Recipe
Spicing up summer nights
NewsUSA

Americans are hot, hot, hot for the spicy food, wine, tango dancing and culture of Argentina. In fact, Argentina was the No. 1 tourist destination last year, according to the travel guide company Lonely Planet.

Often referred to as the "Paris of Latin America," Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital, is an up-and-coming hub for fashion, cuisine and design. And Mendoza, the country's world-class winegrowing region, has been dubbed "the new Napa Valley."

Boasting more than a thousand wineries, Mendoza builds on the model of Napa Valley's success as a tourist destination by celebrating the fruits of its vineyards - rich wines at value prices - with culture and cuisine to complement the best of the region's offerings.

A trip to Mendoza might involve an outdoor "asado," or barbecue, with friends and family gathered around an outdoor fire to share a meal. Here, lively conversation, grilled meats and full-bodied wines spice up Argentine nights.

Naturally, few things pair better with Argentine grilled meats than the signature red wine of Argentina: Malbec. The Mendoza region is known for the Malbec grape varietal, which was brought from France in the mid-19th century but has truly found a home in Argentina.

Bodega Norton, producer of the best-selling Argentine wines in the U.S., creates bold Malbec wines that offer rich, ripe fruit, soft tannins and peppery notes. One of Bodega Norton's newest releases, the Reserva Malbec 2005, is expressive with black fruit, violet and tobacco and a long, elegant finish. It is available nationwide for $14.99.

Pair your Argentine wine with this authentic Argentine dish: