Wines of Argentina targets UK on-trade with Barullo

Wines of Argentina’s inaugural Barullo event will take place later this month with the aim of showcasing Argentina’s “cutting edge” wine scene and challenging perceptions of the country’s culinary offer.

Named Barullo, a word used to describe somebody or something making a noise or racket, the event will be held from 25 to 28 October at JJ Studios in Hoxton with trade-only sessions during the daytime on 25 and 26 and for consumers in the evenings from 25 to 28 October.

Argentine cuisine will be a strong focus throughout, with the trade-focused part of the event targeting in particular the UK’s on-trade to communicate how Argentine wines can work well with different foods, beyond steak.

“Our aim is to challenge perceptions of what ‘Argentine food’ means and show how far the food scene there has come in recent years, just like the wine scene”, said Andrew Maidment, UK head of Wines of Argentina.

“We also want to show how Argentine wines don’t always have to be paired with steak and have a place on the wine lists of restaurants serving much more imaginative dishes, and also provide some inspiration to the trade and restaurants.”

Culinary highlights include a food collaboration with chef Mauro Colagreco of the two Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur restaurant, recently voted World’s 6th Best Restaurant.

From 12pm-3pm on 25 and 26 October, the event will be hosting three live food stations manned by Mirazur chefs and six additional pass arounds (taken around by waiting staff). Dishes, all inspired by different Argentine regions, will include Argentine rib eye, venison tartar and Patagonian black cod.

Sommelier sessions will also be held during the trade-only part of the event, with six of the world’s best sommeliers, having competed in the recent world championships in Mendoza, enlisted to host a series of masterclasses. They include Paz Levinson (4th), Christian Jacobsen (6th), Raimonds Tomsons (7th), Heidi Makinen (8th),  Piotr Peitras (10th) and Gareth Ferriera (15th).

Topics include ‘Anything But Chardonnay’ (Heidi Makinen and Gareth Ferreira), ‘Focus on Cabernet Franc and Bonarda’ (Raimonds Thomsons and Piotr Pietras), and ‘Single Vineyard Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato, Tunuyan San Carlos, San Rafael’ (Christian Jacobsen and Paz Levinson).

“We want these sessions to represent an honest, informative tasting”, adds Maidment, “a tasting that will initiate debate about the wines, their style, their positive (or negative) aspects, how the sommeliers feel they would work in an on-trade environment, what they think your customers would say about them and what foods they might suggest pairing with them.”

The consumer portion of the event will take place in the evenings from 6.30pm until 11pm over all four days. Highlights include a Mauro Colagreco pop-up restaurant serving Argentine classics, sommelier led tasting bars, music and art.

For the pop-up restaurant, two types of tickets are available; one including a two-star Michelin, four course dinner, and the other two-star michelin canapés and live food stations, both served alongside a selection of Argentine wines.

Tickets are available via Eventbrite. For more information visit www.winesofargentina.org/barullo