Trapiche Argentina Wines: Pairing BBQ With Bubbly (And Beyond)!

by: Anne M. Raso

Trapiche Wines--one of the biggest wine producers in Argentina with a 6,200 acre vineyard and top seller of Argentinean wines in the US--recently invited a few food and wine press to come to their office in NYC to taste some of their wine and chat with Carla Castorina, Trapiche’s Assistant Chief Winemaker. Wine was paired with both classic and edgier BBQ, courtesy of Hill Country.

While we journos and bloggers ate like we were going before the firing squad in a couple of hours, we got to heard about each of the eight Trapiche wines being served with Carla. The wines were paired with BBQ because Argentineans take their BBQ very seriously. Apparently, every Sunday in Argentina is spent slowly roasting whole cows and pigs for five or more hours--preferably on a mountaintop. Carla told us with a smile that her boyfriend won her over by barbecuing on the very high mountaintop of Tupungato on a particularly blustery day -- that's the general way the men are separated from the boys! (Apparently, the Argentineans also believe that a way to a woman's heart is through her stomach!)

Trapiche Malbec is what put Trapiche on the wine map in the US -- their #1 product in the US is Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec 2008 (incredibly only $9 a bottle) which recently pushed Trapiche Carietal Torrontes 2009 out of the top slot. My personal favorite (and the wine that started the party rolling last Monday) was the very "appley" Trapiche Sparkling NV (which is composed of a very unusual mix of 70% Chardonnay, 10% Malbec and 20% Semillon). This bubbly ranks high in sparkling wines under $20 in numerous epicurean magazines and websites. At our press event, this drink was paired with barbecued chicken wings, skillet cornbread with Ancho Honey, and chips & guacamole.

Some of the other unusual pairings of wines and BBQ grub included their aforementioned Oak Cask Malbec 2008 with Brisket, Longhorn cheddar macaroni & cheese, and confetti coleslaw, as well as the Broquel Malbec 2007 with Kreuz Market Sausage with Sweet Potato Bourbon Mash. Dessert time included Single Vineyard Malbec, Vino Domingo Sarmiento 2007 with bourbon pecan pie and Single Vineyard Malbec, Vina Fausto Orellana de Estobar 2007 with Ancho Chili Cherry Brownies.

We could barely stand up between all the wine and good eats...it was actually difficult to climb into a cab in the East 50s and come home the 20 or so blocks to write up this little review! All bloggers and press folks vowed to get together again at an Aregentinean BBQ next time (Buenos Aries at 513 East 6th Street was suggested) for Round Two of Trapiche imbibing -- not that the American BBQ offerings from Hill Country weren't sensational! We will definitely be there for the next wine pairings with our Trapiche logo aprons on (we were actually gifted with them on the way out of the door of today's gut-busting event)!

[Photos: Anne Raso/FinanceFoodie]