Malbec Celebrated In Style

NEW YORK, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Malbec World Day was celebrated for the third consecutive year in New York last Wednesday, this time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  As the sun set over Central Park and twilight streamed through the windows of the American Wing's Charles Engelhard Court, the beautiful space was the perfect setting for a toast to Argentina's most popular wine.

The Consulate General and Promotion Center of Argentina, the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina and Wines of Argentina welcomed wine importers, distributors and retailers as well as chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs and hotel managers. Airline and AMTRAK executives and some of the country's leading tour operators attended the celebration of Malbec.

In the elegant crowd of more than 350, Broadway actors, TV stars and members of the diplomatic core mingled with wine lovers from all over the metropolitan area.  Emmy Award-winning television actress Jill Larson, from ABC-TV's All My Children joined guests such as the talented Mark Nadler, an award-winning cabaret performer and musical comedy star and noted choreographer Pedro Ruiz.  Argentine celebrities included theatrical designer Mayenco Hlousek and film director Julia Solomonoff.

In his remarks, Ambassador Jose Luis Perez-Gabilondo, the Consul General of Argentina in New York, noted that for the second consecutive year, Argentina was the fourth largest exporter of wines to the US, both in terms of volume (with more than 61 millions of liters) and in terms of value (with exports reaching $297 million). In 2012, he explained, the segment experiencing the greatest growth in sales was that of premium wines, up 13.5%, like those sampled during the evening.

According to Wines of Argentina's Marketing & Communications Director Magdalena Pesce, wine exports increased to $741 million last year with Malbec a key contributor to that growth.

Guests at the Malbec World Day celebration had the opportunity to sample delicious vintages from wineries from Mendoza: Achaval Ferrer, Kaiken, Alamos Winery, Salentein, Luigi Bosca/Familia Arizu, Catena Zapata, Renacer, Nieto Senetiner, Dona Paula, Familia Zuccardi, Finca Flichman, La Rural/Rutini Wines, Lagarde, Cuarto Domino - Javier Catena Vineyards, Los Clop Winery & Vineyards, Tamari and The Vines of Mendoza; and from San Juan: Callia and Graffigna and from Neuquen in Patagonia: Del Fin Del Mundo.

Contact: Wines of Argentina US Rep: Nora Favelukes, 212-308-7207; [email protected].

SOURCE Wines of Argentina