One of the biggest challenges facing Argentine winemakers in the domestic market is the rise of craft beer, which is being embraced by the younger generation.
Historically, Argentina had one of the largest per capita wine consumptions in the world, but that is rapidly changing. Craft brewers are opening around the country by the dozens.
In my conversations with winemakers like Daniel Pi of Trapiche and Adrián Manchon of Cuvelier Los Andes, I hear a concern that the industry may have made enjoying wine too complicated.
They wonder if newcomers to wine feel like they’re “getting it wrong” if they don’t taste the notes of plum and leather and the scent of black fruit that the reviews described.
It’s all gotten just a bit precious.
So I found both of them encouraging an approach to wine that is a little bit more playful and less serious.
As Adrián Manchon put it, “there are the wines you Think, and there are the wines you just Drink.”
And there is a place for each.
We’ll drink to that.