If your local purveyor has a section for wines from Argentina (my local grocery store does) and your wallet is feeling a little lighter these days, puruse the shelves for a bottle of 2009 Aconga Chenin Blanc - Chardonnay. At $3.99 a bottle, how can you go wrong?
Aconga comes from the ancient Incan word meaing "stone sentinel." Towering over Mendoza, the highest mountain in the Americas is known as Aconcagua. The majestic view from this mountain is what inspired the name of this wonderful blend of 80% Chenin Blanc and 20% Chardonnay grapes.
I would suggest serving this South American wonder chilled. The wine has bold flavors of melon and other citrus fruits (that's the Chenin Blanc part) masterfully blended with sweet apples (this is the Chardonnay part). This wine dances on the palate and pairs well with chicken and seafood. So if you're looking to ramp up a Chinese or Thai take-out dish, this is the wine to go with those types of food. You won't be disappointed and you're guests will think you really went all out for just a few bucks.
Comments
I have to agree with this excellent review of the Aconga Chenin Blanc-Chardonnay......I bought a bottle of this last week because I love Argentinian wine and loved the $3.99 sale price. I was so surprised at how crisp and clean it tasted and a couple of days later I went back to the store to buy more bottles, but sadly, there was only one left. Obviously, other wine lovers in my neighborhood had discovered this exceptional white at an exceptional price.
I too am shocked by how decent the wine tastes at $3.99. While it certainly is not highly memorable and tastes strangely diluted, for $3.99 it has some good soft flavors and crispness. I wouldn't call it "exceptional", but I'll say that it tastes like it costs twice as much and is worth buying in bulk in time for spring.
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