Our call for people to write about their favourite independent wine merchant has reached as far afield as Argentina. Patrick Gillespie visits Buenos Aires and finds a tasting loft.
Anuva is hidden on a quiet, leafy street in Palermo, Buenos Aires. I had already visited Argentina's wine regions, but I wanted to find something in Buenos Aires that would remind me of my vineyard tours in Mendoza.
A work colleague recommended Anuva to me, and I corralled some friends for a visit.
Anuva is a vinoteca and private tasting loft. It was founded by an American, Dan Karlin, and his Argentine wife, Lourdes, who fell in love with each other and then fell for the county's new world wines. The vinoteca is on the second floor of a small modern building, with large floor-to-ceiling windows, big wooden tables and wine racks in front of glass walls. It's flooded with sunlight in the afternoon. The staff is small, personal and from around the world, so there weren't any language barriers between my group and the wine.
Our sommelier Cara tended to us, picking out bottles from small, hard to find Argentine wineries, like a Mairena Bonarda from Familia Blanco that we tried with chorizo and cheese. Cara was charming, easy to talk with and answered questions about the wines, the city and even herself.
She told us that her passion for wine, along with an Argentine man, convinced her to leave the UK and move to South America. It seems many expats in Buenos Aires come for wine and stay for love. Anuva is a great place to talk about both.
Anuva Wines
Malabia 1308
Buenos Aires
Argentina
tel +54 11 4774 4673
Cara@anuvawines.com
www.anuvawines.com