Mariana Onofri and other wine experts spent time with Georg Riedel to determine the best glasses for drinking Argentina's famed Malbec and Torrontes.

I must confess that do not have the strictest rules and regulations for drinking wine.

I believe that if you are enjoying yourself there is no food or glass choice that can disturb dramatically the wine appreciation. That said, I do believe that in order to appreciate wine to the fullest – apart from having a good time while you are drinking it – it is important to take into consideration some important aspects that will enhance enjoyment. For example: wine temperature, food pairing and the right choice of glassware.

The prestigious Georg Riedel came to Mendoza and invited winemakers to participate in a workshop to discover the best glass for our native grapes: Malbec and Torrontes.

The dynamic for both wines was the same. Each of us (there were about 20 participants in each seminar) had our own table with a set of glasses. We had 17 glasses for the Malbec and then 14 glasses for the Torrontes. We began the exercise by filling all these different shaped glasses with the same wine. After the first tasting we had to narrow it down to 8 glasses by voting.

Let me tell you that these types of tastings are quite entertaining and revealing! It is incredible to realize how the same wine can change so much in its perception.

The shape of the rim and size of the bowl can highlight some attributes wonderfully. But also the shape of the glass can expose the wine’s tannins, alcohol or acidity too much, displaying an unbalanced or inexpressive wine.

Then we repeated the same exercise pouring a different Malbec or Torrontes accordingly. We selected 3 glasses, and finally after a very meticulous and hard tasting, we picked the finalist glass for each grape. So, what makes a glass perfect for Malbec? A wide bowl and a

sort of narrow rim help to concentrate the aromas, specially the red and black fruit notes. Because of the narrow rim, your head goes back and as you sip, the wine is directed to the center of the tongue, highlighting specific taste buds and flavors. Also, the way the wineenters your mouth helps you to better to perceive the sweet and smooth

tannins, and the silky texture of Malbec.

What makes a glass perfect for Torrontes? The selected glass has a medium sized bowl and a tulip shaped rim. Because of this shape, the tip of the tongue unconsciously curves up, so that a stream of wine is delivered straight to the sweetness-sensitive taste receptors that are
concentrated there. This has the effect of emphasizing the fruit. The glass also helps to integrate the acidity of the wine pleasantly into its floral and fruity flavors. The delivery ensures that the wine does not come into contact with the sourness-sensitive edges of the tongue, but moves on to the back palate to give a final long balanced finish.

To sum up, after all these multiple tastings, we had no doubt that the chosen glasses stood out. They showcased their ability to bring out the optimal aromas, taste and overall expression of our nativeArgentine varietals. But most importantly, we had a fantastic time together -- and that is what really matters when enjoying wine!

Cheers!

The Vines of Mendoza

In Search of the Perfect Glass for Malbec & Torrontes