Our last dinner party featured Argentinian wines. There are many varietals but one of the more popular wines is Malbec. Even though Malbec is a difficult grape to grow, it does very well in the Mendoza area. This wine was served with a Pumpkin Stew. 
The stew had so much going on that it was like a flavor party. The pumpkin was roasted with beef broth, herbs and spices that was used as the base for the stew.
The stew was richly flavored with peaches, carrots, beef tenderloin, corn and more. Mac reviewed the list of ingredients with us and will send the recipe.
Even though Argentina is primarily a red wine producing country there was a very good white that we enjoyed. I particularly like Torrontes, a crisp white wine with flower and fruit aromas. On the nose it reminded me of gardenias with a hint of peach. It was paired with a Smoked salmon roll with basil crème and a mango-pineapple vinaigrette. Pairing vinaigrettes with wine is usually challenging but this wine's crispness created a good balance. The salmon was served on a bed of lettuce and the vinaigrette was drizzled on top.
We tried two Torrontes, both good but very different. One, a 2013 Don Manuel Villafañe was light and crisp and big on flavor. The other Torrontes a 2009 Alamos was a more complex wine, not as fruit forward as the Don Manuel.
The side dish a vegetable tart was actually more than a side. It was beautifully presented in a home made pastry filled with chopped carrots, sweet potatoes, leeks and bacon. This dish was served with a Pinot Noir. The acid and fruit in the wine was well balanced with a hint of earthiness, a good pairing with the vegetables.
The Argentinians adopted the Italian tiramisu from which they created a Dulce de Leche Tiramisu. The one we enjoyed was rich, creamy and wonderful. It was paired with a late harvest Malbec, a very interesting wine that was new to me. The typical blackberry and plum flavors of Malbec were there but had been converted into a blackberry plum pie. This wine is perfect as an after dinner drink or with chocolate, making it a good match for the Dulce de Leche Tiramisu.
