Most wine gurus are familiar with and have imbibed in French, German and Italian wines. In the 1950's wine books covered two countries, France and Germany. At times Spain, Italy and Portugal would be discussed together. The United States and Australia usually weren't covered but times have changed and wine is made everywhere.

My mother-in-law was an Argentine Italian who introduced us to her heritage. What interested me most is the wine. Her nephew, Carlos, was a student here in the states, and would visit us when he was traveling to and from school. When he returned to school from Argentina he would always bring us bottles of Argentinean wine. This was our introduction and from the first bottle he opened for us we became appreciative of the Argentinean vineyards.

Argentina ranks fifth in wine producing countries worldwide. The people of Argentina consume an average of 10.4 gallons of wine per person yearly. They rank eighth in world wine consumption. Argentina is the fifth largest wine producer in the world. However, they made wines that very few people besides the Gaucho and his friends have ever tasted. The reason is that until recently Argentina consumed almost all the wine it produced.

Argentina's healthy thirst, for their unacknoledged wines, had more to do with its consumption than the quality of the wines. Argentina produced robust coarse wines enjoyed by the Gauchos on the trail. They were simple, ordinary and very cheap, and that's how they liked them. Influenced by fate, politics and society, things changed in the late 20^th century. Drinking wine in Argentina began to drop, and by 1997 the Argentinians consumption of wine dropped to 1-.4 gallons per person per year. By the 1990's when Argentina was economically and politically stable for the first time in decades, wineries like other businesses were in desperate need of capital and new markets.

Argentina looked to its neighbor Chile for a solution. Chile had reinvented its wine industry by improving the quality of its wines, recreating some to fit international tastes, pricing these wines higher and then exporting them. Argentina's progressive wineries followed suit. The changes in the Argentinian wine industry has been slow but steady. Large wine companies in France and the US are beginning to invest in Argentina. Consultants were hired to modernize the Argentinian wines. They are purchasing new oak barrels and temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks that are essential to modern winemaking. A group of modern, higher quality and higher priced wines emerged. Many of these modern wines are aimed almost entirely at affluent export markets - the US. An example of one of these wines is Iscay, a malbec-merlot blend.

The most important Argentinian wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec and Torrontes. Argentina. They are produced in four major wine regions. Mendoza the leading wine region is the heart of the Argentinian wine industry. All the important wineries can be found there. The regions that follow Mendoza importance are San Juan, La Rioja and Salta Mendoza lies directly east of Buenos Aires, on the foothills of the Andes about 1000 miles in from the Atlantic Ocean. 360,000 acres are planted with grapes making Mendoza quite a bit larger than Bordeaux, France. The most famous grape in Mendoza is Malbec, which is more successful here than it is native Bordeaux. The Mendoza Malbec has a bold structure and density rarely found in wines made from Malbec in Bordeaux. It is the reason less than 10 percent is used in Bordeaux wines and in Argentina Malbec is powerful enough to be made into wine on its own or with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The second wine region is San Juan. Because it is hotter than Mendoza being farther north, temperatures reach 110 degrees f. Due to the heat, the grapes planted are a lower quality and end up as grape concentrate. The concentrate is exported to Japan or used as a base material for distilling brandy.

La Rioya is the oldest wine producing region and it specializes in white wines made from Torrontes grape. The Salta Region also specializes in wines from Torrontes grapes as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. Rio Negro in the cooler south is known mostly for white and sparkling wines.

Argentina is primarily a red wine country. About 60 percent of the red wine production are more imposing and flavorful than white wines. However, from the white grapes the most fascinating is the Torrontes. This grape grows almost nowhere else in the world. Torrontes grapes make wine that is flowery and aromatic. Many of the top Argentinian wineries are focusing on good-value Chardonnay. An important wine is the Cabernet Sauvignon that is almost structured like Bordeaux. Argentinian wines are labeled according to their variety.

Let's familiarize ourselves with some excellent Argentinian wines. A white wine from Bodega Lurton-Torrontes-mendoza which is a Light, Floral Torrontes with fresh litchi and tangerine flavors. Bodega Lurton Chardonnay with baked pear and crème brulee flavors.

For a red wine try Bodega Norton Malbec (100% Malbec) from Mendoza. Full of the flavor of juicy red berries and aromas - Simple and rustic. Bodega Y Carias De Weinert-Cavas de Weinert-Mendoza - (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% malbec, 10% Merlot) - A complex wine with sweet, full, blackberry flavors, infused with vanilla, cigar box and saddle leather aromas. This is the bodega's most expensive wine. It would sell for three to five times more if from France or California.

The Argentinians celebrate beef. It is their national culinary treasure. They eat beef in every form- breaded, fried, rolled, stuffed, chopped, grilled and roasted. The word for roasted beef is asado but everyone recognizes it as a barbecue. Argentine beef is lean with a true beef flavor, attributed to the fact that the cattle feed on grasses as they roam over large portions of land, rather than being fattened in feed lots and fed growth hormones. Which wine do they drink? Malbec of course!

Culinary Staff Takes Lunch Break

Various meats charcoal grilled unless you are on the Papas where the Gaucho grills it from a wood burning fire. Generally grilled are different cuts of beef and sausage. The beef cuts include New York steak, beef ribs, shoulder steak, blade steak, rump and the cuts go on and on. At times other meats will be grilled with the beef and the sausage. Of course, Malbec is the wine.

Part of Argentina's Italian influence, like veal cutlet Milanese- 2 pounds boneless top sirloin steaks cut 1/4 inch thick slices, 3/4 cup flour for dredging, oil for frying, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1&1/4 cup breadcrumbs, about 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese optional, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 clove garlic chopped, salt & pepper to taste, 3 to 4 tomatoes sliced, about 1/2 pound mozzarella shredded, 1 lemon wedge per person.

Preheat broiler

Place the flour in a shallow pan, whisk the egg and the milk together in a bowl, place the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper to taste in another shallow pan. Heat a large frying pan with approximately 1/4 inch of oil (while cooking add more oil if needed). Dredge the steaks in the flour, dip into the egg mixture and then coat them with the crumb mixture. The oil should be medium high. Carefully add the breaded steaks to the hot oil and brown on both sides, 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Place the browned steaks on a baking sheet pan. Top the steaks with the tomato and the mozzarella cheese. Carefully place the steaks under the broiler approximately 4 inches from the flame for about 4 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with the wedges of lemon.

Argentina's Sangiovese is perfect with this Argentine Italian meal.

Crillo De Pollo- everyone has a favorite chicken soup and this is a great soup from Argentina.

2 large onions coarsely chopped, 3 chicken breasts, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 3 bay leaves, 2 quarts chicken broth, 2 large potatoes cut into chunks, 5 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces, 3 ears of corn cut into 1 inch slices, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro.

Preheat oven 400 degrees

In a roasting pan spread 1/2 the onions, put the chicken on top and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the dried thyme and bayleaves and the garlic on the chicken. Cover with the remaining onions. Drizzle about 1 &1/4 cups of chicken broth over all. Roast until chicken begins to brown on the edges about 30 minutes. Place onion, garlic, herbs and chicken with skin removed in a large soup pot. Deglaze the roasting pan with chicken broth and add it to the pot. Add the remainder of the broth and the potatoes to the pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes and then add the carrots and the corn and cook for 25 more minutes. Remove about 1/2 the potatoes from the soup and roughly mash them and return to the soup. Beat the egg yolk, the cream and the cornstarch until well blended. Slowly pour the cream mixture into the soup while stirring and blend well. Serve and add the chopped parsley and cilantro to the dish.

Torrontes is a great accompaniment to this soup. Enjoy!

Flan Argentina

My mother in law had her way with making a flan or as she called it Crème Caramello Argentina

Simmer 1cup sugar and 1/4 cup water slowly in a sauté pan stirring until all is smooth to make a caramel sauce. Pour the caramel sauce into a baking dish or into 4 individual ovenproof custard cups.

In a mixing bowl place 1 cup or a can of condensed milk, 1 cup whole milk, 6 whole eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. With a wire whip mix all ingredients thoroughly and slowly pour over cooled caramelized sugar. In a roasting pan place about 3/4 inch of water to make a water bath. Put the baking dish or individual custard cups in the water bath and bake in the 350-degree oven for 1 hour to 1&1/2 hours. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle and it should come out clean when removed. Chill in the refrigerator. Remove from baking dish onto a pretty plate to serve.