Back home in Columbus, Ohio, I was a big fan of wine tastings or really any event that was an excuse to try new wines. I miss my girls nights and my book club nights, especially for the good company.
I have discovered my place for good wine and good company in Buenos Aires.
My friend Chance suggested I attend a tasting at 0800 Vino. It was a rose tasting, and I am not a big fan of roses. But I was new in town, and Chance was adamant that wine tastings at 0800 Vino are always a good time. He was right.
I was invited back to 0800 Vino for the unveiling of the new line Zolo from Bodega Tapiz. After my cheap wine tasting experience, was ready to step it up a notch.
The Place
0800 Vino is a personalized wine delivery service. What a great business idea! A wine expert recommends wines you would enjoy and then delivers them to your house. It’s perfect.
Nigel, the owner and sommelier, started his business in Buenos Aires about four years ago. The wine cellar in the Abasto neighborhood is the perfect place to meet new people and try new wines.
The Wine
I had never tried a wine from Bodega Tapiz before, so I was excited to taste some new wines. Laura, the sommelier from Tapiz, introduced each wine to the group, explaining the origin of the grape and best food pairings.
I also appreciated her generous pours. We tasted five wines, and these were my three favorites.
Tapiz Merlot Reserve 2008
I am not usually a huge fan of merlots, but this was fantastic. This has to be one of the best merlots from Argentina. It is aged for 12 months in French oak. The spicy black pepper and cherry flavors made this was my favorite wine of the evening.
Zolo Bonarda 2010
This wine was a very deep purple.
I wrote in my tasting notes that it “smells like happiness.” Very scientific. You can tell I am a real connoisseur.
I really enjoyed this wine. I need to start trying more bonardas.
Tapiz Malbec Solo 2010
This wine also had a deep purple color, and a slight oak taste.
I apparently forgot to take a photo of this wine. (It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with how much wine I drank.) So here are a couple of other photos.
The People
What I enjoy the most about the tastings I have been to at 0800 Vino is chatting with the expats. The expat community in Buenos Aires is really wonderful. They are helpful and welcoming, even to travelers just passing through.
If you are living in Buenos Aires and enjoy good wine, check out 0800 Vino wine delivery service. If you are just passing through, check their Facebook page for upcoming tastings. You might even see me there!
I love the story and your life in BA at the moment… it must be awesome to be able to eat good steaks and drinks good wines every day… I wish we could change :))))
Sebastian recently posted..The Humpback Whale Experience
Well, this isn’t my life every day. I’m only writing about the fun and exciting days
But it is pretty amazing to live in a city that truly never sleeps and has such great steak and wine for a fraction of what I would have to pay in my home country.
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
i look forward to trying a bonarda, if i can find it. honestly i’ve never heard of it or noticed it. i bet weilands has it
You definitely should. I think you’ll enjoy it. I’m sure you can find it there.
The Travel Chica recently posted..I Came All the Way to South America to Drink Gato Negro
I, for one, don’t think you’re a wino but then people probably think I am an alcoholic
I am making notes on these wines and will try to find some locally! Completely agree that trying new wines is very fun.
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..Fabulous Friday – Posts that
How can you not enjoy the wine in BA. It is top notch and dirt cheap (if you are an expat).
Caanan @ No Vacation Required recently posted..2011 – What’s Gone Down & What’s Coming Up
I am also looking forward to Chile. I’ve heard the really cheap wine there is just as good as the moderately priced wine in Argentina. But I’ll be the judge of that
The Travel Chica recently posted..I Came All the Way to South America to Drink Gato Negro
How fun to go wine tasting in BA! Love your comment about the Photo of Zolo Bonarda 2010 tasting like happiness — I think I’ve tasted a few wines like that, too!
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Puttin’ on the Glitz
I am so bad at describing what wines taste like and smell like. I usually go with bad, good, or happiness. I let others identify the hint of chocolate or plum or whatever.
The Travel Chica recently posted..I Came All the Way to South America to Drink Gato Negro
Vino, vino, vino! Nice photos! We should go check it out again although there are plenty of free w/ purchase tastings in town as well.
http://wander-argentina.com/0800-vino-premium-wine-tastings/
wander argentina recently posted..Crazy Fist — The Life and Tragedies of Boxer Carlos Monzón
I would love to know more about the free w/ purchase tastings around town. Please email me!
The Travel Chica recently posted..I Came All the Way to South America to Drink Gato Negro
The more I read about yours and Ayngelina’s experiences in BsAs and get inspired to add things to my own to-do list for October I get more and more scared I’m going to come home with liver failure, red-wine coated teeth and the size of a blimp…but you know what? I think it will be totally. worth. it. !!
Megan recently posted..Books about India you should read
All three of those are very possible side effects of living in Buenos Aires. But you have the right attitude that it will be worth it
The Travel Chica recently posted..Meeting Expats and Drinking Wine at 0800 Vino
“Smells like happiness”… I love it! I’m the exact opposite of a wine connoisseur and honestly I usually can’t tell a big difference between a cheap wine and an expensive one. Beer is a different story.
Christy @ Ordinary Traveler recently posted..Nature Walk from Hell – Chitwan- Nepal
I am a total beer snob! And the beer in Latin America sucks. One of the first things I will do when I go home is drink a delicious IPA.
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
Ok…. I LOVE the picture of the wine glass with the blank notes in the back !!! I want a copy!!!!
That can be arranged
The Travel Chica recently posted..Meeting Expats and Drinking Wine at 0800 Vino
Sounds fabulous, and rather sophisticated. I wish I was invited to taste a new line!
Jillian recently posted..Photo- Nubian Glass Vase
I did feel a little special 😉
The Travel Chica recently posted..Meeting Expats and Drinking Wine at 0800 Vino
ha, our latest post is about wines as well. been having a bit lately. loved the argentinian ones. also, especially love wine tastings!
I figure I went without wine for so many months traveling through Central America, I need to make up for it now that I’m in Argentina.
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
That looks like fun! People who enthuse so lovingly about what they do are contagious.
robin recently posted..Tienda
Love 0800 Vino! And you’re right…nice expat peeps there. And who knew there would be two Buckeyes in the same room in BsAs!?
Wendy recently posted..All American FoodGet In My Belly
I know! Small world, eh?
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
I am SO missing Argentine wine at the moment…if you make it to Mendoza and want to splurge, be sure to try wine tasting at the Vines tasting room. Very posh, but great selection of wines by the glass =)
Andrea recently posted..Dreamtime at Machu Picchu
I think I was actually there during my last trip in 2009. Vines of Mendoza? It was very good, and yes, it was a splurge
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
I adore wines from the southern world – they’re so flavourful and rough (in a good way). Wine delivery sounds pretty great.
If I was living here for more than just a few months (and had a job), I would definitely be doing wine delivery.
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
Maybe I should have said “receiving” wine delivery. Or maybe “doing” wine delivery should be my job in Buenos Aires 😉
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Worst Tourist Trap in Buenos Aires
Now I’m thirsty.
There is only one solution to that problem. I hope you found it
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
FUn! I love going wine tasting- always learn something new about the area and hopefully a good glass of wine!
jade recently posted..The Great Wild
It sounds amazing, beautiful wine and tasty steaks you’re making so jealous right now. The one thing I would love to experience in Buenos Aires is the el classico, River Plate versus Boca Juniors football (soccer) derby. Possibly the most explosive match in world football.
I am not a soccer fan at all, so I decided not to do it. But I’ve met tons of people who have gone to Boca games and loved it.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
great post, and great idea
must already be on the vino – i read the post title as you drinking wine at 0800 in the morning!!
Graham GlobalGrasshopper recently posted..Top 10 cool and unusual hotels in San Francisco
That’s funny! But I imagine you can use the “5 o’clock somewhere” excuse even if you do start at 8am
The Travel Chica recently posted..Learning to Cook in Buenos Aires
I love wine tastings and this sounds like a great way to meet people, glad the expat community is so welcoming.
Laurel recently posted..An Expat’s Response to “Germany is the least funny country in the world”
It really is a great group of people. I will definitely seek out the expat community on my travels in the future.
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Most Gluttonous Night of My Life… So Far
I would always trust Chance haha. This looks likes so much fun!
Abby recently posted..White Party at Nikki Beach
Now he’s going to read this, and I’m going to have to hear, “Abby said you should always trust me,” about everything for now on 😉
The Travel Chica recently posted..The Most Gluttonous Night of My Life… So Far
“Smells like happiness.”
Um, I’ll take 10 of that please.
It’s so good to hear that the expat community was so welcoming to travelers. I’ve usually had the opposite experience with the whole “us” vs. “them” mentality. And it definitely made drinking wine a lot less fun.
Sarah recently posted..Questioning my Credibility at a Filipino Cockfight
That’s a shame. Buenos Aires has the BEST expat community!
The Travel Chica recently posted..My Little Wine Experiment- Can You Tell the Difference
I am not drinking wine but my sisters do. I will definitely share this to them so that they can try this out. Thanks for the post!
Trish Jones recently posted..What Causes Atopic Eczema
They will have a great time! You can even help them since you don’t drink wine, so they have have the “blind” experience.
The Travel Chica recently posted..Saying Goodbye
I love rosé … and merlot (particularly Chilean merlot) is my favourite.
What a great looking expat community. Expats + wine tasting = Always a fun thing. 😉
Ceri recently posted..Have You Ever Seen or Heard Anything Like This?
Great looking and hilarious!
The Travel Chica recently posted..Saying Goodbye
I have been looking for a good place to go wine tasting! Will check them out!
I just went to another one on Thursday. It was a smaller boutique vineyard Martino. Very very good! And I learned a lot and really got to see, smell, and taste the difference between aged wines.
Did they explain every choice throughly? I am looking for places were they talk to you; when they make you observe the wine and notice things connoisseurs do. I am not such a fan of places with a more independent approach. From what I have researched, Anuva would be the best, but pricey. What do you recommend?
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