Bar Pilar Newsletter (April 30)

Wine retreats are wellness retreats

Hi from Mendoza BP Club!

The last time I was in Mendoza, COVID hit, I had to get the f*** out on an emergency flight, and I was going through the worst breakup of my life. Somehow, I still loved my trip, a real testament to the beauty and spirit of the region. I loved the open fire asados, the blood orange sunsets against the Andes backdrop, the gaucho aesthetic (I have a thing for cowhide rugs, apparently) and the copious pours of Malbec and olive oil. So I was more than happy to return, this time under much better circumstances.

I spent the last week in Mendoza on a brand trip, which was a first for me. I’m normally wary of group trips, but agreed to it because this particular company took the approach to wine trips that I’ve always felt was overlooked: wine retreat as a wellness retreat. I won’t get into the details of the brand trip here, because I don’t feel that’s what our newsletter is for (check out our Instagram or DM me, if you want to learn more. I’ll also do a full Mendoza guide as soon as I can get to it) but I will use this preamble to our biweekly newsletter as a general opportunity to push my view that wine retreats should be considered wellness retreats.

Wine - the growing of wine grapes, making of wine, and sharing of wine - is one of the most ancient and fundamentally human rituals we have left in our technological age. The opportunity to travel to a region where wine is made and learn about the process provides an increasingly rare opportunity to connect with the earth, history, and the unique character of a region. The typical long dinners that follow a wine tour, spent over the grill with many, many bottles in hand, provide one of the few forcing mechanisms we have left to connect with others over a defiantly un-modern product; rather than discussing the stress of our tech-ridden jobs, the latest TikTok trend, or the White Lotus finale (guilty), we’re left to compare our senses and develop our taste together. And wine regions are, of course, breathtaking areas of the world typically blessed with exceptional topography and agriculture as a whole. Where there’s wine, there are usually mountains, rolling hills or rushing waters, along with olive trees, cattle, and very, very fresh produce.

If you’re looking into summer travel (as I think we all are right now - I live for the time I get to spend on the Mediterranean), I encourage you to think of a wine trip as a recipe for rest and regeneration. While not often thought of this way, I think it’s the most natural and rewarding way to lean into wellness.

Now into our regular programming…..

CHAMPIONS (the best wines I’ve tried since our last newsletter)

I’ve had a number of wonderful wines on my trip to Argentina, and had the privilege of meeting several of the winemakers (a big highlight was definitely meeting and tasting with Laura Catena - that woman is an energizer bunny). But my favorite wines of the trip were probably the two pictured above from Mendel: the Unus, a blend of Malbec and Bordeaux varieties, and the Finca Remota which, as the name connotes, is an extremely concentrated Malbec grown in a tiny, remote, high altitude parcel in Valle de Uco. Argentina, in some higher altitude areas, is starting to grow some formidable expressions of international varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but, when I’m in a new wine region, I typically want the flagship grape. Besides, nothing pairs better with asado than Malbec.

Another standout producer from the trip, and a must-know for fans of biodynamic production, was Tikal - another project of the Catena family and, without a doubt, one of the most interesting wine visits I’ve experienced. I’ve toured biodynamic vineyards before, but Tikal has taken it to another level by developing an entire animal farm (I’m talking llamas, former polo horses, fluffy sheep and farm dogs all mingling together in the fields and vineyards), maintaining a natural forest around the vineyard area, and serving fresh produce with their wines overlooking a lake which reflects an unobstructed view of the Andes. The unique ecosystem shines through in their wines: expressive, vibrant, primary fruit-driven, with juicy tannins and an unusual levity.

I also had the opportunity, separate from the brand trip, to pass through The Vines (my favorite hotel in Argentina) for a couple of nights and spend some time with their team. In addition to making exceptional wines alongside their various members in Argentina, who can own parcels throughout the property, they partner with winemakers around the world for special bottlings. I had the chance to try the wines they created in partnership with Dominik Huber of Priorat Cult Classic Terroir Al Limit at an asado lunch and it was, as would be expected, phenomenal.

Even after this last Mendoza trip, one of my favorite producers in the region remains Cuvelier Los Andes (the project of recent Bordeaux-based Cult Classics feature, Leoville Poyferré). I didn’t have the chance to visit the winery on this trip, since a brand trip left me zero control over my schedule, but after tasting many more impressive wines in the region, I’m still convinced it’s one of the highest quality and highest value Mendoza bottles out there.

Before I left for Argentina, I also enjoyed a fabulous bottle of 1er Cru Bernard Defaix Chablis - seafood-ready minerality a surprisingly rich finish. Essential as we move into the warmer months.

POWER COUPLES (the wine & food pairings I’ve been obsessing over)

I’ve been going hard on the long Malbec and asado lunches the past two weeks (my favorite part about visiting Mendoza - bring on the meat sweats!!!!). I’ll get into where to go for those on your next visit in our “Wine & Dine” section below.

Before I left, I also had the Grosjean Clairet at Marea in LA, paired with their duck orecchiette. It’s technically a red, but more akin to a deeply saignée rosé with bright raspberry and floral notes. I think this is one of the best pairings for duck, roast chicken, and grilled tuna. Another essential as we move into late spring.

WINE AND DINE (what’s on my radar for eating & drinking well - in LA and around the world)

Since I’m planning to get you guys a full Mendoza guide soon but don’t want to hold out on you now, I’ll go rapid-fire on the best places I ate in Mendoza in past two weeks.

For classic outdoor asado lunch under pergola vineyards, Casa de Uco does a fantastic job (asado pictured above). I don’t know WTF they do to their pork, but it’s some of the best I’ve had.

For an elegant tasting room and classic asado experience with thoughtful architecture against and Andes backdrop (who wouldn’t want that?), the bodeguita at La Posta winery (one of the Laura Catena projects, also pictured above) knocks it out of the park.

To dine on fresh produce paired with biodynamic wine, while overlooking the farm the vegetables were just picked from and a lake reflecting the Andes, alongside roaming hoards of horses, sheep and llamas - obviously Tikal (above).,

For an in-person tour of seven open-fire cooking methods perfected by Argentine legend Francis Mallmann, followed by communal dining with wine fanatics from around the world and, of course, multiple regional wine pairings - it has to be the Saturday experience at Siete Fuegos. This was my second time there, and I loved it as much as the first.

SPILL IT (industry news, trends, and my two cents)

I was relieved to read this recent article in Wine Enthusiast about trends in millennial wine consumption. After the past year of hearing nonstop panic from the industry about how “young people aren’t drinking wine” and the perceived need to make wine as accessible as possible, I always found myself somewhat confused. This narrative didn’t resonate whatsoever with what I was finding in our community, which was an energetic eagerness to learn more about wine, to collect wine, to explore new wine regions and discover new producers in a demographic which (the last time I looked on my Instagram account) is 83% Gen Z and millennial (our crew is mostly millennial though - I was drinking André duct taped to my hands on the way to sorority formals when I was Gen Z’s age, so I’m shocked and thrilled that anyone from that generation has joined our community).

The article very much validates what we’ve been focusing on for the past year, especially with our “Cult Classics” series and emphasis on wine travel. It confirms that millennials aren’t less interested in wine consumption, we’re just interested in more intentional consumption. We may be drinking in lower volumes, but we’re spending more per bottle and seeking out more meaningful connections to the wines we’re drinking (the opportunity to meet the producers, the discovery of lesser-known regions, the revelations of unique wine and food pairing experiences). To all of us here, that probably seems like common sense, but I’m happy to finally start seeing this perspective reflected in wine media, rather than an industry-wide freak out which assumes that young people hate wine.

One thing the article mentions that we haven’t discussed much is the increase in activity among millennials in investing in wine as an alternative asset class. As much as I love collecting wine and believe it returns its value in volumes in other ways, I’d encourage anyone to buy index funds over wine if the intent is to make any actual financial return (these days though, who knows). But I’m curious whether any of you purchase wine as an alternative asset class and, if so, how. I’ll start a thread in our group chat.

AFTER HOURS (everything else I’m obsessing over at the end of the day, over a glass of wine - travel, fashion, music, etc).

There are a couple of brand strategists whose accounts I’ve really been enjoying: @eugbrandstrat on Instagram and

Miranda Shanahan

(I love her TikTok). They both offer coherent, original takes on marketing and branding topics like marketing to Gen Z, the return of “IRL” community building, and brand world-building across social media platforms.

I had the chance to listen to a few new albums on my red-eye to Buenos Aires before catching some sleep. I think I’m a little late to this, but Choke Enough by Oklou was a big favorite.

For those of you in LA, I’ve had my eye on a couple of special upcoming events: the vintage clothing palooza of A Current Affair on May 3/4, and a dinner at Etra in collaboration with chef Camilla Marcus on May 6.