Victoria Wines and Spirits officially introduced a premier selection of Argentinian Malbec from the renowned Trapiche vineyard during a special event on April 17.Victoria Wines Group general manager Business Development Hamish Black paid tribute to the heritage of the label, noting its 140-year history and its consistent performance on the international awards circuit.
Located in the Mendoza region and Uco Valley, the vineyards carry a lineage that traces back to Europe.
“From 1853, the first Malbec vineyard grapes came from France over to Argentina,” Mr Black said.
“So well over 150 years, Argentina’s been producing and selling Malbec wines, and they sell all around the world, all through Australia and New Zealand, America and obviously here in Fiji as well.”
The introduction of the label to the Fijian market is supported by a strategic collaboration with the Sheraton Fiji Golf Resort and Spa.
This partnership saw the Sheraton’s culinary team curate a menu specifically designed to complement the wine’s profile, featuring pairings such as octopus ceviche and Black Angus strip loin.
Mr Black said the partnership would ensure the availability of these premium selections at the resort.
“We’re very lucky to have an extremely close partnership. By ‘we’, I mean Victoria wines is very lucky to have a very close partnership with Sheraton Hotel.
“So, we’ll have both trapiche wines, this is the Malbec profile, and the terroir series pinca Ambrosia, both for sale at the Sheraton,” he said.
For the seasoned connoisseur, Mr Black recommended the Terroir Series Finca Ambrosia as an ideal choice.
“This is the trapiche terroir series, Finca ambrosia, and I think the most interesting thing about this wine is that for over 150 years, they’ve worked to understand where the best grapes grow in their region.
“This is from a special region in Mendoza, and then a sub region of Upo Valley, but the actual vineyard estate is called Finca Ambrosia, and this is just a smaller state that grows some of the best grapes in Argentina.”
Sheraton Fiji Golf Resort and Spa assistant director of Food and Beverage Winni Ayuningtyas said the event coincided with World Malbec Day, providing a fitting backdrop for the resort’s Tatavu Grill and Bar.
“We chose the wine to compliment the dinner tonight and Tatavu as a Latin American Grill and bar, so we wanted to be the benchmark of the other restaurants in Denarau and Fiji itself,” she said.
“Malbec is a unique wine and it’s actually paired very well with barbecue grill, we wanted to highlight not just the wine, but also the food and it goes very well together.”
