Star Argentine Chef Francis Mallmann brings his irreverent cuisine to Uco Valley.

Some people say that Uco Valley is the next argentinean Napa Valley...., do not know about that, but certanly the terroir and its extraordinary wines, the scenery of the Andes snowcapped peaks, the array of prestigious wineries and luxury lodges sprouting here and there lead to think that is going to be a very special place in ten years from now.

Among the projects that already are being very successful, is the wine related real estate project of The Vines of Mendoza. With its first face 250 acres estate sold out, second face being developed, where private investors can purchase their own vineyards, and make their own wine in the project´s common winery.

Such a place needs a nice lodge for people to stay and enjoy their parcels, so the finishing touches at The Vines Resort and Spa are in the works. And of course, such a resort needs a first class restaurant...

Francis playing with fire...

Francis Mallmann, South America’s most popular chef, abandoned the fussy fine-dining scene for the more elemental experience of cooking with fire from his native Patagonia. Mallmann returned to his culinary roots after being invited to serve dinner in 1995 to the world’s leading gourmets at The International Academy of Gastronomy, when he was awarded  The Grand Prix de l ´Art de la Cuisine.

Argentinisn culinary tradition at its best

His book, Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way is Mallmann’s first English-language cookbook, written with Peter Kaminsky. It showcases recipes inspired by campfires and cattle drives, harvest festivals and fishing camps, street fairs and family Sundays.

 

Siete Fuegos Restaurant at The Vines Resort and Spa: Now Francis Mallmann brings his irreverent cuisine to the Uco Valley. Siete Fuegos - the quintessential Argentine asado will showcase the best of Argentina, from beef to vegetables to seafood. These are the authentic tastes of Argentina and its fire touched by centuries of history and culture.
A table in the vineyards, fresh ingredients, irrigated with seven of the region's finest and most exclusive wines from winemakers Santiago Achaval & Pablo Martorell.

A TASTE OF THE MENU
Argentine beef empanadas.
Artisanal cheeses.
Salt crusted salmon with summer salad.
Roasted butterflied lamb with criolla (creole) sauce.
Grilled rib eye with chimichurri sauce and ember roasted vegetables.
Goat roasted with rosemary leaves and jarilla.
Dulce de leche pancakes served with grilled peaches and plums.
Coffee and tea.

Reservations required at 7fuegos@vinesofmendoza.com , www.sietefuegosasado.com

Dinner asados, cooking classes, and exclusive wine tastings are available upon request also.

Note: Rosell and Soler Premium wine and art tours offers exclusive private wine tours at Uco Valley with lunch at 7 Fires restaurant. For enquires please contact info@rosellsoler.com / www.rosellsoler.com

An Andes Day with Discover the Andes guides

Whether on foot, horseback, bike, or just from one of their 4 wheel drive trucks, if you are in Mendoza, a day in the Andes is not to be missed.

Discover the Andes expeditions, had devoted the last 25 years to guide visitors into this majestic range. This prestigious guiding service provides first class experiences on private only basis. Pedro Rosell, its leader, tells us a selection of his client’s favorite outings:

LA CARRERA PASS TREK:

"Paso de la Carrera" or La Carrera Pass is located SW of Mendoza City. To get there we must cross the first Andean mountain range, known as Precordillera, or Pre Andes Range. When we arrive to Potrerillos village, then we head SW, into the mountains.
Leaving behind both El Salto and Las Vegas oases, we drive up the pass on a dirt road to get to the trailhead. "Paso de la Carrera" is a high valley that sits at about 6.400 ft. (1.950 m) above sea level. Farming is a common activity and the area is famous for agriculture and breeding cattle. During summer time, "gauchos" (local cowboys) show their skills in festivals that are held regularly in the area.
As soon as we reach the highest spot of the road we start walking through paths printed by grassing cows and horses. During the first 30 minutes, the trekking is very light in order to warm up. From there on, we slowly ascent through soft hills until we get to the top of the range from where most of the Cordón del Plata (Andes Front Range) can be seen so close that can be nearly touched. Birds, wildflowers, fox, condors and guanacos (wild llama) are normally there to amuse the trekkers.  This is the best place to enjoy the picnic lunch. Returning to Mendoza City takes one and a half hours.

THE ROSENTHAL TRAIL:

This traverse from one valley to another follows an ancient native indian hunting trail, as they use to follow herds of guanaco (wild llamas).We departure Mendoza westbound on Highway 7, contouring the Pre-Andes Range, then highway turns northward following a valley that runs between the Pre Andes range and the Front Range, to the scenic village of Potrerillos, were a detour will lead us westward into the Front Range. We´ll go through the small green valleys of Potrerillos, El Salto and Las Vegas, then the road turns into a gravel path. Reaching 7.550 ft. of altitude, we´ll begin our trek, after a creek crossing. We´ll ascend on an animal´s pathway for an hour, reaching 8.900 ft. of altitude, were a traverse amid the foothills of the Cordón del Plata Range commences, with another four hours of open views of this range running north to south. We’ll come upon an area with a couple of small creeks with green shades provided by willows and poplars, which will host our picnic and provide rest. This was a native campground, and some artifacts can still be found, especially primitive stone mortars to grind corn. The descent ends at the small village of El Salto, right at the gardens of our final target: The Jerome Microbrewery!

VALLECITOS TREK:

We set the compass to the West and take route Nº 7, towards the mountains. The first Andean mountain range we will come across is called the Pre Mountain Range, and the snowy peaks to the west are part of the Cordillera Frontal, a different range. We shall drive through the Potrerillos valley which lies between these two ranges, and drive pass by Potrerillos Lake to then take the SW bearing into the Cordillera Frontal. We get off the asphalt into a dirt road, going towards the abandoned Vallecitos ski area that was build in the late 1950, where we will be dropped off.
Leaving the ski area behind us we start trekking into a gorge and we'll be able to see on our left mount Franke (16.400 ft. - 5.000 m) and on the right the San Bernardo (14.400 ft. - 4.400 m). The path goes up along a water stream and at the first flat land, we come to a very fertile tract where the water table approaches the surface and a few water springs can be seen. Ahead of us, the majestic mount Vallecitos (19.000 ft. - 5.800 m) is the perfect spot to have lunch. Eventually, packs of guanacos and some condors can be added to the scenery. Clues of the working forces of ancient glaciers are everywhere to be discovered. After lunch, depending on one's will, we can trek up for another hour and surprise ourselves with a wide valley where accumulated earth and stones were deposited by a glacier. During the winter, the area can be covered in snow, and we might need to track with snow shoes, which is as fun as it is easy.

These mountains had determine the climate down in the vineyards, the soil is a result of them as they erode, and its rivers deposited alluvial debree, and the water that preciously irrigate the grapes come from runoff of its glaciers and eternal snowfields, so Mendocinean wines are a direct result of this spectacular range. As you can see, there is more than wine to discover in Mendoza.

Note: These programs by Discover the Andes had been featured in the NY Times, AFAR Magazine (May 2013 issue - to be released), and Fodors.com (http://www.fodors.com/news/five-reasons-to-visit-mendoza-now-6397.html). You can contact Pedro at info@discovertheandes.com / www.discovertheandes.com

Featured wine of the week: 2008 Viña Alicia Brote Negro Malbec

Viña Alicia is a winery that combines the wine grower tradition of its makers and the privileged location to get collection wines.

With more than 25 years of research and study to obtain "excellent wines", in 1998 Alicia Mateu Arizu, wife of the well-known "winemaker" Alberto Arizu (Luigi Bosca's alma mater), started the commercialization of the wines that bear her name, along with the youngest of her three sons, Rodrigo Arizu.

Featured as a "chateau", the winery "Viña Alicia" is surrounded by a 10-hectare vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot grapes and some vines that are hardly found in Argentina, such as Nebbiolo, Grenache Noir, Carignan, Albariño and Savagnin.
Although the winery has a 50.000 liters production capacity, it only commercializes 25.000 bottles per year of Viña Alicia's wines and 80.000 bottles of both Paso de Piedra's wines, which are all exported to fourteen countries."Viña Alicia" currently enjoys the international prestige and recognition of the most outstanding personalities of the wine world.

 

Brote Negro is a "natural rareness". A Malbec biotype, found in a very ancient vineyard of vines from this variety. A follow up of this "rareness" was made during a long time. Then, those vines with different characteristics were transplanted and they currently give origin to the grape variety which makes up this wine. The most prominent characteristic at first sight is its very dark, almost black buds (vine branches) which last for a certain time. Buds grow straight and bunches are smaller and looser than those of the regular Malbec, the winery explains in its website.

 

Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. 94 points. by Stephen Tanzer. Bright, fully red-ruby. Knockout perfume of blackberry, violet, minerals, licorice; conveys a tiny-berry quality. Compellingly intense and racy in the mouth, with great energy and definitionto the perfumed flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, minerals and licorice pastille. This suave, classy, essentially gentle wine finishes with mounting tannins, great sweetness and terrific grip These "black shoots" are a mutation of malbec from the same hundred-year-old vineyard used to make Las Compuertas wine. This wine has been consistenly superb in recent years , but 2008 gets my highest rating yet. - 

  www.rosellsoler.com