Value and diversity in Argentina's wines

Argentina has been making wine since Spanish missionaries brought vine cuttings to the South American country more than 400 years ago. Through the centuries, the wine industry has steadily evolved to quench the growing demand of both the Argentine people and wine consumers around the world.

However, until the early 1970s, most of the wine produced was rustic in nature and intended mostly for domestic use. The wine landscape changed dramatically during the last decade of the 20th century, when the wine industry turned to an old standby, malbec, a grape varietal of French origin that was brought to the country in the mid- 1800s.

The rising popularity of malbec on the international wine stage, combined with a stable government and rebounding economy, was just what the Argentine wine industry needed to jump-start their exports. This permitted wine producers to begin to invest in modern winemaking equipment and bring some of the top winemaking consultants in the world to Argentina. As demand for Argentinean wines began to increase, producers expanded their plantings beyond the traditional torrontes riojano and pedro gimenez to include syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling and sauvignon blanc. But it is malbec that continues to be Argentina's wine mascot, particularly in the United States.

Today, Argentina has emerged as one of the most diverse wine-producing countries in the world, making affordable wines based on both old and new world techniques, with more than 600,000 acres of land planted to vineyards and more than 1,500 wineries producing almost 500 million gallons of wine per year. The Mendoza region, located in the center of the country, is the most prominent wine-growing area, producing more than half of Argentina's wine. Located just to the north of Mendoza are the regions of San Juan and La Rioja, where hotter, drier weather caters to spicier red wines. As Argentina's wine industry expands, many other fertile areas of the country continue to be explored and developed annually. Retail prices are approximate.

The 2009 La Linda Unoaked Chardonnay from Mendoza ($11) is a refreshing break from the over-oaked club. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, this wine features bright scents of green apple and white peach that are repeated on the palate where they are joined by flavors of pear and nectarine.

The 2009 Aymara Torrontes from Mendoza ($12) takes its name from the Aymara people who inhabited the Cafayate region of Argentina long before the Inca civilization. This aromatic white wine has a floral bouquet of white peach and acacia on the nose. The mouthwatering acidity keeps the flavors of peach, pear and papaya balanced between fruity and dry. The finish is long and persistent, with just a touch of orange blossom at the end.

Cabernet sauvignon is beginning to find its voice in Argentina and the 2008 Bodega Catena Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza ($15) is singing the right song for the money. Remarkably smooth and elegant, it offers a mouthful of flavors toward the blackberry end of the spectrum, with notes of dark plum and cassis in supporting roles.

Of course, malbec is the peg upon which Argentina's wine industry hangs its hat, and a very good example of that varietal is the 2008 Bodega Septima Malbec from Mendoza ($12). The bouquet offers up scents of blackberry and dried herbs while the palate features flavors of black plum, dark cherry and cocoa.

For a special treat, try the 2008 Bodega Septima Gran Reserva from the prominent region of Agrelo, in Mendoza ($23). This blend of malbec, cabernet sauvignon and tannat is powerful yet elegant with layers of black fruit, raspberry, licorice and warm dark chocolate on the palate. The smooth finish is balanced and lengthy, with just a touch of dark fig at the end.

Edible Tales in Buenos Aires

Edible Tales is a culinary concept that calls on diners to become active participants in ‘an unusually tasty experience’. The brainchild of food writers/ creatives, Rachel Khoo and Frankie Unsworth, Edible Tales is all about bringing strangers together in intimate pop-up events for a flash three nights. And after two successful runs in 2010 – one in Sydney and another in Melbourne – Edible Tales is now set to debut its first South American incarnation in Buenos Aires on February 25, 26, and 27.

This time, the theme is set to evolve around the history of writing, papermaking, and bookbinding. Along with Argentine wines, cocktails, and a four-course menu, diners can also expect a plethora of quirky touches (think, edible inks and palatable papers). So skip the tango and head to San Telmo for what promises to be a stellar – and unexpected – treat

WEDNESDAY BRIEFING: MEMPHIS, MARSEILLE, BUENOS AIRES

© Ron AngleMilos Raonic faces Fernando Verdasco in a rematch of Sunday's San Jose final.

MEMPHIS WEDNESDAY PREVIEW – ISNER-DEL POTRO, VERDASCO-RAONIC, HIGHLIGHT DAY THREE ACTION

There are four first round and two second round matches on Wednesday’s schedule at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships. The order of play includes No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco, No. 4Mardy Fish, No. 6 John Isner, and No. 7Yen-Hsun Lu along with wild cards James Blake, rising Canadian star Milos Raonicand former World No. 4 Juan Martin del Potro.

The first men’s match on Stadium is former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, who is making his second Memphis appearance (’09, SF). The 29-year-old Aussie takes on No. 7 Lu for the third time (tied 1-1). Hewitt is coming off a quarter-final in San Jose (l. to del Potro) last week while Lu is 0-4 on the season this year.

A first round doubles match follows with Xavier Malisse of Belgium andJamie Murray of Great Britain against the American wild card duo of Ryan Harrison and Andy Roddick.

In the third match, a second round encounter features Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, a quarter-finalist here last year, and Fish in a first-time meeting. Fish is playing in Memphis for the 11th straight year and he owns a 13-10 mark. His best results were the semi-finals in 2004 and ’07. He also won the doubles title in 2009 (w/Knowles).

In the evening session, the hottest young star on the ATP World Tour, 20-year-old Raonic, faces Verdasco for the second time in three days. They met in Sunday’s SAP Open final in San Jose and the Canadian prevailed in two tie-break sets to capture his first ATP World Tour title. Raonic has also made the biggest jump in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings from last year, climbing from No. 156 at the end of 2010 to a career-high No. 59 this week week. Raonic is making his tournament debut while Verdasco is here for the second year.

In the final match, del Potro and Isner, last year’s runner-up, meet for the third time. The 22-year-old del Potro has won the two previous meetings against Isner, in 2008 and ’09, in straight sets. Isner won the doubles here last year (w/Querrey) and is 4-2 lifetime in Memphis.

In a Grandstand match, Blake attempts to reach the quarter-finals as he takes on qualifier Robert Kendrick. Blake has won the two previous meetings (straight sets) in Delray Beach in 2007-08.

LET’S MEET AGAIN – For only the fourth time since 2000 on the ATP World Tour, players who met in a final and came back the next week in the first round are playing each other:

Final Meeting First Round Meeting
2011 San Jose Final Raonic d. Verdasco Memphis 1^st RD
2010 Casablanca Final Wawrinka d. Hanescu Monte Carlo 1^st RD
2007 Sydney Final Blake d. Moya Aust. Open 1^st RD
2003 Washington Final Henman d. Gonzalez Montreal 1^st RD

WEDNESDAY FED-EX HEAD 2 HEADS – In Order of Play

Stadium

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs (7)Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) Tied 1-1
09 Delray Beach (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Yen-Hsun Lu 7-5 2-6 6-2
10 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (U.S.A.) Hard R64 Lleyton Hewitt 6-4 4-0 ret

Hewitt FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: San Jose (l Del Potro)
YTD W-L: 2-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 28
Date of Birth: February 24, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 70

Lu FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 0-4
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: August 14, 1983
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 37

Lukas Lacko (SVK) vs (4) Mardy Fish (USA) First Meeting

Lacko FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 4-4
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: November 3, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 109

Fish FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 3-2
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: December 9, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 17

(WC) Milos Raonic (CAN) vs (2) Fernando Verdasco (ESP) Raonic Leads 1-0
11 San Jose (U.S.A.) Hard F Milos Raonic 7-6(6) 7-6(5)

Raonic FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: San Jose (d Verdasco)
YTD W-L: 8-2
YTD Titles: 1/Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: December 27, 1990
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 59

Verdasco FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
F: San Jose (l Raonic)
YTD W-L: 7-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: November 15, 1983
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 9

(WC) Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs (6) John Isner (USA) Del Potro Leads 2-0
08 Washington (USA) Hard QF Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4 6-4
09 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells Hard R16 Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6(4) 7-6(3)

Del Potro FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: San Jose (l Verdasco)
YTD W-L: 5-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 7
Date of Birth: September 23, 1988
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 298

Isner FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Auckland (l Nalbandian)
YTD W-L: 3-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: April 26, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 24

Grandstand

(Q) Robert Kendrick (USA) vs (WC) James Blake (USA) Blake Leads 2-0
07 Delray Beach (U.S.A.) Hard RR James Blake 6-3 6-2
08 Delray Beach (U.S.A.) Hard R32 James Blake 7-5 7-5
Other Meetings:
01 Aptos CH (USA) Hard R16 Robert Kendrick 7-5 5-7 6-2
01 Houston -1 CH (USA) Hard R32 James Blake 7-6(3) 6-2

Court 1

Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs Florent Serra (FRA) Tied 1-1
06 Adelaide (Australia) Hard F Florent Serra 6-3 6-4
08 ATP Masters Series Indian Wells Hard R128 Xavier Malisse 6-7(5)6-2 6-0
Other Meeting:
10 Bordeaux CH (France) Clay QF Florent Serra 6-3 6-4

MARSEILLE WEDNESDAY PREVIEW - MELZER'S TOUGH OPENER, LJUBICIC & TSONGA PLAY TOO

Three of the 20 best players in the world will be in action in Marseille on Wednesday as the first round wraps up and the second round begins at the Open 13, an ATP World Tour 250 indoor tournament.

First up on Centre Court is No. 5 seed Ivan Ljubicic against Andrey Golubev. Ljubicic has fallen first round at this tournament the last two years but is playing well right now, coming off his first semi-final of the year in Rotterdam; meanwhile, Golubev lost first round in his only previous appearance here and is on a four-match losing streak. Ljubicic also won his only previous meeting with Golubev, just over a year ago.

Second up is an all-unseeded, all-French affair between Arnaud Clementand Edouard Roger-Vasselin. Clement is playing here for the 14th time and is a former champion here, winning the title in 2006; Roger-Vasselin hasn't had the same longevity here, this being his second main draw here (in his first, he fell first round). This is a first-time ATP World Tour meeting, with Roger-Vasselin winning two of three Challenger meetings.

Third up is No. 6 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against Sergiy Stakhovsky. Tsonga reached his first final since 2009 just last week at Rotterdam, finishing runner-up to Robin Soderling. Another title he won in 2009 came right here - he in fact has a strong 8-2 lifetime record here. He won his only meeting with Stakhovsky in two sets at the Australian Open in 2010.

Fourth up is a battle between former Top 10 players, Nikolay Davydenkoand Gilles Simon. Davydenko, a former No.3 now ranked No.39, is 1-5 lifetime at this tournament; Simon, a former No.6 now ranked No.33, is playing here for the first time. Davydenko won their first meeting but since then Simon has won four in a row, including one last fall.

Last on Centre Court is No. 4 seed Jurgen Melzer against Andreas Seppi. Melzer inched back to No. 10 in the world this week, his second career week inside the Top 10 (his first came right after the Australian Open). Melzer fell first round in his only previous appearance here in 2006, although that was to a very strong player (current Top 10 playerFernando Verdasco). Seppi has won three of his five meetings with Melzer though.

Out on Court 1, No. 7 seed Ernests Gulbis faces Philipp Petzschner. It is a first-time ATP World Tour meeting but they have played twice in the Challengers and Gulbis has won by 61 62 and 63 60 scorelines.

WEDNESDAY FED-EX HEAD 2 HEADS – In Order of Play by Court

Andrey Golubev (KAZ) vs (5) Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) Ljubicic Leads 1-0
10 Australian Open (Australia) Hard R64 Ivan Ljubicic 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-3

Golubev FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 0-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: July 22, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 42

Ljubicic FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Rotterdam (l Tsonga); QF: Zagreb (l Dodig)
YTD W-L: 6-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 10
Date of Birth: March 19, 1979
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 14

Arnaud Clement (FRA) vs (Q) Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) First ATP Meeting
Other Meetings:
08 Surbiton CH (Great Britain) Grass QF Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5 6-4
10 Cherbourg CH (France) Hard QF Arnaud Clement 7-5 6-1
10 Bordeaux CH (France) Clay R16 Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2 6-7(6) 6-3

Clement FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: December 17, 1977
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 104

Roger-Vasselin FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 0-2
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: November 28, 1983
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 122

(6) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) Tsonga Leads 1-0
10 Australian Open (Australia) Hard R128 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 6-4 6-4

Tsonga FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
F: Rotterdam (l Soderling); SF: Doha (l Federer)
YTD W-L: 9-3
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: April 17, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 16

Stakhovsky FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Sydney (l Gulbis)
YTD W-L: 5-4
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: January 6, 1986
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 43

Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs Gilles Simon (FRA) Simon Leads 4-1
07 ATP Masters Series Hamburg Clay R32 Nikolay Davydenko 6-7(5) 6-4 7-5
07 Umag (Croatia) Clay R32 Gilles Simon 6-2 2-6 6-3
07 New Haven (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Gilles Simon 6-4 6-4
09 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati Hard R16 Gilles Simon 6-7(6) 6-4 6-4
10 Valencia (Spain) Hard QF Gilles Simon 6-4 6-7(5) 6-3

Davydenko FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
F: Doha (l Federer)
YTD W-L: 4-3
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 20
Date of Birth: June 2, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 39

Simon FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Sydney (d Troicki)
YTD W-L: 6-3
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 8
Date of Birth: December 27, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 33

(4) Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs Andreas Seppi (ITA) Seppi Leads 3-2
07 Bucharest (Romania) Clay R32 Andreas Seppi 4-6 7-5 6-4
09 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Clay R64 Andreas Seppi 6-2 6-0
10 Rotterdam (The Netherlands) Hard R16 Jurgen Melzer 6-2 6-2
10 Hamburg (Germany) Clay SF Jurgen Melzer 6-4 6-2
10 Umag (Croatia) Clay QF Andreas Seppi 6-1 6-4

Melzer FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 4-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 3
Date of Birth: May 22, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 10

Seppi FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: February 21, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 47

Court 1

(7) Ernests Gulbis (LAT) vs Philipp Petzschner (GER) First ATP Meeting
Other Meetings:
06 Austria F1 (Bergheim By Salzburg) Carpet SF Ernests Gulbis 6-1 6-2
06 Eckental CH (Germany) Carpet F Ernests Gulbis 6-3 6-0

BUENOS AIRES WEDNESDAY PREVIEW – WAWRINKA, MONTANES, MONACO, CHELA AIM FOR QUARTER-FINALS

The second round of the Copa Claro kicks off on Wednesday, as eight players, four involving seeds, do battle for the first four quarter-final berths at the ATP World Tour 250 clay court tournament.

First on Estadio Central is No. 4 seed Albert Montanes of Spain againstFabio Fognini of Italy. Montanes is playing here for the 10th year in a row and last year at the age of 29 recorded his best ever showing at the event, making the semi-finals. He has split two career meetings with Fognini.

Second is No. 8 seed Juan Ignacio Chela against Horacio Zeballos in an all-Argentine battle. Chela won the pair's only previous ATP World Tour meeting, last year on the clay courts of Houston, and is playing here for the 11th consecutive year, his best previous results being semi-finals in 2002 and 2008.

Third up is No. 2 seed Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland against Victor Hanescu of Romania. This is Wawrinka's first time playing Buenos Aires and he’s off to a career-best 10-1 start. In the first round he was pushed to the limit, getting by Carlos Berlocq in three sets; he has won his last two meetings with Hanescu handily but the series is tied, 2-2.

Last on Estadio Central is No. 5 seed Juan Monaco against Eduardo Schwank in another all-Argentine encounter. The two have never met on the ATP World Tour but they have met at one Futures event way back in 2003, right here, and Monaco won that one in straight sets. Monaco has won 13 of his last 16 matches at this event, including a title run in 2007.

WEDNESDAY SECOND ROUND FED-EX HEAD 2 HEADS – In Order of Play

Estadio Central –

Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs (4) Albert Montanes (ESP) Tied 1-1
08 Costa Do Sauipe (Brazil) Clay R16 Fabio Fognini 7-5 6-3
09 Bucharest (Romania) Clay QF Albert Montanes 6-1 6-1

Fognini FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Santiago (l Robredo)
YTD W-L: 4-5
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: May 24, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 55

Montanes FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-3
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: November 26, 1980
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 25

(8) Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) vs Horacio Zeballos (ARG) Chela Leads 1-0
10 Houston (U.S.A.) Clay SF Juan Ignacio Chela 7-5 6-2
Other Meetings:
09 Campos Do Jordao CH (Brazil) Hard SF Horacio Zeballos 6-4 3-6 6-2
09 Cali CH (Colombia) Clay SF Horacio Zeballos 7-6(3) 6-4

Chela FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Costa Do Sauipe (l Almagro); QF: Santiago (l Giraldo)
YTD W-L: 6-4
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 6
Date of Birth: August 30, 1979
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 35

Zeballos FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Santiago (l Starace)
YTD W-L: 2-1
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: April 27, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 97

Victor Hanescu (ROU) vs (2) Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) Tied 2-2
04 ROM v. SUI WG 1st RD (Romania) Clay RR Victor Hanescu 6-3 6-7(3) 6-3
08 Gstaad (Switzerland) Clay SF Victor Hanescu 6-3 3-6 6-4
10 Casablanca (Morocco) Clay F Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 6-3
10 ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Clay R64 Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 6-4

Hanescu FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-4
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: July 21, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 56

Wawrinka FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Chennai (d Malisse); QF: Australian Open (l Federer)
YTD W-L: 10-1
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 3
Date of Birth: March 28, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 15

(5) Juan Monaco (ARG) vs Eduardo Schwank (ARG) First ATP Meeting
Other Meeting:
03 Argentina F1 (Buenos Aires) Clay R16 Juan Monaco 6-2 7-6(6)

Monaco FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 3
Date of Birth: March 29, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 30

Schwank FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-4
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: April 23, 1986
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 111