Argentinian Cabernets and suggestions for a trip to Argentina
Recently, a colleague from my “non-wine” life, someone I didn’t know very well, rushed up to me in a passing moment and said, “Robin, you’re the wine lady, right?” I nodded. I guess I sort of am. She explained that she was taking her two weeks of vacation and going to Argentina and Chile and she wanted to experience some of the wines while she was there.
I put together some resources and suggestions for her, but the first thing that came to my mind was Domaine Bousquet. They are one of the most prominent producers in Argentina, and their property, high up in the Tupangato Mountains, is beautiful with its backdrop of the Andes. I also happened to have several samples of Argentinian Cabernets from Domaine Bousquet that I was planning to write about and pair.
I knew the wines were delicious, and I also knew that they stood with me on environmental issues. They were the 4th winery in the world to become Regeneratively Organic Certified and work hard to increase their sustainablity every year. Recently they moved to lighterweight bottles. By the end of 2026 their average 750 ml bottle will weigh just 420 grams, compared to 550 grams where it began.
I recommended that she be in touch and visit them if she could.
Argentinian Cabernets of Domaine Bousquet
Domaine Bousquet puts out a wide range of labels and varieties, and I am often lucky enough to try samples of their wines. Being in Argentina, they are known for their Malbec but also excel with many other varieties.
We have several samples that arrived a while ago from Domaine Bousquet. Five bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon. We chose two of these bottles to pair. We will pair and share the other three in the future.
We chose the Gaia Cabernet Franc 2021 and the Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Reserve for this pairing.
Carne Asada with Chimichurri and Provoleta
I wanted to pair it with some classic Argentinian dishes, so we made Carne Asada, topped it with homemade chimichurri, and, for a healthy side (LOL), Provoleta.
Provoleta is grilled Argentinian cheese. They use Provolone cheese and grill it. No bread unless you want to use some for dipping. I used a small rod iron skillet, drizzled some olive oil, layered it with provolone cheese, and finished it with oregano.
The Wines
Gaia Cabernet Franc 2021
The Gaia line of wines is Organic and Biodynamic. The grapes for this wine come from their vineyards in Gualtallary, Tupungato, and the Uco Valley of Argentina. This is a high-altitude vineyard at 4,000 feet, with the Andes as a backdrop.
This wine was rich, with notes of blackberry, raspberry, and black cherry, along with bits of menthol, anise, licorice, tobacco, and forest floor. Refreshing acidity with deep, rich flavors. This was exceptional with the carne asada!
14.5% abv – $20 SRP
Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Organic Reserve
The grapes for this wine come from the estate in Tupungato, which is close to the Chilean border and sits at 4,000 feet. This wine is cold-macerated and then fermented for 10 days. It ages in 50% French oak Barrels that are second use (so less intense oak flavor) for 6 months. The other 50% ages in a mix of Stainless steel and concrete.
This is a blend but is labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon because it has the requisite 85% of that grape. The other 15% is Malbec.
This wine has deep blackberry and black currant aromas with a touch of oak, giving it spice.
It went beautifully with both the Carne Asada and the Provoleta.
14.5% abv – $18 SRP
Time for a trip!
My colleague returned from her trip, and I briefly caught up with her.
She did indeed visit Domaine Bousquet, spending 2 days at the Gaia Lodge and taking a cooking class at the Gaia Restaurant.
She returned with amazing photos. (One of which she was kind enough to allow me to share.)
Now I’m daydreaming of a trip to Argentina and Domaine Bousquet!
More on the wines of Domaine Bousquet from Crushed Grape Chronicles
- Domaine Bousquet, Elegant, Comforting wines
- Discover Future Wines with Domaine Bousquet – CGC 12 Days of Wine 2023
- More than Malbec, more than Organic – Argentina’s Domaine Bousquet
- Celebrating International Rosé Day
- Organic, Pink, Bubbly – What’s not to love? #WorldWineTravel
- Gaia Malbec Nouveau – a new way of thinking about Malbec
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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