Wine First

>> Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following... >> No, take me home >> Vgan chocolate, Norwegian flavor, available in Walmart stores.

[ Wind blowing ] >> I'm Liora, and I'm a sommelier.

>> And I'm Maya, and I'm also a sommelier.

>> And I'm Yolanda.

My expertise is food.

>> In every episode, we are going to travel to beautiful wine regions, selecting three wines that define each area.

>> And present them to local chefs, who will be challenged to prepare amazing dishes for those wines instead of the other way around.

>> Will the chefs succeed in making dishes that match the wines?

>> It all remains to be seen as we put... >> Wine first.

>> We are in Argentina, Yolanda's native country.

>> Argentina is a football nation, and when they win a game, the city of Mendoza explodes.

We are in Argentina, where football is everything!

>> But wine always comes first!

[ Glasses clink ] >> Whoo!

[ Laughing ] [ All cheering ] >> Argentina!

Argentina!

Argentina!

>> Okay.

Okay.

Football is important, but this part of Argentina is famous for its wines, and that is why we are here.

We are visiting two unique wineries to find two special wines to bring for the chef Nadia Haron with a unique approach to cooking.

>> Before we challenge you, we would like to know about your philosophy when you are cooking.

>> First of all, ingredients which are the local fresh ingredients we have.

And after that, tradition.

Simplicity.

>> Well, I understand that simplicity is important to you, but our mission and our challenge to you is not going to be simple.

Are you up for the challenge?

>> I love a challenge.

>> Exciting.

Let's see how her philosophy plays out as she is challenged to cook for our chosen wines.

Speaking of which... We are at the foot of the mighty Andes mountain range, about to explore wines from the New World.

>> I'm so excited.

I love to explore.

Let's go.

>> To find our first wine, we start our visit with a beautiful lunch with a Trivento gang.

And we quickly learn why the winery is important to the people who work here.

>> This winery started in 1996, and this is actually the first vineyard Trivento planted.

>> Behind me here, you see an artificial lake.

The water comes from the Andes, so it still has all the natural nutrients, and the water is being pumped out into the vineyards by what we call drip irrigation.

To create a biodiverse environment in the water, there's lots of fish, large carps, lots of small fish, and even turtles.

>> So, how did you end up in the wine business?

>> So, I'm actually from Venezuela.

We have a dictatorship, so Argentina was my plan B, which is actually what my tattoo said.

It says, "Improvise, adapt, and overcome."

I've had to start over many times in life.

I think Argentina, Mendoza, and Trivento adopted me, and I found a beautiful family here.

So I'm very happy.

>> Cheers.

>> Cheers to being adopted by a winery.

[ Laughter ] Speaking for us.

>> Wine is a way of life and can change a life.

Arquimedes shows us around the estate, in the beautiful art gallery with photos by local artists, through the majestic doors to the big production area.

>> All right, ladies.

So, as you can see, we went from an art gallery to another art room.

But this is the kind of art you can drink.

>> That's my kind of art, I think.

>> Exactly.

We have a capacity of production of 55,000,000 liters.

But this room here has a capacity of 800,000 liters.

So you can see there are smaller tanks to control quality, and this is where we make our top-of-the-line wines.

So, all these tanks on the inside, they will have a coil to control temperature.

So you want to control temperature so the yeast doesn't die.

For whites, you'll have temperatures between 16 and 18 degrees, and then, for reds, you'll have temperatures of 26 and 28 degrees.

>> So you can actually ferment wines in different temperature and it gives you different aromas.

So white wines, we can do it colder, and then we have a lot of fruity aromas.

The red wine, normally, we ferment a little bit higher temperature because we want the color and the tannins of the wine.

>> And then, up here, you'll see it says Eolo Malbec in 1912.

Eolo means the God or the Protector of the Winds.

So everything here is related to the winds.

This is a vineyard planted in 1912, 100% Malbec, so we're talking a vineyard that's 110 years old.

>> The estate takes care of local animal life, where trained eagles help keep the vineyards clean of vermin that might damage crops.

>> Oh, look -- that bird.

>> So, we actually have five trained eagles to hunt the pigeons and maintain the winery clean.

>> While we discover the mighty barrel room, Yolanda is on the hunt for her next ingredient -- meat.

>> So, here we have a flank steak or skirt from pork, flank steak or skirt from cow, and some grilled chicken.

So let's start.

Let's continue with the pork.

Mmm.

[ Speaking Spanish ] In Argentina, "carne" -- when we say carne -- it means "cow."

[ Chuckles ] And, actually, "carne" means "meat," but we refer specifically to cow.

Mm-mm-mm-mmm!

That's definitely it.

We do love our beef.

And we have the very first place on beef consumption per year in the world, meaning that each person eats around 50 kilos of meat per year.

That's a lot, I know, but that's our traditions.

And I would really like to see how the chef prepares a good piece of meat to go with the wine.

>> We have our ingredient.

It's time to choose a wine.

>> What do you have for me to try?

>> I have this wine.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> This is our white malbec.

It's a white wine made with red grapes.

It's very unique.

It's very innovative.

>> I never tried that before.

>> We were the first winery to create this kind of wine.

>> That's very cool.

So you can actually make white wine of black varieties because the color is all in the skin.

So if you pick the grapes and you press them really quickly and take out the juice, the juice is going to be white, and you can make a white wine of red grapes.

I actually thought I would find some bitterness because malbec has a lot of tannins when it's red, but I don't find any bitterness at all.

>> No, because it's a completely different elaboration.

So you have the malbec because you can feel some soft tannins, but it's not too high.

It's just a touch.

>> Great start.

Do you have another wine for me?

>> Yes, I have.

Let me show you.

We are going to taste a malbec again but the regular version.

This is Trivento Reserve Malbec.

Same grapes from the same regions, but with a different process of elaboration.

>> What are the typical characteristics of the malbec?

>> Well, first of all, in the nose, you will feel the -- the cherries, the strawberry.

Very common, very typical from the malbec.

So you are going to feel sweet and rounded tannins with a good acidity.

And that is very common and traditional for the malbec.

>> You have a lot of malbec, right?

>> In this moment, we have 44,000 hectares planted in all Argentina.

>> 44,000 hectares.

That's a lot.

>> And 70% came from Mendoza, so... >> Wow.

Then I'm at the right place, I guess.

[ Chuckles ] >> Now we are going to taste a malbec but with a different concept, in a different style.

And the grapes came from Lujn de Cuyo.

>> Oh.

>> It's an amazing region in Mendoza.

>> Now the color is even deeper.

>> It's deeper, yes.

>> Which tells us that it's probably going to be more concentrated, right?

>> Exactly.

Because the grapes came from very old vines.

80 years old vines.

>> 80 years old.

>> 80 years old.

It's a very low yield, a small production, but with a lot of concentration, a lot of colors and a lot of aromas.

>> The tannins are more powerful, the wine is more structured.

Maybe you have some more oakiness, this one?

>> Yes, exactly.

Was aging 12 months in French oak barrels.

>> So cool that you can make so different wines from the same grape variety.

But, you know, a girl has to make a decision.

>> Hard decision.

>> Yes.

But I think I'm going to go for the last one.

The Golden Reserve Malbec is exactly what's, for me, like, a malbec from Mendoza.

It's structured.

It's more powerful.

This is, for me, a food wine.

And Argentina, for me, that's meat and malbec.

Cheers.

>> Cheers.

>> We have our first combo and return to our lunch spot for some more delicious food and wine.

This magical place incorporates everything the winery is about -- taking care of nature and animals and being sustainable.

Asados are important to Argentinians, and so Yolanda brings us to one with her friends and family.

>> Cheers!

>> Cheers!

[ Indistinct conversations ] >> Ahh!

>> Wow!

[ Applause ] >> Well, girls, how do you feel tonight?

>> I think I'm starting to love asados.

>> Oh, I love to hear that.

You know?

For us, it's like, if you're coming for a visit, we welcome you with an asado.

It's our way of saying, "You are at home."

>> Cheers!

>> Such a relaxing evening.

>> Mendoza is a vibrant city with lots to offer -- ecstatic Argentinians who go football crazy, wonderful architecture and squares, a beautiful statue of the God of wine, Dionysus, but also the San Martn Park with trees from all over the world and delicious treats.

>> So, girls, what do you think about Argentinian flavors?

>> Even though I like sweets, I prefer the meat from the asados.

That was so great.

I agree.

>> What about you, Maya?

What do you like the most?

>> I love the football.

>> Oh, yes.

>> I mean, the energy of the football here, it's crazy.

>> But, Yolanda, seeing that you don't live in Argentina anymore, how do you feel about all this community and family and everything when you're normally so far away?

What does it mean to you to be here?

>> Well, I miss it every day.

Of course, we -- I -- Sorry.

I get too -- We are so used to welcome people and hospitality.

I think it's in our blood.

We open the doors of our homes quite easily, I guess.

Right?

And I'm so, so happy that you two came here to my homeland.

Really.

So, girls, I can see that you are getting hot right now.

>> Ugh!

>> And nowhere to swim, apart from the fountain.

>> I have an idea.

If you cool off in the fountain, then tonight, asados on me.

Are you up for the challenge?

>> I'll take one for the team.

Let's go swimming, girls.

>> Yes?

>> Yes.

>> Okay!

Vamos!

Come on, girls!

Vamos!

Vamos!

Aah!

>> That was refreshing.

There's a first for everything.

To find our next wine, we head to one of the most historical wineries in Argentina, Finca La Celia.

>> Welcome to La Celia.

>> Thank you.

>> It's a pleasure.

>> Cheers.

>> Cheers.

>> It's a very historical and old winery.

>> Yes.

Finca La Celia is the first winery here in the Uco Valley.

The Uco Valley is the most important region for producing high-quality wines in Argentina.

And right now, we are in the small town Eugenio Bustos.

It's the same name of the founder of the winery.

Eugenio Bustos exchanged his horse to friends, and from friends sent the small plant of vines.

When arrived here, he planted the first malbec in this area.

>> So if I get this right, he was actually working with horses, and he exchanged his best horse to get the best Malbec vines from France.

Exactly.

Originally, the Malbec grapes here are from France.

>> Exactly.

Exactly.

>> That's a very nice story.

>> We have the horses here.

Do you want to visit the vineyards on horse?

>> Yes!

>> Please.

Cheers.

>> To get a closer look at the vineyards, we are picked up by proper gauchos.

>> The vineyards are located between 950 and 1,100 meters above sea level in the Uco Valley.

The climate is relatively dry, and during the growing seasons, the days are warm and the nights quite cool.

This means an extended growing season, ripening periods for the grapes, which increases the quality and concentration of the fruit.

While I join Andrea to learn more about the grapes, Yolanda joins Federico in the middle of the vineyards to find her ingredient.

>> This is fantastic, but I'm missing something here and starting to get quite hungry.

>> Whoa.

>> And this... this is my favorite plate.

This is the entraa, you know?

It's a typical cut of meat in Argentina.

Here we have the native potatoes from the Andes.

>> I think the most special thing about these mini potatoes is the texture.

Shall we open one?

>> Yes, of course.

>> [ Speaking Spanish ] Such color.

And, also, you can see the juiciness of it.

It is not sandy as the potatoes that we know, the big, massive potatoes.

>> Yeah.

>> These have a completely different texture and flavor.

>> And it's, like, crunchy.

>> Mmm.

Mm-hmm.

>> This is such a beautiful place.

The Andes Mountains are so close.

In the middle of the malbec plants.

Well, I am on a mission.

I need to taste some wines.

>> I have a surprise for you.

>> Ooh!

Good.

But this doesn't taste like malbec.

>> It's not malbec.

>> That's the surprise!

>> This is cabernet franc.

>> Oh!

>> For us, it's very important, this wine, because Finca La Celia was the first winery to produce cabernet franc in the label in Argentina.

>> I didn't know that.

So, cabernet franc is a little bit of a young grape in Argentina.

>> Yes.

In the world?

No.

>> Obviously not.

But it's a newcomer in Argentina.

And you were the pioneers.

>> Yes.

For this reason, our wine named Pioneer.

>> Very smart.

Hey, cheers to that.

>> Cheers.

When you taste, you can appreciate fresh aromas, black fruit, blueberries, and a little, subtle notes of the herbal.

Is typical -- is typical from cabernet franc in this area.

>> A little bit of the bell pepper, green bell pepper.

>> Yes.

>> Our mission is not yet complete without our ingredients.

>> Ribs, but the small ribs.

No?

>> Thin ribs.

>> And crushed potatoes and the typical chimichurri from Argentina.

But this chimichurri is made with the rosemary.

>> With rosemary.

That's -- That's a new one.

>> Yeah, I like it so much.

The flavor's like a mentolados.

>> Mmm, s.

>> It's very, very good.

>> Yes.

>> Very good.

>> The thing for me is, like, even in the hottest day, like today -- right?

-- if you just -- just grab the rosemary and just put it in your face, it kind of refreshes you.

Right?

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> There's a lot of rosemary aromas all over.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> Mmm-mmm.

Mm-hmm.

[ Laughs ] >> The mix of flavors in the mouth, incredible.

>> It calls for a sip of wine.

Right?

Mmm.

I think...

I will go with the rosemary.

>> Yeah.

Me too.

>> It's so potent.

I got a little bit of a big bite, and it was, like... in the mouth.

>> Exactly.

>> It can, or it may, overpower the wine.

So I hope the chef is skillful enough to balance them in a beautiful way.

>> Cheers.

>> Salud.

>> Salud.

>> We got the ingredient.

It's time to decide on the wine, and so we head into the huge winery.

>> This is a malbec from Paraje Altamira.

It's La Celia Elite Malbec.

>> For me, it's more the red fruit in this one.

>> Yes.

Yes.

>> But it has a very fresh acidity.

>> Yes.

It's like, in the mouth, it's very long.

>> Yes.

>> And then, you can appreciate the typical chalky tannins that Paraje Altamira gives us.

>> The tannins are quite silky, but you get a little bit dry on the mouth, and that's like a chalky feeling.

>> Yes.

It's a line between chalky and rustic, but it's chalky Tannins.

It's a typical, textbook malbec from Altamira.

>> Textbook malbec from Altamira.

>> Yes.

This is also malbec but Paraje Altamira, too.

But it's a single vineyard.

>> All the grapes come from one single vineyard.

The tannin structure is different.

It's not like that chalkiness that we had in the previous wine.

The tannins are there, but still beautifully silky.

Like, malbec is, I think, known for having silky tannins.

But here, I get more of the black fruit, not so much the red fruit.

>> Okay.

Yes.

>> Even though I love cabernet franc, and even though you were the first ones to plant cabernet franc, I think I need to stick to the malbec.

Malbec is the grape of Argentina.

The first malbec, the Elite Malbec, has everything I expect from a malbec.

And it's juicy, it's nice, it's silky tannins.

And with the Elite, I can just sit down, enjoy, and watch Yolanda do her magic with the food and the chef.

And I will just enjoy this.

>> Cheers.

>> Cheers.

The combos are chosen, and it's time for the tasting ceremony.

Will Chef Nadia manage to make the perfect pairings?

>> Hi, Nadia.

>> Hi.

How are you, Yolanda?

>> Great.

For the first challenge, I brought the Malbec Elite from La Celia.

I chose rosemary.

And, you know, this wine has several different herbs, as well.

And rosemary can be quite overpowering sometimes.

Yeah?

I would like to see how you manage to balance that in the dish.

>> Nadia prepares tomatoes in ashes, giving them a smoky flavor.

The tomatoes then rest for 12 hours before she confits them with the chosen ingredient -- rosemary -- and garlic in olive oil.

This traditional way of cooking make the tomatoes firm on the outside but soft inside.

>> Oh, the cauldron is working its magic.

When I try to fry the tomato, it just made like -- fwpt!

-- in the pan.

Right?

But as you can see, it's totally firm.

It's like, hmm.

Fantastic.

I'm very curious.

I have never seen tomatoes just cooked in oil and kept its shape so much.

>> To top everything off, she adds carbonized, burned mushrooms to the dish.

>> And out of this, you make this powder.

>> Yes.

It's just a process.

It is like volcanic earth.

>> Yeah.

>> Uh-huh.

>> Yeah.

It's like -- Yeah, like in a stone near the volcano, which I have done, actually.

[ Both laugh ] >> Like, licking the stone of a volcano.

That's a new one.

So, rosemary has a very dominant flavor, but do you think it can take over the dish?

>> I think that, yes, because La Celia Elite Malbec has little herbal notes.

>> Let's see what the chef comes up with.

Maybe she has another idea.

>> Cheers.

>> Cheers!

Welcome.

>> Thank you, Nadia.

>> Hmm.

Interesting.

>> So, Andrea, this was a surprise.

>> Yes, very surprise for me.

The texture is well, but it's a little juicy for me.

>> You know, tomato has a lot of acidity.

Can be tricky to match with -- with malbec wine.

>> Um...I don't know.

>> Well, let's chew on it for a while.

>> Next... >> The Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec.

And, again, being in Argentina, how could I not choose beef?

>> Nadia is making osso buco, which is shin of veal containing marrowbone, stewed in wine with vegetables.

She slow-cooks the meat for five hours in an iron cauldron, making the meat incredibly soft and tasty from the vegetable stock.

She then molds the meat around the bone like a burger and braises it in the oven for it to achieve a crispy and caramelized quality.

Finally, she leaves it in the fridge for 20 minutes to make the dish compact.

To top off the dish, she adds, a bone marrow tempura and a sauce reduction made from the vegetable stock.

>> So I'm just a little bit worried about the fat content of the whole dish.

You know?

For that, we will need a wine that has enough acidity to contrast it to pair it well.

So you are confident this is the right match?

>> Yes, I know.

Because it's a very good wine.

This dish allows only very high-quality wines.

Okay?

>> I will see about it later.

>> What is important for you with the preparation of the meat to match your malbec?

>> I like the juicy meat.

>> Juicy.

>> Yes.

And it's very important the fat, how much fat do you have in the meat, so... Because the tannin will help you to clean everything and will help you to clean your mouth.

>> So we're hoping for some fat.

>> Yes.

>> Yes.

Okay.

>> Will there be too much fat in the dish, and will the wine have enough acidity to contrast it?

>> Look at this.

Beautiful.

>> It's a lot of fat.

You wanted fat, but this is a lot of fat.

>> This is amazing.

But it's difficult, I think.

>> Yeah?

>> Are you maybe scared that it's too much fat, so it will overpower the wine?

>> Yes, I think.

>> Hmm.

The meals have been consumed, and it's time for the verdict.

We started with La Celia Malbec Elite, with rosemary and tomatoes cooked in ashes.

So, Andrea, what do you think about the dish?

>> For me, it was a surprise, mainly for the texture in the -- in the wine, the aromatic substance that rosemary gives to the -- give to the La Celia Elite Malbec.

For me, it was wonderful.

It's very, very well-prepared.

For me, it's approval.

>> Thank you.

>> You're welcome.

>> I think the pairing went really well because of the texture of the -- of the tomato.

And if I was a vegetarian, that's the dish I would want as my main course.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you very much.

>> Thank you very much.

Thank you.

>> And now for the second combo, the malbec and the meat.

>> Maxi, what do you think about the combination with your wine?

>> Okay.

When I got the dish, I was a little bit confused because I saw the bone, the meat, the fry.

But immediately I remembered my grandmother's recipe.

>> Mm-hmm.

>> And when I taste it and I can eat it, I feel the different texture, the fry, the meat, and the juice was delicious.

And I think it was perfect with the wine because you have the tannins.

So I love it.

>> So this was not just a good pairing, this was a nostalgic trip for you, as well.

>> Yes.

>> That's what food and wine does, I think, sometimes.

>> Fantastic.

Salud.

>> Salud.

>> Cheers.

>> Thank you.

Thank you for everything.

I really appreciate your comments.

My philosophy is about the future in gastronomy is in the past, and searching to the past, we can find the future.

>> Aww.

>> That is so nice.

>> Nice.

Nice comment.

Thank you for sharing your history.

[ Glasses clinking ] >> Salud.

>> Our trip to Argentina is coming to an end.

It's been a trip filled with experiences that will forever live on in our minds and on our palates.

[ Glasses clink ] >> For more inspiration, visit us at winefirsttv.com.

>> Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following.

>> No, take me home >> Vgan Chocolate -- Norwegian flavor, available in Walmart stores.

[ Wind whistling ]