Our dear friends, Melissa and Travis, put on quite a show. I mean, before this event, who the Hell knew what Argentina food was, even? Not me.
As for the wine....well, sure, we've all had Argentinian Malbec. But Argentina is more than Malbec, my friends.
Oh, as an aside note, Melissa runs her own cookie company; you may remember the cookies she made for our big wine event in 2015.
The best thing about her cookies is that they taste even better than they look!
She can make anything - I've seen some ridiculously hard designs - so if you are looking for a gift or party favors, check out her work on Facebook or Instagram.
If you don't do the social media thing and are interested in cookies, just leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post and I'll put you in touch with her.
Now, on to the food and wine!! The wines were all purchased from a BC Liquor Store so those of you who are local will have little trouble finding them.
Course 1:
Potato Soup with Avocado: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/recipes/potato-soup-with-avocado/article14857657/
Finca Los Primos 2015 Chardonnay ($10.99)Light, fruity aromas of citrus and peach. Citrus stays around on the palate, joined with just a hint of a buttery finish. A real good value at this price point. 88.
Many of the diners felt this was an excellent pairing with the food. I actually disagreed, thinking the wine went better without the soup (which was delicious, by the way).
Course 2:
Spiced Beef Empanadas: http://www.bcliquorstores.com/recipe/food/spiced-beef-empanadas
Finca Las Moras Reserva Tannat ($13.99)Intense dark berries, spice and jammy notes on the nose. Cherry, blackberry, baking spices and some coffee on the finish. Very nice and a terrific pairing with the excellent recipe above. 89.
Course 3:
Frijoles Burrachos (Drunken Beans): http://www.bcliquorstores.com/recipe/food/frijoles-borrachos
Michel Torrino Cuma Organic 2015 Torrentés ($12.49)Gewurztraminer-like notes of lychee, spice and white flowers. Tropical fruit, lychee and a touch of spice on the palate. Very nice and another excellent bargain. Excellent pairing with the beans! 89.
Course 4: The Main Event:
Gaucho-style steak with chimichurri sauce: - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/steak-gaucho-style-with-argentinian-chimichurri-sauce-recipe.html
Trapiche Terroir Series Ambrosia Vineyard 2012 Malbec ($41.99)Interesting nose features cassis, rhubarb and white pepper. The pepper is joined on the palate by earthy and coffee flavors. Look, I've been honest, Malbec is not necessarily my grape, but this one is perfectly decent and went well with the beautiful steak. Interestingly, it might have paired even better with the side of steamed carrots! 88.
Course 5: Dessert
Dulce de Leche Tiramisu: http://thelatinkitchen.com/r/recipe/dulce-de-leche-tiramisu
Mascota Mendoza Uco Valley 2012 Unanime ($28.99)A delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Light but expressive nose of cigar box and chocolate. Excellent structure shows promise for mid-term aging, but the dark berry and chocolate flavors are so good right now, it would be tough to leave it alone. Oh, and it went very nicely with the superb dessert. 92.
There you have it, what a fabulous night! The food was tremendous, the wine was universally excellent, and all except for the Malbec can be considered "BEST BUYS" as they give tremendous bang for your buck.
Next theme night will be in 3 weeks, at our place, as we take on a classic: Italy!!
Next up for the blog? Lots of catch up entries, plus two weeks from today we begin our experience with the Vancouver International Wine Festival! Going to be a spectacular few days. There will be lots to report on!
Thanks for reading, and I will leave you with this, one of my favorites from a rather famous film about this entry's host country:
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