Backing up a bit to my last post, the trip down to Mendoza was uneventful in the way you hope traveling alone in a foreign country will be. Staying in the same bohemian kicked-back hostel as last week and enjoying the anonymity I have, avoiding most of the typical "how long you are, where you going" conversations. Arrived around 8:45am, lazed around all morning, napping and reading, switching between the educational do-it-yourself "From Vines to Wine" and my new friend Ben's novel "Indecision." Kindle, you're a godsend. Around 3:00 finally built up the energy to get dressed and went for a run in the massive San Martin Park... which is getting harder the less I do it. But at least I'm doing it! Also got a little yoga in afterwards, on the deserted hammock patio next to my room.
Made it back in time to change and shower and meet Marcos, my Argentine tour guide friend, for a quick 5 minutes while he caught the bus outside my hostel back to his house in Godoy Cruz. Then it was off to the weekly wine tasting night with the expat ladies (and bfs of ladies) of Mendoza. Last night was all about the Cab Franc and the favorite across the board happened to be the one I had recommended to Cara, the organizer. Pulenta Estates Cab Franc 2008. Full of green pepper on the nose but amazing in the mouth. Also about $45USD, which is on the pricier side of things. More people (girls) showed up this week than last, including Emily, who I had interviewed with at the Vines. We were courteous to each other, but nothing more than that. We all went around and introduced ourselves as to where we were from and what we're doing here, and she congratulated me on the internship... yeah, I'm actually really awesome, but thanks lady! Anyway, it was an enjoyable night but not as fun or intimate as the first. But I guess first nights always have the benefit of novelty. Went out for a bite after with Cara (the Seattle sommelier), Amanda (the freelance journalist still looking for a gig), and 2 new friends, both of who are english tour guides at Familia Zuccardi, one of the larger wineries here. Jo is British, new arrival, very spunky and has a few months off between finishing law school and becoming a lawyer in August. She had worked for a British wine critic for a few months and took the opportunity to check out Argentine wine country. The other was an American chick named Katie who has been here since November pretty much working for free and just got fully contracted by the winery. We found a falafel and schwarma place and I enjoyed my first falafel in 2 1/2 months. Well, tried to enjoy it. Enjoyed aspects of it. Not the density or dryness. Briefly flirted with the idea of going to Salta (the other major wine country, in NW Argentina) as Thursday and Friday are national holidays and my office will be closed. Amanda and I discussed going, but the 20 hour, $200 bus ride wasn't exactly a thrilling idea.
This morning, after my first night in a hostel dorm since I was 19 (not bad!), I took my first Mendocino public bus the 45 minutes to Lujan de Cuyo, where the office is. Even though Guillermo, one of my "bosses," had advised me to take a cab my first time, I figured if I could crack BsAs buses, I sure as hell could maneuver Mendoza's. Only took a few times asking the bus driver where to get off and then a follow-up question at the Farmacia on the corner and I was pointed in the right direction. Showing up on time (before 11), post-bus, Guillermo was impressed.
The office is in an old cold-storage warehouse next to a huge supermarket that used to have it as dairy storage. Guess they figured they could make better money storing vino. The Altocedro office consists of 3 private offices, one for Karim, one for Guillermo (the head of operations and commercial support) and one for Marta, the admin/secretary/ office do-it-all. Then there is the conference room in the making, which is sparsely furnished, with high ceilings, lawn furniture, the typical boxes of random corporateness, including a coffeemaker still in its box... and a full-size wine refrigerator. And then a bookcase, displaying wines, not books. This is my office. After a quick tour around the storage facility next door, (cases and cases of wine from more than just our winery), a labeling and packaging assembly line (in progress), and a little side building where our kitchen, lunch room, bathroom and dry good storage (labels, corks, caps) are, Guillermo got to work explaining what he was hoping I could help him with. From technical sheets to brochures to updating the website and creating original content, I've got my work cut out for me for the next week (and whenever the harvest offers me a hiatus). I got to work immediately, helping position the already existing technical sheets to read more smoothly in English, as well as add some design (yes! they have Photoshop! and an extra MacBookPro!)
Oh! They eat lunch together EVERYDAY. They order around 12 from the same place which changes its menu daily, it gets delivered around 2pm, and then the 4 of us eat in the tiny little cottage, crowded around more lawn furniture. Of course there was a bottle of wine (only once or twice a week I was told). My sliced, grilled pumpkin with melted cheese and tomato salad was actually quite nice. After lunch I asked Guillermo about the upcoming holiday/days-off to doublecheck before buying tickets to go anywhere, and he offered that I could stay and join them for the upcoming events. Thursday they'll be entertaining a group of American customers who come down annually (I'm guessing mostly buyers and importers) at a place called Campo de los Andes. There'll be wine tasting, an asada (BBQ) and rafting. Friday is company family day, kicking off the harvest at the winery with more wine tasting, while testing the new machinery (sounds like a good mix), and then more rafting. Whoo! Glad I didn't purchase those Salta bus tickets. At 6pm Marta and I closed up shop and rode back to Mendoza together, speaking mostly Spanish since she's embarrassed with her English. Works for me. Also caught the scoop on the office. She and Guillermo are 33, Karim is around 35, and the three guys on the winery range from 24-38. A young staff indeed. Looking forward to tomorrow already.
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