Dia 114 - Saturday April 2, 2011: Norton Winery & Mendoza Area Dining

Norton is an important Argentine winery. It is in the Mendoza wine district with the Acancagua, highest mountain in America as its backdrop. The wines are as stunning as the surroundings. We tasted Malbeck at various ages in its production: Fresh (like Beaujolais); 1 year with 8 months in French oak barrels (deeper color & fuller taste) and 3 years with 16-18 months in barrels (deep color & complex finish). How are we going to finish drinking the ultra wines we purchased?!

We had lunch at La Barrica, an elegant restaurant recommended by the winery. The English translation of its name is “cork”. I had pickled rabbit salad, and pasta with Patagonian mushrooms. The excellent food and service were only exceeded by a wonderful Norton Malbec. We also had a pleasant chat with the gents sitting at a table near us one of whom was the “Head Winemaker Bodega Catena Zapata”, Alejandro Vigil who is a wine celebrity here.

We drove into Mendoza to find adequate maps and pesos. We ultimately found some maps at a large gas station. Back at our hotel in Chacras de Coria (near Lujan de Cuyo) we made arrangements to stay another day, but a block away and zeroed in on a golf course for tomorrow. I would like to pay a fond goodbye to the Andes on the west.

Dinner at Cava de Cana was a step back into traditional Italian harvest cuisine. The antipasto table had 30 different items, plus cheese and meat boards. 5 hot dishes followed and then dessert, etc. Gluttony is the danger one faces in the wine country here.