The Travel Chica

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3 Strategies to Taste the Best Wines at a Wine Expo

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If you’ve read my previous posts, you know that much of my time here has revolved around drinking wine and eating food.

So guess what I did my first week back in Buenos Aires.

My first weekend here, there were two events that I HAD TO ATTEND!! 

It is as if the La Rural exposition center scheduled them specifically for my return.

Photo of interior
At this event, I also learned that there are usually special, higher-end wines not on display.

And I happened to discover two successful strategies for tasting the special, higher end wines.

Vinos y Bodegas

This wine expo was a little less fancy than the Cuisine y Vins Wine Expo I went to at Palacio Paz, but it was less packed with people, so you didn’t feel like you were in a competition with hundreds of Argentines to get a tiny sample of wine.  Here are a few photos.

Photo of wine glass

Yes, I would like another!
Photo of woman pouring wine
If the wine is in a carafe, it must be good!
Photo of carafe
A little bread and olive oil to soak up the alcohol.
Photo of olive oil display

Strategies for Success

1.  Get their attention.

Sling a fancy camera around your neck and take lots of photos.  At these events, people are trying to sell their wines.  They want the name out there.  Having a camera and actually using it signals that you may be writing about the event.  You will at least get their attention.

2.  Keep them talking.

Be friendly, outgoing, engaging.  This is work for them.  Make it more enjoyable.

Photo of wine expert

Once I caught this man’s attention by taking lots of photos of him pouring wine and the wine bottles on display, we asked A LOT of questions about the vineyard.  It was a label we had never seen, and the wines were much older than most wines you see at an expo like this.  I learned a lot.

Photo of wine bottles on display

And then….

After walking us through tastings of each of his wines, each one improving on the previous, he said…

“Now you have to try THIS one.” 

Then he pulled a special bottle from behind the counter, discreetly poured us a healthy sample, and hid the bottle again.

This was not expected at all.  But our genuine interest in the wine and his knowledge afforded us the privilege of sampling the best he had to offer.

3.  Ask for it.

I have learned that there always seems to be a “special bar” where the really good wines are served.  We discovered this one because a man happened to overhear me talking about a wine I really enjoyed.

He said, “If you like that, you’ll really like _______.” (No, I do not remember the name of the wine. I really need to start writing these things down.)

I said, “I did not see that bottle being sampled at that bodega.”

“No, you have to ask for it.”

Of course.

So I went back and asked about the wine. The woman hesitated but then gave two pieces of paper.

This was our ticket!  We were in!

A LITTLE EYE CANDY BEHIND THE BAR

Photo of Argentine bartender

 Success!

Photo of the good wine

If you come to Buenos Aires on one of those bargain holidays, I highly recommend checking the La Rural website for fun events like this.

Next Up:  A Delicious Welcome Back at La Rural

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