Diary. Trapiche Cellars. Mendoza.

Today it’s the Trapiche Cellars with Daniel Pi. Chief Winemaker. Wise man, great teacher who filled in a lot of gaps for me.

It was Italians - with some Spanish - who created the Argentine wine industry in the mid-18th century. The British-built railway from Mendoza (the vineyards) to Buenos Aires (the customers) was also vital. Previously, going by ox cart took so many weeks the drivers, they say, drank most of the wine on the way.

So, originally, it was all Sangiovese and Trebbiano. And Tempranillo and Garnacha.

The founders of Trapiche winery then brought in what was always known as 'The French Grape'; the most famous French grape at that time; Malbec.

Malbec - or 'Cot' or 'Pressac' - was huge not only in Cahors (the 'Black Wine'!) but also in Bordeaux. But that was before phylloxera struck.

Phylloxera is a nasty little creature that attacks the roots of European vine stock. Devastated thousands of acres of vineyard in the late 19th century. Most effective treatment? Grafting vines onto American root stocks.

The Bordelais found Malbec did not take well to being grafted and switched emphasis to Merlot. But the Malbec vines taken to Argentina did better (there was no phylloxera).

The Argentines focussed on their huge home market. They were the fifth largest wine producer in the world - and drank it all themselves. Consumption was 90 litres per head per annum. You wouldn't have liked it much. I didn't, in the 70's.
Things were interrupted by events in the 80's.
We started to buy in the 90's when the wine industry here decided they had to change and export wine … which had to be better.

It is to our Senior Buyer Thomas Woolrych that we owe our recent success with Argentina. He loves the place and has been digging around everywhere from Patagonia in the south up to the north where they have the really high vineyards at 8000 feet (even higher than Aldo's Chilean). That is a spread of … dunno … thousands of miles. Thomas says a 12 hour bus trip through the tractless desert of western Argentina is an experience I really ought to try. I might just pass on that one, Thomas.

Malbec is a star here. And it has fanatical followers. 'Malbec World Day' is April 17th. You should know that. You can only drink Malbec on that day. Order some now!

I don't think there's a World Merlot Day or a Tempranillo Week. But I could be wrong. Malbec 'the French Grape' is back! Thanks to Argentina.

The Trapiche cellars are a winemaker’s dream. I am very jealous. The old Florentine-style brick winery from 1922 has been beautifully restored with modern creative bits blended in: like a glass pyramid in the yard with tasting room below. Mini Louvre! They've kept the old machinery and old railway for display, created a wine bar and great dining hall for visitors.

Great day finished with a stunning dinner with Daniel and Co showing of wave after wave of brilliant reds; Malbecs, Syrahs and Cabernets. This team are going to be hard to beat.