Day Five found me back at the Festival. After my North American tour, I decided to see what the southern half of the Americas had to offer.

There are no permanent pavillions in the World Showcase from South America, but for the festival booths are added to expand the range of experiences available. First stop: Chile.



Chile shares a great deal of similarity with California, both viticulturally and geographically. Both are west coast regions on the Pacific, enjoying the same prevailing onshore breeze and weather systems. Both have coastal mountain ranges with central valleys framed but yet another, larger mountain range further inland. Chile may be as long as the US is wide, but its wine growing region happens to be about as big and exactly as far south of the equator as central California is to the north. The Colchagua Valley is almost literally Napa's mirror image to the south.

Not surprisingly, Chile does cabs.



Following the menu's pairing recommendation, I chose my entrée accordingly. The Tomatican con Manchego, a tomato, corn and garbanzo bean stew with manchego, was matched to a Vina Montes Cabernet Sauvignon/Carménère blend.

Carménère is an almost-forgotten minority blending ingredient in Bordeaux that was thought lost to France during the phylloxera epidemic decades ago. It had been unwittingly mixed with vines in Chile and grown confused with Merlot until modern genetic testing at UC Davis revealed its true nature. It never really returned home with any significance and remains the adoption of its southern savior.



The pairing was apt. The flavors of the stew were cut cleanly, but smoothly by the Carménère-softened, black cab fruit.

Onward to Peru!



Not knowing much about the wines available here, I let the entrée dictate my choice. I wanted the Roast Duck with Cilantro Rice.



That got me the Tacama Gran Tinto to pair. Gran Tinto is a blend of traditional French varietals including Malbec, Tannat, and Petit Verdot. It was deep, rich, and slightly more acidic than the French might have done it, perhaps fittingly enough in more of a Spanish style. I would not have guessed that a red would have gone so well with such a light dish.



And that's exactly why I was learning so much and having such fun with the festival's small bites and guided pairings format.

The last stop on my South American tour would be Argentina, and it merited more than one visit.



The wines of Argentina were represented by the eminent Bodega Norton. Look for them at any CostCo, wine store, and many markets.



Like Chile, they do cabs and chards. Eager to compare, I first tried the Organic Spicy Beef Empanada as it came with the suggestion of the reserve cab.



The empanada was a flaky pocket of spicy, beefy goodness as promised. The cab was more restrained that its Chilean sibling. The fruits were there, but subtler and they came with a bit of forest-floor character that some appreciate though I could do without.

Malbec is another French orphan that seems to have found a sunnier reception in the south. It is technically one of Bordeaux's Big Five grapes, but it's rarely included in a blend for more than a few percent and is often not used at all. In Argentina, they bottle it as a single varietal, producing some of the best Malbec in the world. It is their number one export and has become the country's de facto national grape.

Fascinated by the decisions behind blending a few years back, I was attempting to deconstruct Bordeaux by trying the grapes that go into it as wines of their own right. I wanted to know what Malbec contributed to the mix. Wandering the aisles of CostPlus, the only Malbecs I could find bottled singly were from Argentina, and they were good.

I wasn't leaving Argentina until I tried the pairing they'd set up: Grilled Beef with Chimichurri.



This was essentially carne asada on a scoop of seasoned mashed potatoes and topped by marinated, chopped onions and cilantro. The food was tasty. The Malbec was nice. But actually, I wouldn't put them together. The vinegar in the marinade made the wine seem harsh and herbal.

Ever read a wine review that talks about coffee or mocha notes? That's the Malbec. There's a bready, bakery kind of ground bean essence in the finish, that first taste after you swallow and air again moves through your nose and mouth. It's full of smooth, dark berries, too. Pair with something starchy, but not too acidic, like a BBQ chicken pizza.

They talk of comfort food. Think of Malbec as comfort wine.

With South America under my belt, literally, it was time to go on a few rides and get my appetite ready for whatever dinner would hold in store...