Signs of the Times

You might be surprised to know that Argentina is the fifth largest wine producer in the world. At least, it was until recently. Now it has dropped to the sixth position. And do you know which country has taken its place at Number Five? China. Yes, honestly. China is now producing slightly more wine than Argentina and more than half as much as the entire USA. Chinese wine production is currently growing at about twenty percent a year.
During the Spanish colonization of the Americas (or invasion, if you prefer), vine cuttings were brought to Argentina in the mid-sixteenth century. One of the most important areas is San Juan’s Tulum Valley; the home of Bodegas Callia, a winery with a total storage capacity of a staggering nine million litres. Among other things, they produce the easy-to-drink varietal wines in the Signos range. And as you might have guessed, signos means “signs”.
Winemaker José Rubén Morales is quoted as saying, “Bodegas Callia has interpreted the wine that consumers want to take to their table, both to enjoy with their everyday meals and to share something special with the family.” It all sounds a bit commercial if you ask me, but the wines are actually very good. The 2011 wines are now available and I’m sure they’ll taste pretty much the same as these earlier vintages.
Signos Malbec 2008 (red),
Argentina (Bt. 450 @ Villa)
Malbec grapes are small, very dark and juicy. Their historic birthplace is Southwest France, where the grape is still widely grown in Cahors. But today, its spiritual home has become Argentina, where after more than 100 years of nurturing it has come into its own. Today, Malbec is considered Argentina’s national grape and is well-suited to the dry climate of the country, producing fruit-laden wines with very soft tannins.
This wine is a dark red, with tints of orange and violet. The aroma has the unmistakable Malbec signature of ripe plums, sweet jammy back fruit, black cherries and figs. There’s an attractive tang of earthy aniseed and mint too. The mouth-feel is very soft and silky with ripe, gentle tannins that you might miss altogether. On the palate, the rich black fruit and the plums are out in force and you’ll probably notice a touch of peppery spiciness. Although the wine is dry and full-bodied, there’s a very attractive, slightly sweet touch to the finish.
With its powerful, dark, and brooding flavours, this wine certainly has character. If you enjoy full-bodied rich reds like Australian Shiraz or Italian Barolo you’ll probably find this wine to your liking, even though the rather unusual Malbec taste may come as a surprise. Malbec is known for its ability to pair with a wide range of foods. It would make an interesting partner for nearly all meats, whether they are grilled, roasted or barbecued. It would go well with spicy food too.
Signos Chardonnay 2010 (white),
Argentina (Bt. 450 @ Villa)
This is a lovely-looking rich golden wine. The aroma’s a bit shy, so you’ll need to give it a bit of time to develop, especially if you’ve just hauled the bottle out of the fridge. You’ll probably detect the smells of orange and pineapple with hints of other citrus smells and perhaps you might pick up the aromas of honey and raisins. The wine has a very soft mouth-feel and it’s medium-bodied.
But this is a confident wine; plenty of rich, ripe fruit up-front and the unmistakable smell of honey in the background. I suppose you’d call it off-dry because there’s the slightest hint of sweetness but none of the tart dryness of some whites. There’s only a touch of acidity and a splendidly long, dry fruity finish. Honey comes through on the finish too and you’ll find it’s an attractive easy-drinker, well-crafted and I’d guess, definitely made to please. It’s a good deal more interesting than many Chardonnays I have tasted and I think it would work well with light chicken dishes or other white meat. Try it with pasta in Carbonara sauce.
Incidentally, you might be wondering why we see so little Argentinean wines when the country comes so high in the wine producing stakes. The reason, I’m told on reliable authority, it that they drink most of it themselves.