The first annual Latin American Vinofest kicked off at Delray Beach’s Art & Jazz on the Avenue on January 28. I’ve certainly never seen so many malbecs or carmeneres in one tasting and it was a great opportunity to try these lesser-known varietals.

The event closed down a few blocks of Atlantic Avenue. There was plenty of room to stroll from table to table or to dance an impromptu tango to live music on the street. I was disappointed to find very little in the way of food (the event advertised both food and wine stations, but I found only one food table). But being on Atlantic Avenue, there were many options to dine when I tired of sipping.

The caliber of most of the wine fell in the “everyday” category, but I did find some great values as well as a few higher-end bottles that really impressed. I thought a few of the Argentine malbecs really stole the show. Here are the highlights:

2008 Bodegas Norton Torrontes
For those of you who haven’t tried this South American white varietal, the torrontes grape produces a lovely, fresh and fruity wine that’s great to sip on its own or with lighter summertime fare. The Bodegas Norton Torrontes had a pale color in the glass and a fresh aroma of tropical fruit like pineapple, lychee and starfruit. On the palate, the burst of tropical fruit was nicely balanced with a zesty acidity and an off-dry finish.



2008 Pascual Tosco Malbec
The wine had a bright, fragrant aroma of cherry and blackberry. On the palate, the wine was medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins. I thought it was a solid, everyday wine that was a good value for the price ($11 suggested retail).



2006 Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Mendoza Reserva
This wine is a great one for lovers of big, juicy, fruit-forward wines. The Terrazas Malbec Reserva is bursting with big, jammy, ripe dark fruits like blackberry, plum and cassis. Those full fruit flavors are balanced with spicy flavors and moderate tannins. It’s another great wine for the price ($17 suggested retail).



2007 Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere Peumo Chile
Swirl Girls had the pleasure of tasting this wine earlier last week at Capital Grille. We loved the wine so much, we’ll be pouring it at our first Swirl Girls wine tasting later this month. I was more than happy to give it another swirl at the Vinofest on Thursday.

The wine is an intense, inky purple color that coats the glass like a syrup. On the palate, it displays very deep, ripe fruits like blackberry, black currant and plum, with hints of mocha and sweet spices. This is a powerhouse wine, full of luscious, juicy fruits and bold, well-integrated tannins.



2006 Loma Larga Syrah Casablanca Valley, Chile
Thanks to event organizer, Frank Reider, for introducing me to this limited-production wine from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. Vineyard owners, Patricio Diaz-Quiroga and his wife Rosita Santelices-Errazuriz, created Loma Larga Vineyards with the intention of focusing on quality over quantity. They joined forces with French winemaker, Emeric Geneviere-Montignac, producing wines from top-quality, low-yielding vineyard blocks.

The 2006 Syrah was aged in French oak barrels (35 percent new, 50 percent second use, 15 percent third use) for 14 months before bottling. The wine was full of juicy, ripe dark berry fruit with hints of fresh flowers and spice. It was full-bodied with a nice balanced acidity and a firm tannic structure. The finish was long and fairly smooth for a big, young wine.



2005 Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Mendoza Afincado las Compuertas Vineyard
This is where my night started getting really good. This premium wine comes exclusively from the Las Compuertas vineyard, located at 3,500 feet above sea level in Mendoza, Argentina. The grapes are hand harvested and then aged for 18 months in new French oak before bottling.

The wine was a very dark garnet color that coated the glass. It had a lovely aroma of sweet raspberries, blackberries and plum. On the palate, those berries were mixed with flavors of chocolate, espresso and toasted oak. The wine was well balanced with firm, but elegant tannins and a long, smooth finish.



2006 Doña Paula Malbec Luján de Cuyo Selección de Bodega
This was definitely my favorite wine of the night. The wine had a “dive-in-the-glass” aroma of heavenly dark, ripe berries and meadow flowers. On the palate, the wine was full-bodied with flavors of juicy plum and dark berries, mocha, toasted oak and sweet spices. The wine was well balanced with round tannins and had a long, silky finish. “YUM” was my last note of the evening.

~ Dry (J. Gwen Berry)