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VanityBA: Prodeo Lounge Wine Tastings

On August 3, 2010, In culture, lifestyle, tourism, vanityba, by laura
Prodeo Lounge & Suites

Grooving, Rhythmic & Delicious: Building on the success of recent events, Prodeo will soon offer weekly tastings.

Located on the border of Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood, Prodeo Lounge & Suites is situated in the middle of one of the trendiest areas of the city. The luxury boutique hotel, with it’s chic, dimly-lit bar and two-story restaurant headed by Chef Jeroen Van den Bos, epitomizes BA’s renaissance. The stark, modern interior is visually striking, yet manages to retain a certain warmth with its dark colors, delicate lighting and numerous water features scattered throughout. Music plays constantly throughout the hotel’s common areas, creating a distinct ambiance for each event. At a recent wine tasting at Prodeo, led by sommelier Laura Pietraccone, guests were treated to a variety of Argentine wines in a relaxed, comfortable environment, starting with a sparkling chardonnay-pinot noir blend. Next came a Torrontes, an aromatic white wine,  paired with salmon tartar topped with couscous of cauliflower. This was followed by a Chardonnay with a yuca-crusted duck croquette in a teriyaki glaze. Two samples of the quintessential Argentine varietal, Malbec, which were paired with Cuban meatballs in a light ginger-and-cumin-infused tomato sauce, rounded out the tasting. The service was impeccable, with a small army of waiters and bartenders gliding seamlessly through the room, allowing guests to completely focus on the experience.

Prodeo will begin offering weekly wine tastings in the near future priced between $80 and $150 ARS. Prodeo Lounge & Suites is located at Gorriti 5374.  Look for a lifestyle feature on Prodeo in the upcoming edition of InvestBA Privada.

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Quality Trumps Quantitiy in 2010 Harvest

On May 18, 2010, In energy & agriculture, foreign investment, lifestyle, wine & vineyards, by InvestBA
Harvest 2010

Production was down, but the 2010 vintage is already being compared with '02. (Photo: Die Guito)

“Better Late Than Never.” That’s how Wine Spectator describes the 2010 harvest in Argentina, a year marked by a slow sugar start, some potentially-damaging weather fluctuations and, ultimately, a lower level of wine production compared to 2009. But fear not, the finished product is still outstanding. “Argentinean winemakers are pleased with lower alcohol levels and ripe tannins which they believe have produced an elegant vintage,” writes James Molesworth. That’s the general consensus from the various winemakers interviewed by WS including Bodegas O. Fournier, Achával-Ferrer and Bodega Catena Zapata. Yields were down anywhere from 10-25% for most of the vineyards in Mendoza, but the lower alcohol levels have produced some beautifully-balanced tempranillos and syrahs. Across the border in Chile, Molesworth says the 2010 growing season was hurt by the earthquake, although some “cool-climate varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir” fared well. In other regional wine news, one Chilean producer hopes to boost sales by reaching out to a unlikely group of oenophiles: football fans. Concha y Toro, Chile’s largest exporter of branded wines, just inked a deal with the UK’s Manchester United and will begin advertising alongside Budweiser at home games in the legendary club’s Old Trafford stadium. A Man U rep tried to explain the deal’s synergy, “This is a partnership that unites the two great passions in Latin America: football and wine.” Despite the enthusiasm and Concha’s creative attempt to reach more Asian buyers, we’re not anticipating a Malbec Lounge at the Monumental or Tuesday Tastings at the Bombonera anytime soon. (Wine Spectator 2010 Southern Hemisphere Harvest Report)

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New Argentine Reds Seduce Canada

On April 15, 2010, In foreign investment, lifestyle, wine & vineyards, by InvestBA
Canadian festivals like Montreal Passion Vin are bringing more Argentine reds to market.

Canadian festivals like Montreal Passion Vin are helping bring more Argentine reds to market.

While the U.S. is scheduled to become the world’s largest wine-drinking market by 2012, the neighbor to the north isn’t lagging behind. “Canadians might have a new passion to add after hockey: being wine connoisseurs,” the country’s Financial Post opined early last year.  As one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for wine consumption, Canada is an important export destination for many Argentine vineyards. Canada also offers an interesting case study in the maturity and increasing diversity, both in terms of blends and geography, of Argentine offerings abroad. While lower-priced malbecs and malbec-shiraz blends from Mendoza helped fuel a 27% increase in wine consumption from 2003-07, Canadian wine connoisseurs are starting to discover the joys of Bonardas, Torrontes, Tempranillos, Pinot Noirs and even Cabernet Francs produced in other Argentine regions like San Juan and La Rioja to the north and Neuquén to the south. (Map) Canadian wine critics from Edmonton to Montreal weighed in this week with their recommendations which focused on these newer, pricier blends from Argentina. The geographic expansion beyond Mendoza bodes well for foreign investors looking to produce unique blends in the sandy soil of Salta or the cooler climes of Neuquén. While experimental vineyards  have been producing wines in these regions for less than a decade, the results have been phenomenal. Wine Spectator’s Matt Kramer confirmed this with a recent journey to Salta and an excellent review of several southern bodegas titled Into the Patagonia Desert.


Read more: http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1238220#ixzz0lB7ulkMV

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Grapes of Wrath: Napa’s Loss, Argentina’s Gain

On March 9, 2010, In foreign investment, real estate, wine & vineyards, by InvestBA
Napa vineyards like this one have struggled while Argentina growers gain market share.

Napa vineyards like this one have struggled while Argentina growers gain market share.

There’s nothing like a recession to test the limits of discretionary spending and consumer willingness to downshift to more affordable products and services. This has been especially true for U.S. wine lovers who, according to Bloomberg’s Dan Levy, are often passing up Super Premium and Ultra Premium wines in favor of “cheaper imports from countries such as Chile, Argentina and Australia.” In light of shifting preferences, the Wall Street Journal recently featured a video taste test of several “good $10 bottles of wine”…many of them malbecs from Argentina. To be sure, 2009 was a banner year for the Argentine wine industry where—despite the recession—global exports actually increased 10% to $585 million while U.S. sales jumped 20%.  Sales of bargain wine imports have had an impact on Napa Valley where Bloomberg says land values have fallen 15% since 2007 and no fewer than 10 wineries will change hands this year in distressed sales. Still, don’t expect the recent drop in Napa’s property values—average price of $150,000 per acre planted with red varietals—to erode Argentina’s attraction for foreign investors and wine enthusiasts. For the same $150,000,  you could buy a 7-acre vineyard in Mendoza complete with five-year old malbec grapes, Internet access and homesite with underground utilities for your private villa.

For more information about investment opportunities in Argentina wine country, send your inquiry to in@investba.com.

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New Year’s Resolution: Drink More…Malbec That Is

On December 31, 2009, In lifestyle, uruguay, wine & vineyards, by InvestBA
The Wall Street Journal examines the meteoric rise in Argentine malbec's popularity.

The Wall Street Journal examines the meteoric rise in Argentine malbec's popularity.

With 2010 only hours away, it’s time to start making some serious resolutions for the New Year. But rather than the usual “Lose Weight, Save Money, Join A Gym” jibberish, why not make a resolution you will actually stick to. “Why“ you might ask? Because #1) It’s delicious, #2) It’s good for your health, and #3) It’s good for your wallet. Give up? Drink More Malbec. Anyone who has tasted a good malbec understands #1, no less an authority than The Mayo Clinic validates #2, and the Wall Street Journal recently explained #3: Good Argentine malbecs only taste expensive. To prove it, The Journal’s wine experts sampled over 50 reasonably priced malbecs and shared The Best of the Best with readers online. (Click the adjacent image to watch the video) The top selection was the Altos Las Hormigas Malbec which they described as “tasting true, earthy, authentic, with nice acidity…and it’s only $10.99, so they’re basically giving it away.” And with the ongoing recession, that partially explains the meteoric rise of malbec and Argentina’s ascension to the #4 exporter of wine to the U.S. “These days we’re all looking for a good $10 bottle,” says the Journal’s John Brecher, “these are them.” After ALH, other top picks included Trapiche and Achaval Ferrer. So there you have it…compliments of Argentina, a New Year’s Resolution you will finally enjoy throughout 2010…and beyond!

Salud & Happy New Year from InvestBA!

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