Spicy and concentrated aromas include cinnamon and cherry cola.  The palate echoes the nose with ripe dark cherries, spice, and a touch of smoke. The wine is structure but well-integrated and will improve with air.

Patagonia is Argentina’s southernmost wine region and one of the smallest, producing about 2% 0f the country’s wines (Mendoza makes about 70%). By Argentine standards, it is not high elevation, but its climate is cool. The southern location ensures long hours of daylight during the growing season, and there is significant diurnal temperature variation. Four provinces produce wine; the oldest of these, in terms of agriculture, is Río Negro, where farming began in the 1820s. Vineyards thrive along the river, one of the few in Argentina that flows year round. Santiago Bernasconi started the Aniello project in 2010 with the purchase of a 30-hectare (ha) vineyard planted in 1998; stage two saw the addition of another 20-ha parcel with a winery built in 1927. The 006 line of wines is named for the site’s cadastral nomenclature. Today, there are 55 ha under vine, all on the east banks of the Río Negro. The sandy, loamy soil, low humidity, and constant breezes make the area inhospitable to insect pests; farming is sustainable.

Grapes for this wine come from the estate (350 m above sea level) and are harvested manually. After a three-day cold maceration, the must is fermented in temperature-controlled concrete eggs; 30% remains as whole cluster and 70% is destemmed. Both native and commercial yeasts are used in the slow, cool fermentation. 30% of the wine aged in used French oak for 12 months, the rest in cement.

Chicken/Turkey, Duck, East Asian (Chinese/Japanese/Korean), Fish-full flavored (salmon/tuna), Grilled preparations, Mushrooms, Pork, Roasted Root Vegetables, Tapas