Weekly wine update: Argentina and Chile

Today we finished up the wines of the Southern Hemisphere, focusing on (and only tasting) wines of Chile and Argentina. Our professor was joined by a friend (and I think a Cornell alum) who has worked as the wine selector for both Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. Thus we learned some interesting general facts about wine. If you are trying to match white wine to food, for example, a good rule of thumb is that you if your wine is crisp with citrus notes, serve it with food that would be good with lime, whereas if your wine is oaky and heavy-handed, serve it with food that would taste better with butter. We also learned that delicate wines (such as pinot noir) are often undrinkable within 24 hours, but heavier red wines can last several days. If you're looking for value, stray away from both chardonnay and pinot noir. Chardonnay is really popular, so wineries can charge more for it. Pinot noir is extremely difficult to grow and labor-intensive. Combine that with pinot's boost in popularity following the movie Sideways, and you can't find a good pinot for less than $15-$20.

Anyhow, regulations in South America are pretty lax, so there aren't many general tips to pass along. Again, the white wines are best consumed young. I enjoyed most of the wines we tried today, especially the sauvignon blanc (but again, most in the class didn't like this wine). The torrontes was also interesting. I felt the malbec was a little too jammy and that the merlot didn't live up to its "nose," but the cabernet sauvignon was tasty. I just don't seem to like chardonnay, no matter how I try it. I will say that the chard we tried today had a better balance of oak and fruit flavors than most I've tried.

So here's what we tried today:

• Torrontes, Bodega Lurton, Mendoza, Argentina, 2004 ($8)
• Sauvignon Blanc, Veramonte, Casablanca Valley, Chile, 2004 ($10)
• Chardonnay, Catena, Mendoza, Argentina, 2003 ($16)
• Malbec, "Alto", Terrazas de Los Andes, Mendoza, Argentina, 2003($11)
• Merlot, Dallas Conte, Rapal Valley, Chile, 2001 ($10)
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Puento Alto, Marques de Casa Concha, Chile, 2002 ($17)

And now it's time for me to get back to work...