotti Malbec is a 3rd generation wine with punchy dark fruits and a silky texture. Mendel Malbec is a full-bodied wine with aromas of espresso and sweet French Oak, with dense flavors of plum, roasted herbs and mint. Catena La Consulta Malbec is a rich, well-structured Malbec with notes of spice, mocha, and raspberries. The Susana Balbo Crios Malbec is a fruity style with soft tannins, refreshing acidity, and a subtle influence of oak.

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