Argentine Wines: Why Cabernet?

As Tom (via his wife's blog) reported, our group of expat beer drinkers got together at friends house to try something different: A wine tasting. Instead of arguing about the nuances of blonds, blacks and tans, we spent the evening learning about Banardas and Malbecs.

Daniel Karlin hosted the event at his apartment. He has started a new venture called Anuva Vinos. Anuva hosts small intimate wine tastings here in Buenos Aires and features unique, hand crafted wines form some of the best small, hard-to-find bodegas in Argentina. They also make the wines available to order in the United States and Europe from their store on their web site.

I love wine almost as much as I love beer. My family was lucky enough to spend a month in Mendoza touring vineyards and sampling many different wines. So spending the evening with my beer drinking buddies sipping wine was a no brainer.

Of the five wines featured, one was a Cabernet. Not surprisingly, it was the least favorite of the four reds we tasted. Why are Cabernets in Argentina consistently bad when compared to the Cabernets made just across the Andes in Chile?

When I was a poor college student in Austin, I learned early that a good bottle of wine could greatly increase my chances of getting lucky later that night. I would impress dates by ordering a Santa Rita Cabernet or Casillero del Diablo Cabernet from Chile. They were very good and more important at the time—very cheap.

I just don't think you're going to impress many women by pouring an Argentine Cabernet. Why is that when they Cabernets from Chile come from the same mountain range and the Malbecs from here are so good?

As Daniel pointed out, The pacific side of the Andes provides more rain and humidity allowing the Chilean Cabernets to flourish. The Argentine side is much drier and favors the Malbec.

If I were back in college now and trying to impress my dates, I would pour a good Argentine Malbec like the Ikella Malbec that Anuva features. The Argentina Malbec is the best grape being grown anywhere. And you can't beat its price.

Anyone out there know of an Argentina Cab that is good and can give the Chileans some real competition?

San Telmo and Plaza Dorrego

A must on any Buenos Aires tour is the the Sunday street market in the barrio of San Telmo. Street Tango, street musicians, artists, antiques, crafts and an occasional transvestite make for an interesting scene.

We finally made it last Sunday after saying we wanted to go for the last 7 months. Why we have not been is beyond me. It is a short bus or taxi ride to the other side of Plaza de Mayo and we had a great afternoon even though I'm not into the whole craft fair kind of thing.



The crowds on Sunday can be quite large. Despite the crowds, the whole walk from end to end is quite manageable and makes for an interesting stroll. The knick knacks compete with the people watching as the main attraction. But there are plenty of sideshows with Tango performers and other musicians panning for your coin along the route.



The best place to start is at Plaza Dorrego at the far end of Defensa street which they close off to traffic during the fair. The plaza is filled with antique vendors selling everything imaginable.

There will be plenty of photo ops and entertainment as you make your way up Calle Defensa towards Plaza de Mayo. On the street, the antiques will share billing with local handmade crafts from the neighborhoods more bohemian citizens.



There are plenty of great restaurants to eat at along the way. I can recommend Bar Plaza Dorrego or La Divina Comedia. Both have outdoor dining right on Calle Defensa and are well suited to watching the parade of people pass by on Sundays.



San Telmo itself has some great, albeit faded architecture with the city's largest concentration buildings from the 19th century. The architecture ads to the neighborhoods bohemian feel.

If you are planning a stay in Buenos Aires, be sure to put a trip to San Telmo on your list.

Kirchnerism and a Free Press: Oil and Water

Anselm Kiefer
Book with Wings, 1992–94.
From the collection of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

I'm sorry for posting another political post. I promise I'll return to more pics and travel commentary from around Buenos Aires soon.

However, the above sculpture is one of my all time favorite works of art. It is called Book with Wings from the Museum of Modern Art Fort Worth. The wings give freedom to the printed word, something we are seeing less of here in Argentina.

I was shocked the other day, when a fellow blogger and Argentine rancher deleted all of his posts about the farm strike in fear of reprisals from the government. To keep his ID secret, we'll just call him Dandy Michael—not a reference to his sexual orientation, but to his well known moniker.

It seems that actions by the government towards neighboring farmers have served their purpose of silencing a wonderful and balanced viewpoint about life on the farm here in Argentina.

While the government's decision to seize farmers livestock is not a direct attack on freedom of speech, the end result is the same. There are plenty of recent examples that are direct attacks on the freedom of the press.


Cristina no le gusta. This cartoon by Sábat shows a two faced Cristina with her husband (side profile of the face) the hidden voice of the government.

In Cristina's recent rally in the Plaza de Mayo before the rent-a-crowd audience, she held up a very unflatering political cartoon of her and publicly criticized it as a "quasi-mafioso message". Before singling out the cartoon by Hermenegildo Sábat (see image above), she compared the current farm strike to a farm strike right before the 1976 coup that brought in the right-wing military dictatorship responsible for the murder of thousands of Argentines and the suspension of most liberties.

She added, "This time farmers have not been accompanied by tanks, this time they have been accompanied by those large media corporations that in addition to supporting the lock out of the people by the farmers, have locked out the information, changing, misrepresenting, and showing a one-sided opinion."

And soon after that speech, she met with the Social Sciences department at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) to announce the relaunching of a commission called Observatorio de Discriminación en los Medios (Discrimination Observatory in the Media). Its purpose is to investigate the "truthfulness" of the press and make sure it is "fair and balanced" as seen by the government. Yeah right! Kinda of like what FOX News does for our government.

It all sounds like a witch hunt to go after journalist that disagree with the government to me. I don't think Stephen Colbert could make up such a bit.

Need more proof? A report by Reporters Without Borders noted that journalists in the provinces were threatened and harassed by police and the courts. The press was also blackmailed by withdrawal of local government advertising. That was in 2007. In terms press freedom, Argentina ranked 82 out of 167 nations as tracked by Reporters without Borders. After recent events, it will surely drop further.

This trend is troubling because the freedom of the press is a critical foundation for any democratic government. Unfortunately, here it is the only vehicle for people to be heard outside the Kirchners who strongly control congress and all local governments. If you don't like what the government is doing, you can't rely on the traditional separation of powers a strong democracy has. That just does not exist here.

The weak Judiciary is slow and ineffective. Congress is in bed with the government and is just a rubber stamp for whatever the Kirchners want. What the government says here, goes. That only leaves the press to keep citizens informed and to give them a voice.

Hopefully, the Argentine press will continue to stand up for the truth and won't be bullied by the Kirchners when the truth goes against the Kirchners' wishes. The press is the last line of defense for this democracy.

All of this is ironic. Cristina and her husband were once part of the underground movement against the right wing dictatorship and the lack of freedoms that government was known for. Maybe they learned a few too many things from their enemy.

Irony... like the wings above made of lead.

My Top 10 Places to Stay in Argentina

After a rather lengthy tour around Argentina, I thought it would be helpful to share the best hotels, inns and estancias I've come across.

I've taken my lead from fellow Quaffer, BA expat and full-time tour guide—Alan, who has compiled a list of his favorite hotels in Buenos Aires over at his blog.

But Argentina has so much more than just Buenos Aires. So here is my list of the best beds Argentina has to offer—assuming price is no object.

1. Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

Simply one of my favorite hotels in the whole world.

Even though it is brand new, the Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires has found it's place among the best hotels in Buenos Aires and has found it to the top of my list of best hotels.

To some, the Alvear (see #4 below) is the Grand Damme of Buenos Aires hotels. However, if you are like me, and all the marble, gold and gilded, white-glove service seems a bit dated and stuffy, head over to the Park Hyatt. The service at the Park Hyatt is warm and sleek and every bit as attentive with a very high staff to guest ratio.

The rooms are modern and cozy. This is what luxury in the twenty first century should be like. The tea and brunch at the Park Hyatt are wonderful treats and a favorite choice for my daughter on special occasions.

The Park Hyatt is really two hotels in one. The part facing Ave. Alvear was once a private palace. It has been wonderfully restored and blends the best of old and new. The tower facing Posadas street is sleek and modern.

It is one of the priciest beds in town. But, you will be rubbing shoulders with rock stars and other celebs passing through town.

2. Llao Llao Hotel and Resort Bariloche

My second favorite hotel is the Llao Llao Hotel and Golf Resort located 30km west of Bariloche. The views are breathtaking in every direction.

It is a great place to stay if you are on a romantic getaway, have the kids in tow, or if you are a celeb looking to hang with your gal pals. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy. Or if you prefer, there are plenty of great spots to do nothing but soak up the sun and the incredible views.

Golfer? This is the place for you. The views from the golf course are better than Pebble Beach.

You can find more pics in my earlier blog post on my stay.

3. Four Seasons Buenos Aires

Four Seasons reputation for excellence is not wasted on the Four Seasons Buenos Aires. It is a great place to stay if you are on business or traveling on your own.

To be honest, it was about 10 years or so ago when I stayed there as a young software executive on my first visit to Buenos Aires. It was the nicest hotel I had stayed in at the time, only it wasn't the Four Seasons. It was the Park Hyatt back then.

Fast forward several years later and through a major renovation, it is even nicer than I remembered. The service, like the other two Buenos Aires hotels on the list, is top notch and its location just off 9 de Julio can't be beat.

Brunch here shouldn't be missed. My family took me to Sunday brunch here for my birthday. It was more my style than the brunches at the Park Hyatt or the Alvear—less pretentious and friendlier, but every bit as nice.

Similar to the new Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, the hotel features a wonderful french-style mansion in the back and a new, modern tower in the front. Ask for a room with a view of the pool and the mansion. You may even get a great view of the Obelisk.

4. Alvear Palace Hotel Buenos Aires.

Ask any porteño what the best hotel in Buenos Aires is, and they will all say the Alvear. For over 75 years this hotel has staged some of the most important events in Buenos Aires. It's white gloved service can't be matched. The english speaking staff from the concierge to the butler are eager to assist with any need.

For those looking for a throwback to a bygone era, this is the place for you. It is a beautiful old hotel filled with more marble and goldleaf than you have ever seen. The Alvear is grand without being gaudy. I prefer my hotels a little less gilded though. That is why it is not my top rated BA hotel.

However, the Sunday brunch and high tea are unmatched for their level of service and a great treat for visitors even if you aren't staying there. Either one is a must do on any tourists checklist.

5. Estancia Dos Lunas

If you come to Argentina, you have to experience a stay at a working estancia. Dos Lunas outside of Córdoba is one of the best. It is the perfect escape from the modern world and you get to experience what life was like for Argentina's wealthy landowners.

The food at Dos Lunas is exceptional and the hospitality warm and friendly. No TV, phone, or internet for miles.

There may be better estancias in Argentina, I have not found one yet. My family ranks our stay at Dos Lunas as our favorite memory in Argentina so far. I raved about our stay in my Dos Lunas post with plenty of pics.

6. Park Hyatt Mendoza

There simply isn't any other choice when staying in Mendoza other than the Park Hyatt Mendoza. It is situated in the heart of Mendoza right on the main square.

Like it's sister hotel in Buenos Aires, the Park Hyatt has designed a sleek modern hotel into a beautiful old building from Mendoza's past. The rooms are large, modern and very comfy. The the outstanding service is warm and friendly and can arrange any of your outdoor activities or wine tours.

Food at all of the restaurants are some of the best bites in town. Sushi on the patio on Friday nights shouldn't be missed.

The kids really enjoyed the small, but uniquely designed pool. Can't say much about the attached Casino, but the Spa is highly rated by past visitors over at TripAdvisor

7. Eolo - Patagonia's Spirit

El Calafate took my breath away and nudged out Bariloche as my favorite place in Patagonia. The best place to stay in Calafate has to be Eolo.

Well, you could spend $1000 (yes, that is one thousand US dollars) more a night to stay at Los Notros and be closer to the glacier. But, is it not worth it? The staff, service and food at Eolo are all exceptional.

Above all, it is the beautiful setting that sets Eolo apart. It is the ultimate room with a view as visitors are enveloped in the beauty and remoteness of southern Patagonia. It is one of those special places that shouldn't be missed.

8. Las Balsas

I wrote in my blog post about Bariloche that Villa La Angostura is the place
to stay for smart Argentine traveler in the know. The quaint
village is a lot more welcoming than run-down Bariloche across the lake.

There is not better place to stay in Villa La Angostura than Las Balsas. This small quiet inn is right on the lake with a chef that is world renowned. Probably not a place to take the kids. But, this is the place if you want a romantic getaway in the Bailoche area.

Las Balsas makes a great alternative to the Hotel Llao Llao (the other Bariloche area hotel on my list) if you prefer small comfortable inns over big resorts.

9. Hotel de Montaña Río Hermoso

Río Hermosa Hotel is one of Patagonia's best kept secrets. It is located right on the banks of the Río Hermoso in Lanín National Park. It is south of San Martín de los Andes in the middle of nowhere.

Like Las Balsas (see above), it is a small gem of a hotel. However, it is more secluded and private than Las Balsas and ideal for those wanting an exclusive get away close to nature. My Argentine travel agent once joked, "Las Balsas is where we take our wives, Río Hermoso is where we take our mistresses. And when you are done with her, you have the best fly fishing right at your doorstep."

I guess for certain men, it couldn't get much better than that. Río Hermoso tops my list of places to stay in the San Martín del los Andes area. I will be staying here when I return. With my wife of course.

10. The Cavas Wine Lodge

Touring Mendoza for the wine? Then you have to stay at The Cavas Wine Lodge. It is located at the base of Andes Mountains surrounded by lush vineyards 20 minutes south of Mendoza.

It was the first hotel in Mendoza dedicated to wine. Cavas Wine Lodge is known for its privacy, tranquility and romance (i.e. no kids allowed). Guests are surrounded by great wine, food and natural beauty.

The rooms are actually small casitas in the middle of the vineyard and feature private pools and rooftop fireplaces. Most guests comment that their fondest memory is drinking a bottle of wine with their spouse rooftop in front of the outdoor fireplace while the sun set over the Andes. The luxurious spa is top rated by former guests as well.

It is the one place we wanted to stay in Mendoza but couldn't because we had the kids in tow. So on this one, I'm going strictly by everyone else's strong praise.

What is your favorite place in Argentina?

What do you think? Did I leave your favorite hotel or estancia off the list? I know I have short changed Salta, Tucuman and other regions to the north. However, I haven't been lucky enough to visit the north of Argentina yet. What are your recommendations?

Farm Protest: Start of A Civil War?

Everything is backwards down here. I guess because we are south of the equator. Although the jury is out on the whole water draining down the toilet thing, every thing else is reversed.

In the States, we heavily subsidize our farmers. In Argentina, they have resorted to taxing the hell out of them. To the tune of 44% export tariffs on things like soybeans and wheat. Ouch!

Like anyone who's livelihood is reduced by 44%, the farmers are pissed. And they are taking to the streets of the Campo with roadblocks on all the major roads.

By coincidence, the timing comes with maximum impact. During holy week, Buenos Aires empties out and the Argentines take to the road for a four day holiday. The roads are packed this weekend and no one is going anywhere fast. Angers are flaring on both sides of the issue.



The farmers here rule the economy and tariffs on their exports have been filling the government's coffers to the tune of some $39 billion (US) at last count. The soaring commodity prices have been a big factor in Argentina's rapid turn around.

Things aren't all rosy for the new president though. Despite official numbers on inflation at 8.5% it is really topping 20%. People on the streets are grumbling about food prices.

Because of price controls on energy supplies(yes Mike, price controls), there will be a huge shortfall—if not this winter then by next. At current prices, it is just not feasible to refine and produce enough fuel. That has sent Argentina's President in her finest short designer skirts off flirting with Brazil and Chavez to come to the rescue.

Back to the farmers. So how do you solve the high food prices and continue to subsidize energy? Tax the hell out of the farmers. This is socialism at its worst. Lets punish the one sector of the economy that is saving this economy.

The Government gets by with this because the farmers are vilified as greedy opportunists and painted as the cause of the high prices.

One post on the Yahoo BA Newcomers group claimed the farmers were killing babies and deserved all to be taxed until they bleed... Alright, maybe the post was on how their blockades were shutting down all the roads were causing accidents...

“Greed runs deeper than wealth in these farmers. So before offering
any sympathy for these swine; remember the people bleeding to death
in accidents along these roads, and the ambulances that can't get
through cause some greedy rich farmer doesn't want to surrender a
small percentage of his outrageous profit in this poverty-seized
nation.

To hell with the corn revolution.”

It is that kind of propagandist vilifying that allows things like this to get out of control. It is starting to split the country. On yet another BA Newcomers post, a women quotes her Argentine boyfried as saying, “the country is heading to civil war.” I doubt it. However, it is yet another crack in the wall.

It is all a sad reminder of how this country continually shots itself in the foot economically. Every seven years this country implodes. Cristina's economic policies just might get us their sooner than we thought.

Península Valdés: A Unique Wildlife Sanctuary

Península Valdés is an oddly shaped peninsula on the Atlantic coast about 1000Km southwest of Buenos Aires. It offers two protected bays utilized by whales, sea lions, elephant seals, penguins and other marine life.

It is one of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites found in Argentina. Cueva de las Manos, and Los Glaciares National Park are examples of others.



The peninsula itself is a barren flat landscape no different than the Patagonian Steppe found on the mainland. It is sparsely populated with the private lands divided by just a few large sheep farms.



According UNESCO, the reason Península Valdés was named an UNESCO natural world heritage site was:

it is a site of global significance for the conservation of marine mammals. It is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whale as well as important breeding populations of southern elephant seals and southern sea lions. The orcas in this area have developed a unique hunting strategy to adapt to local coastal conditions.

The photo above is by Tony Galvez on Flickr and it shows a Southern Right Whale in the protected bay to the south of the Peninsula. The Southern Right Whales use the bay to birth their pups and rest before the long journey home at the end of Feb. We just missed them.

We were also a little too early to witness the "unique hunting strategy of the orca whales". In March and April, they will swim up onto the beach in the northern bay where hundreds of sea lions have just given birth to their pups.

The orcas use the unusually deep shoreline to spring up on the beach and surprise the pups for an easy lunch. It is pretty gruesome to watch. I'm almost glad we missed it. Here is a link if you really must see it for yourself

The, biggest colony of Magellanic Penguins is in Punta Tombo further down the Atlantic coast. However, there are some large colonies on the peninsula too. We were surprised at how close to the road these guys were.

If you visit, you will want to fly to Trelew (pronounced tree-lough) and rent a car. You can stay in Puerto Madryn, the closest city to the peninsula or you can stay in Puerto Pirámides, a small beach town on the peninsula where you can easily catch a whale watching tour in the bay.

We recommend you stay at one of the estancias on the peninsula. We stayed at Estancia Rincon Chico which allowed us onto their private, protected beach where we could walk right up to a large colony of elephant seals. I'll have a full review of the estancia in a later post.

Here are a few more photos of the elephant seals at Rincon Chico's beach.

Ushuaia: The End of the World

Ushuaia bills itself as the southern most city of the world and the last stop before Antarctica. Well Chile is actually closer, but Ushuaia is the last real city before Antarctica. Most tour companies book their Antarctic cruises from this port city.

In fact, Ushuaia has become a very popular port of call for many cruises. Over 500,000 people came through the port last year and even more are expected in 2008. English outnumbered castellano 2 to 1 on the streets.

All of those cruisers steer the demographics on the street to the grey haired set. Don't let that stop you from coming though. Ushuaia is a must see on any Argentina adventure.



Ushuaia sits right on the Beagle Channel and is a former penal colony modeled after Sydney. Below is a mural depicting some of the most notorious criminals held there.



Ruta 40 runs out well before Tierra Del Fuego. Tierra Del Fuego is a large island cut off from the main land by the Straits of Magellan, so it is not easy to get to Ushuaia by car or bus. Given the cheap air fair between here and El Calafate or Buenos Aires, you are better off flying (even with Aerolineas Argentina's typical 4 hour delays.)

The port city is surrounded by mountains and there is some pretty good hiking. But, the best part is the wildlife in the Beagle Channel. Book yourself a boat cruise and tour the channel.



We were a bit boat toured out after Bariloche and El Calafate so we found the smallest boat tour we could find—a sailboat that only fit eight. We lucked out and my family was the only ones on the boat so we had a private tour of the channel and its wildlife. Below is a pic of our captain.



There is an abundance of marine birds and mammals in the Beagle Channel. Below is a pic I posted earlier of some Sea Lions along with some of the other marine life found on the islands in the Channel.

El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier

Ask anyone who has done the whole Route 40 excursion down Patagonia what their favorite place was and you will likely hear just one answer—El Calafate.

And the star of El Calafate is the Perito Moreno Glacier. While it is by far not the biggest Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park, it is the most awe inspiring.



I was truly blown away by Porito Moreno. You are able to get really close up and hear it creaking, cracking and slowly moaning. You can physically see it advancing. Every so often a loud explosion and crash thunders across the lake as a large chunk of ice breaks off and tumbles into the water below. Words just can't describe it.



I sat for hours just listing and watching the glacier. It was a moving experience.



Only the Grand Canyon had moved me like that before. And I would put Perito Moreno above the Grand Canyon. It is that spectacular.



However, there is one other reason that El Calafate is on the top of everyone's list.

The sunsets.

The first day we were in Calafate, we drove back from the Glacier during sunset. Suddenly, the sky was on fire with every color imaginable. Also, the lake which was already a unique shade of milky blue intensified with a deep turquoise color. The grass of the steppe became even more golden.



I have never done ACID in my life. But, I have to say Calafate at sunset must be the closest you can come to being on an acid trip without taking drugs.

El Chaltén: Trekking Capital of Argentina

Our first real destination after Bariloche was the small village of El Chaltén set to the backdrop of Mount Fritz Roy and located at the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park.

The town itself is in a beautiful valley just past Lago Viedma, in between the confluence of Río De las Vueltas and Río Fitz Roy.



If you are a hiker, this is the place for you. There are endless hikes of all lengths and levels of expertise. And the great thing is most hikes start right from the town.

We were only there for two days. The first day, we were forced inside because of a freak wind storm with hurricane force winds that kicked up dirt and debris and sent it stinging into your skin. No hiking for us that day.

The second day, things cleared up and I was able to head out early for a few hikes.
I even got a shot of an Andean Condor on one hike.



I highly recommend taking the all day hike to Laguna del Desierto which will take you past a beautiful waterfall (Chorrillo del Salto) and awesome views of Cerro Torre and Fritz Roy.



Another recommended outing is taking the Viedma Discovery cruise and hike. A boat takes you across Lago Viedma to the glacier and then you put on your crampons and head out over, on top of, under and through the glacier on a spectacular ice trekking adventure.



There are accommodation's for every price range in El Claltén. From very cheap hostels to a 5 star hotel (who's prices are as higher than Fritz Roy). We stayed at Lo De Tommy in a two story apartment. It was very comfortable and nicely furnished. They also provide a great breakfast at the main house.

Cueva de las Manos

Cueva de las Manos, or "Cave of the Hands" is an exceptional collection of primitive cave art dating back 9,500 to 13,000 years ago and made by the ancestors of the Tehuelche Indians, who inhabited Patagonia before the arrival of European settlers in 17th. century.

The cave name is a little misleading. It is actually a series of hanging rocks along the side of a beautiful canyon along the Río Pinturas in the middle of Patagonia. There is a cave there, but only a small one. Most of the cave art is outside on the hanging rocks around the cave entrance.



The name obviously comes from the stenciled outlines of hundreds of human hands you see above, mostly left hands. However, there are other images of animals like guanacos (they look like llamas, but have a cinnamon red color to their fur).

There are also hunting scenes with hunters and guanacos. In fact, the paintings are preserved with a guanaco fat and urine varnish.



The hands all look to be from adolescent males. One theory is that the hands marked a coming of age ritual or were done to signify the first kill of a young tribe member.

No one knows for sure. Another theory is that the hands belong to the artist making the stencil. That would account for the fact that their are hundreds of left hands but very few right hands. For some strange reason, there is even one foot.

The stenciling was done mostly in black, red, white, yellow and green tones with the earliest images done as a negative image. But, later images improved upon the technique, and used a colored undercoat (usually white) upon which the stencil was applied in another color.

Cueva de las Manos gives us a glimpse into the lives of the earliest inhabitants on the South American continent. In the 1990s it was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.



I'll close with a YouTube video of the site set to the music of Tangheto: