Luis Arregui, charge d’affaires of the Argentine embassy in Sofia, smiles and says, “it is wine - it demands attention”.
A seasoned diplomat and something of a connoisseur, Arregui says that when planning a dinner party, it is essential to take one’s time over the choice of wine. This is not, he emphasises, a matter of price; it is a matter of the most appropriate choice, particularly when the modern trend at dinner parties is not necessarily to changes wines with each course.
When someone from Argentina speaks about wine, it is worthwhile paying attention. Winemaking in the South American country dates back 400 years. Argentina is one of seven countries that collectively account for 75 per cent of the world’s wine production, currently ranking fifth in production.
There have been significant changes in the wine industry in Argentina. The opening up of the economy after 1991 brought in foreign involvement, and with it new technologies. At the same time, there has been a shift in interest, and therefore in production, from table wines to quality wines. In the past 10 years, the share of fine wines as a proportion of production climbed from eight per cent to 26 per cent. Of Argentinian wine exports, fine wines make up 70 per cent, table wines 25 per cent, and sparkling wines five per cent. The main destinations for Argentine fine wines are the UK, the US, Brazil, Canada, while table wines are going to Japan and Chile.
Another impetus was the domestic economic crisis in Argentina in December 2001. “When you have huge foreign debt, every dollar matters. And even when it comes to small markets, a dollar is a dollar is a dollar. So, as we are selling tango to the world, so we are selling our wines,” Arregui says.
This has meant pressure on Argentina’s wine producers to ensure that their wines are of high quality, and of a quality that is consistent from year to year. Argentina, whose wine industry used to be in the shadow of its neighbour Chile, has many advantages in its wine production. Its strict production laws forbid the augmentation of wine with sugar - but anyway, the climate, with lots of sunshine and little rain, makes this unnecessary.
“To sell, you need a good product and good price and to put your product where you can sell it.” Selling each wine in a foreign market means ensuring that it is the best wine that it is possible to make available in that market.
Argentinian wine has come to Bulgaria in recent years, with the approach here being to sell the widest possible range of wines in terms of quality and price. In Bulgaria, the price range for Argentinian wines is from about six to 16 leva.
Arregui says that there are wealthy people in Bulgaria for whom price is no object, who go to expensive restaurants, and may want to experiment in their ordering.
For such people, and for those scrutinising the shelves in the leading supermarkets, it is well worth considering an Argentinian wine.
Asked which two wines he would put on his table to represent his favourites from his home country and his host country, Arregui said that these would be Argentina’s Trapiche SA, and Bulgaria’s Red Dark. Trapiche, which has its home in Argentina’s principal wine-producing province of Mendoza and where wine-making dates back to 1883, is Argentina’s leading wine exporter.
Arregui had high praise for the standards of Bulgarian wines, adding that the country is fortunate in also offering excellent cheeses. The industry here was showing the benefits of the investments that had been made and the improved use of knowhow.
Finally, he notes, “wine is a way of life”. And, he adds, “it doesn’t make you fat”.
For more information on the wines of Argentina, visit :
www.argentinewines.com
www.arcanet.com/topwines.
