Wine Wednesday; Chilln' With Torrontes

I developed an affection for torrontes many years ago, the signature white wine of Argentina. I'm not sure if it was the crisp, cold wine itself or the way the word rolled off the bartenders tongue that did it for  me.

So when I went to Argentina, I was just excited to drink the torrontes as I was to consume mass amounts of malbec. Raving about the grape to my travel partner, we stopped in a swanky waterside cafe in Buenos Aires for a refresher.

My excitement turned to disappointment as the wine in my glass was more viscous and heavy than what I'd had in the past. Is this the REAL torrontes? Had I been drinking imports that appeal to the American palate?

Neither, it was just from a different region of Mendoza. Torrontes, the kind I like, is best when originating from the warmer growing areas.

It's hot in my hood this week, perfect timing for a cold glass of Trivento Torrontes Reserve! It smells a bit floral but its flavors are full of citrus and crisp tropical fruits. What a great summer sipper that also goes well with a spicy Thai soup. Even better is the price; under $15.

THIS is the torrontes I want, the only thing missing is the cute waiter to say the name with a robust accent, while looking deeply into my eyes . Happy Wine Wednesday!

Beds in Buenos Aires

A number of people have asked where I stayed on my recent visit to Buenos Aires. While I typically like to stay at places with character over commercialism, the Sheraton Libertador was a good choice for our hit and run adventure.

It was exactly what you might  expect from a downtown, big city business hotel. The location was great; right between the main artery of Avenida 9 de Julio and the popular shopping district along Calle Florida.

Check out the view of the city from the rooftop gym. It was a good distraction while trying to offset calories from all of the dulce de leche we consumed. The rooftop also had a small but appealing pool with similar views of the city. The staff was friendly and the beds comfy; no complaints

Spirits and "Spirits"

My second fast and furious day in Buenos Aires began with MORE walking. The adventure began by paying homage to the former first lady of Argentina, Eva Peron, with a visit to her crypt in the historic Recoletta Cemetery.

The cemetery takes up four city blocks and looks easy enough to find on the map, however, only a small section of those four blocks gives any indication of the burial grounds behind the facade. We walked in a circle for a good 20 minutes before finally getting a glimpse of something that looked sacred. I'll admit, I may have been a little distracted by the nearby store fronts.

Once inside it was easy to find Peron's resting place, just follow the crowd. The tree lined streets were jammed with stunning crypts; some telling stories, some protected by hand-carved angels and saints, some unkempt and others immaculate.

Evita's famous, family tomb is not near as grandiose as I was expecting, tucked in a narrow passage. After taking the obligatory photos and checking in on the proper social media networks, I wandered aimlessly, amazed at the architecture, curious as to the stories of those souls housed inside each structure. That is when I felt it, a chill that went up my spine, causing me to stop in my tracks; I literally shuddered.

No, I had not consumed any wine or other liquid spirits yet. I was sadly dehydrated as the morning sun beat down on me. Perhaps that is why I attracted this particular spirit, to push me along and into a quaint cafe for respite with a glass of Malbec, or something stronger. I continued to feel his presence that day, an uninvited hitchhiker. I even felt him when I looked at the photos of the cemetery, sitting on my couch in the US.

I'm not sure why the guy stowed away with me, but I was sure I needed to send him on to his next destination. My crude method must have worked because as I looked at these photos today, I did not feel him next to me. I Hope he has found peace and his soul is finally at rest.

Buenos Dias Buenos Aires

While having dinner with friends last night, one of them proclaimed they wanted to move to Buenos Aires after seeing it featured recently on "House Hunters International" on HGTV. It's an incredible South American city that I can't wait to visit again, especially since I only had two fast and furious days there recently.

Desperately in need of a good cup of coffee after an overnight flight from Miami, the ride in from the airport was a good substitute for the caffeine. Avenida 9 de Julio was quite a spectacle, the widest Avenue in the world, 7 lanes in EACH direction with three additional lanes running parallel, like access roads. Even with all that space, there was still not enough space as buses, motorbikes and cars navigated with precious inches to spare.

Once on foot we hit the ground running from the Torre Monumental at one end of town, to Plaza de Mayo and touristy photos in front of Casa Rosada where the spirit of Evita lives. We stopped at a trendy cafe along the river for a cool glass of Torrontes, watched Tango dancers in the streets, shopped along the chaotic Calle Florida and embraced as much as we could on this first day.

We landed in the trendy Recoletta neighborhood for dinner. Fervor Brasas, known for it's aged beef, serves typical Argentinean fare in a great atmosphere; pricey by some standards. We sipped a glass of bubbles and nibbled on a bread basket full of fresh treats while waiting for our decanted bottle of  D.V. Catena to open. It was a big, juicy blend of Cabernet and Malbec, exceptional with our meal. The grilled provolone cheese was sharp and smoky, the grilled mushrooms were juicy and flavorful. Then came the 400 gram piece of Bife de Chorizo, seared and seasoned on the outside, tender on the inside, cooked to perfection. The  disks of potatoes on the side were addicting. I couldn't possibly find any room for dessert until it was placed in front of me; dreamy, creamy and delicious Dulce de Leche Gelato.

I love exploring a city by foot because it always leads to memorable discoveries, but perhaps the best part is the lack of guilt you feel when eating like we did at Fervor. It also feels pretty darn good to climb into bed at the end of the day, burrow under the covers and sink into a fluffy pillow, while replaying the highlights of the day and drifting off; only to get up and do it all over again.