Argentine immigrant wine

In the U.S., we're so accustomed to thinking of our own melting-pot blend of immigrant cultures that we tend to forget the same is true of many of our American neighbors. From Hudson Bay in the north to Tierra del Fuego in the south, the Western Hemisphere is a melting pot of heritages from Europe and beyond.

This is certainly true of Argentina, which took in just about as many Italian immigrants during the 19th century as arrived in the U.S. through Ellis Island. To this day, Argentina's Latino character boasts a strong Italian accent, and the same goes for the country's food and wine.

Today, staying on the South American theme that we began with Wednesday's featured Chilean red blend, let's have a look at an intriguing Argentine wine, a 50-50 mix of the French-immigrant Syrah and the less-known Bonarda, a grape that's very Italian indeed.

Bonarda is widely grown in Northern Italy, but somewhat confusingly - all right, a lot confusingly - the same name is used for at least three different grapes. Bonarda Piemontese, as the name implies, is grown in the Northwest, where it had long fallen out of fashion but has been coming back in modern times, often in a blend with Barbera. Bonarda is also a synonym for Uva Rara ("rare grape") in Lombardy; and in Lombardy's Oltrepò Pavese region it's a synonym for Croatina, an alternate name that implies a Croatian origin. Some experts speculate that this Bonarda may be the same grape as Charbono, a historic but now fairly uncommon Northern California variety with Italian roots.

Argentina's Bonarda is thought to be the Croatina variety, and - as in Italy - it turns up more often in blends than as an all-varietal wine. In blends, it brings a dark color and ripe fruitiness to the party, and those are good things.

A Syrah-Bonarda blend is a bit unusual, not least because Syrah doesn't have much of a historical presence in Argentina or Italy. This wine from the Susana Balbo winery makes a good argument for the recipe, though. The smoky, plummy Syrah fruit comes through in a wine that demonstrates Syrah's affinity for grilled meats and barbecue; credit the Bonarda, perhaps, for the deep color, berrylike fruit and good acidity and tannins that enhance its structure. Balbo's "Crios" ("Youngsters") line of wines includes its less-pricey selections, meant for immediate enjoyment.