Champagne, Blanco, Rosado, Tinto--en esta orden!

Happy Camper!

Ruben and I were invited to share in the Anuva Wine Tastings at the Rendez-Vous Hotel in where else but the expat gringolandia of Palermo last week. I've had the affiliate link at the top right of my blog for quite a while, but didn't have first hand experience. Now I can wholeheartedly recommend a couple of hours in the company of Dan Karlin, the founder, and Sarah of Anuva Wines who teach and share their knowledge of hard-to-find Argentine wines, as well as sharing generous pourings of the wines in question.

We tasted five excellent wines from the lower priced portion of their wine list which all sell for around $20-25 usd a bottle. You can purchase the wines on the spot or have them shipped. There was little pressure to buy.

The favorite of the evening was the Mairena Bonarda 2006, a delicious red at $20. The others were Hom sparkling, Carinae Torrontes, San Gimignano Syrah, Caluna Blend.

The experience is definitely for tourists, especially those from the U.S., and recommended at the beginning of their Argentina visit so they can know a little more before imbibing throughout their journey. The tastings are primarily given in English, but a Spanish option is available by request. We were lucky that ours was bilingual because of Ruben and a Brazilian couple. The other guests didn't speak English, so Dan stepped up to the plate and did double duty.

I had read on the website that tapas would be served that go with each of the wines, but as you can see from my photo the food is not Spanish tapas of hot and cold dishes, but just small tasty bites.

The tastings are held in the small lobby of the hotel, and it was a cozy and comfortable ambiance. I think it would be great fun to organize a tasting for your own group, or even as a birthday party.

Hotel Rendez-Vous

The two-hour tasting costs $46 usd/person, which is too high for the locals, but as part of a vacation "splurge" for those who want to understand the Argentine wine culture, which is little known outside the country, it's probably worth it. These are not wines you can pick up in Coto or your local Chinese supermarket, but boutique wines from small wineries with limited distribution.

If you decide to make a reservation to attend a tasting, I would so appreciate it if you use the link here Anuva Wine Tastings or the graphic link up top. Thanks--tangocherie gets credit that way.