In case you weren’t aware, coffee is quite popular nowadays! The internet tells me that over 400 billion cups are consumed every year worldwide – rather a lot by anyone’s reckoning.

Buenos Aires certainly contributes its fair share to that total. Indeed, at first glance, Buenos Aires seems to be the proud owner of a deep and abiding coffee culture: meeting for a coffee is indisputably a pillar of Argentine social life. This is aided and abetted by the fact that the lines between café, bar and restaurant are blessedly blurred in Argentina, meaning that you can get a cup of joe just about anywhere that has waiters.

Personally, I love the experience of going for a coffee in Buenos Aires, particularly if it’s at a Café Notable like El Federal in San Telmo. I love the vaulted ceilings; the fileteado artwork; the waiters in bowties; the gloriously beat-up furniture, and the checkerboard floors. It all makes for a perfect café environment. Order a single café con leche and suddenly (well, not that suddenly) your table is overflowing with stuff: the coffee; sugar cubes; a linen napkin; a shot of sparkling mineral water, and a little plate of alfajores to boot. Now that’s value! Plus you can linger over that one cup as long as you like and no-one will ever pester you to order more.

Ahhh J. It’s a very nice experience, one that I never tire of and always share with friends when they’re here on vacation.

So: thumbs up for the Buenos Aires coffee culture.

All of this leaves us with a puzzling question though. Given that Buenos Aires has such a great coffee culture, why is the coffee itself so bad? Because it really is terrible. Bitter, watery and awful, it’s actually worse than a decent cup of Nescafé.

In other countries, Starbucks is my fall-back, my go-to-guy for when I can’t find a decent independent café, or for when I want to be absolutely sure of being able to get Wi-Fi along with my caffeine. In Buenos Aires however, Starbucks provides some of the best coffee on offer.

The reason can’t be the equipment, because most cafés sport beautiful, top-notch espresso machines, and anyway, it’s not just the coffee that’s served in cafés: the ground stuff that you buy in supermarkets is horrible as well.

The biggest contributor to the awfulness of the coffee here is that, unlike anywhere else in the world, in Argentina coffee beans are roasted with sugar. Look at a pack of Argentine coffee in a store and you’ll see the word ‘torrado’ written somewhere on the label. This means ‘sugar roasted,’ a process which interferes with (and I think, ruins) the natural flavors of the bean.

Why are the beans roasted in this way? Apparently there are two reasons: 1) to disguise the bad quality of the beans, which in Argentina are low-grade beans from Brazil; and to cut the expensive coffee with something cheaper (the sugar can represent as much as 15-20% of the weight of the batch).

Clearly this is not a good situation for coffee lovers.

Is there light at the bottom of the coffee cup?

There are some signs on the horizon that things are changing in Buenos Aires with regard to coffee. The city is now home to some specialty coffee shops that really focus on blending and taste. The café chain Establecimiento General de Café (www.estcafe.com.ar), for example, has a great reputation.

Personally, I love Matilda’s, the tiny hole-in-the-wall café in San Telmo at Chile 673 (near Chacacubo) that serves great coffee AND delicious cupcakes.

If you don’t live near enough to somewhere like Matilda’s, you might have to resort to bringing in a 5kg bag of your favorite blend from overseas, buying a French press, and drinking your coffee at home. And if you’re at a Café Notable, order a nice glass of Malbec instead – now there’s something that Argentina does well!

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If there’s one Argentinean custom that’s bound to give new arrivals in Buenos Aires a ‘wtf?’ moment, it’s the insane popularity of Fernet + Coke as the go-to mixed drink for any occasion.

More on that soon. But first, what is Fernet anyway? Here’s a description from our good friends at Wikipedia:

“Fernet is a type of amaro, a bitter, aromatic spirit. Fernet is made from a number of herbs and spices which vary according to the brand, but may include myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron, with a base of grape distilled spirits, and colored with caramel coloring.”

Now is it me, or is that ingredient list bizarre? If you’d always wondered what in the hell Joseph and Mary were going to use the ‘myrrh’ in ‘gold, frankincense and myrrh’ for, now you know. That just leaves frankincense, but you can probably put that in Fernet as well. It kind of seems like all bets are off. I mean, rhubarb? Come on, that’s just perverse.

So those are the ingredients, now what about the taste? Here’s a quote from SF Weekly, a free alternative weekly newspaper from San Francisco, California:

“If you can imagine getting punched squarely in the nose while sucking on a mentholated cough drop, you’ll have an idea of Fernet-Branca’s indelicate first impressions.”

I’d say that description is spot-on. The thing is, Fernet was created (in Italy) as a digestive to be taken after a meal. In other words, MEDICINE. And we all know that the worse medicine tastes, the better people will think it works. No surprise then, that the creators of Fernet emptied the contents of their spice rack into it.

Or as a friend once told me after tasting Fernet & Cola:

“I feel like I just drank tar off of a hospital floor while simultaneously having a Gorilla slap me across the face with a bottle of Bengay”

Really, Fernet + Coke is a prime example of what happens when people from one place (Italy in this case) move to another place a really long way away (Argentina). They bring their foods, drinks, traditions and so on along with them, but many of those things get mangled in the translation. It’s like people in Australia roasting a turkey for Christmas…in 95+ degree heat.

One thing I can GUARANTEE you is that if you ask an Argentine why they drink Fernet, there’s a 98% chance that they will tell you how healthy it is and how it doesn’t give you a hangover. Sorry, the main cause of a hangover is dehydration caused by alcohol. If you’re getting drunk then you’re getting a hangover, end of story. Anyway, what would Argentineans know about hangovers? They don’t even drink. Ask an Irish person, it’s much more their area of expertise.

Now. Having just ranted about Fernet for a good 400 words, I have an admission to make. I drink Fernet + Coke. If that comes as a surprise, don’t worry, it’s a pretty f-cking massive surprise to me too. So why do I do it? Well, in large part it’s because at the end of the night, there’s usually still Fernet + Coke left at the asado after all the beer, wine and vodka has been drunk, but I think there’s also a small part of me that actually enjoys the challenge of drinking something so foul. And you?

* To any Argentine readers out there, feel free to unleash hell in the comments.

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The world of beer drinkers can be easily divided ‘in twain’ (which is just a fancy way of saying ‘in two,’ but I like to keep things interesting). In the first, much larger group, we have the people who like beer and drink it often, but don’t really do so for the taste. They’re happy to drink any beer that’s cheap, cold, refreshing, easily available, not horrible-tasting, and contains alcohol.

Now, if you’re a member of this group and you find yourself living in Buenos Aires, then your needs are well catered for. Quilmes is an entirely reasonable lager, and if you get sick of it or want a slight taste variation, then just about every beer fridge and bar in Buenos Aires offers you a host of alternatives: Stella Artois; Isenbeck; Budweiser; Heineken; Schneider, and so on.

The second, smaller group of beer drinkers however are aficionados who DO drink it for the taste. Now, when you eat or drink something ‘for the taste,’ that almost always means that you want a lot of taste. And lagers (like those listed above) just don’t have it. If you need proof, point your browser at www.ratebeer.com, check out their Top 100 list for 2010, and count how many of them are lagers. Or don’t bother, because I’ve done it for you: there are none. Zero. Not one.

So if you’re a beer aficionado living in Buenos Aires, forget the beer fridge at your local chino or the tap beers at your local bar. But now what? Unfortunately, Argentina is just not built for beer lovers (maybe it’s because the wine is so good). While your transfer to Germany or Belgium comes through however, the decent selection of microbreweries in BA might just tide you over. Here are three of the best:

* Antares. Antares is a microbrewery with seven pubs in Argentina. The one you’re most likely to find convenient is their flagship pub at Armenia 1447 (between Cabrera y Gorriti) in Palermo. They do seven of their own beers and I personally am addicted to the Scotch. Antares beers are also on tap at the Gibraltar pub in San Telmo.

* Cossab. Another great option is Cossab’s ‘cervecería artesanal’ at Carlos Calvo 4199. The surroundings are pleasantly bohemian, they do six of their own beers (the Cossab India Pale Ale is the best), AND they have all-you-can-eat pizza on Wednesdays and Thursdays for 19 pesos per person. Like, what are you waiting for?

* Buller Brewing Company. The good folks at Buller Brewing Company obviously have your interests at heart, because they offer two locations (Roberto Ortiz 1827, Recoleta, and Paraguay 428, Microcentro) for your . It’s a little more expensive than the other two options here, but Buller’s beers are so good you’d swear they were German. In particular, don’t leave without trying the India Pale Ale and their honey beer.

So there you have it. Three excellent purveyors of microbrew and many locations for you to quaff them in. Go on, have another pint!

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Everyone knows that Buenos Aires is a city of tango dancers, steak eaters and red wine drinkers, but its grand obsession with the infused drink ‘mate’ doesn’t rate much of a mention internationally. Many an expat fresh off the plane has been initially puzzled at the sight of so many people walking around with a thermos tucked under one arm, sucking on a metal pipe stuck into a gourd with a silver rim. ¡Qué raro!

Well you don’t have to be puzzled any longer. Echemos un vistazo (let’s take a quick look) at this dearly beloved drink.

Five fast mate facts

1. ‘Mate’ is the name for both the beverage and the cup it is drunk from (but we’ll keep calling it a ‘mate cup’ for clarity), while ‘yerba mate’ is the name for the plant that the beverage is made from;

2. Native South American people were drinking mate long before the arrival of the Spanish, but the settlers quickly caught on, and it’s now the national drink of Argentina and also very popular in Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil;

3. Argentina is the world’s biggest producer and also the world’s biggest exporter of mate, but domestic demand is so great that only 10-15% of what is produced is available for export;

4. Mate has a grassy, earthy, astringent taste that’s a bit like green tea…and not to everyone’s liking (if that includes you, try adding a little honey), and

5. Mate contains ‘mateine,’ which may or may not be just another name for caffeine , but in any case studies show that drinking mate relaxes the muscles while simultaneously stimulating the heart.

The essentials of drinking mate

To drink mate you need four things: yerba mate; a mate cup; a bombilla, and hot water. Yerba mate is what mate is made from. To prepare it, smaller branches are cut from the yerba mate plant trees and then toasted, dried, packaged and aged for between 6 to 18 months. It can be bought juuust about anywhere in Argentina, from the smallest chino (local supermarket) to the largest Jumbo or Coto, and you normally have the choice of many different sizes of bags. The traditional (and still most popular) mate cups are from a calabash vine gourd. However, wood, metal and even cow horn cups are also used. Some people say that one type is better than another, but it really just comes down to personal preference.

A bombilla is a metal straw. It has fine holes on one end so that you don’t get a mouthful of yerba mate particles when you suck on it (this is also a matter of technique – see below). The other end has a gold-colored spout which stays cool enough to touch with your lips.

As for the hot water, that comes from a kettle just like everywhere else! However note that the water must be at a temperature of 70 to 80°, never boiling or the mate will be bitter. It’s not uncommon to find free hot water machines for mate in Argentina in places like service stations and university campuses.

How to make mate

Mate is prepared by filling a mate cup with yerba mate, adding hot water, and drinking the infused water through the bombilla. That’s the process, but what this leaves out is the social ritual that goes along with drinking mate in the company of others.

When drunk in company, one person (the cebador) is in charge of preparing the mate. They make a cupful and take the first drink, as it’s during the first cupful when tiny particles of yerba mate are most likely to pass through the holes on the bombilla and end up in the drinker’s mouth. When they finish they refill the cup with water and pass it to the person next to them person, who drinks the entire cup before handing it back. The cebador refills the cup with water and passes it to the next person, and so on. It normally takes about ten refills before the yerba mate needs to be replaced.

Finalmente

Mate really is an obsession in Argentina. According to one study, 92% of households consume it – that’s pretty much everyone. Make no mistake, if you really want to integrate in Argentina, drinking mate and knowing the customs that surround it are a must. And hey, it’s a lot cheaper than Starbucks!

Next Step: If you are living in the US, it might be hard to find some Mate. Don´t worry, you can always order it off the internet from a place like Teavana.

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Being a happy expat means focusing on the good things that your new home has to offer. For Argentina there’s a pretty well-defined and obvious list of ‘good things,’ and the price (cheap) and quality (excellent) of the wine gives it a prime position on that list.

First some fast facts. You probably already had some idea that Argentina was a big wine producer, but did you know that it’s the fifth-largest wine producer in the world? Or that it has lower average per-liter production costs than any other major wine producing country? Or that it’s one of only two countries (the other is Chile) that are currently exporting more and more wine to the United States with each passing year? Argentina is hot right now, and so is its wine, and thus there’s never been a better time to learn all about it.

Big grapes

Somewhat unusually for a wine-producing country, Argentina is very strongly associated with a couple of grapes that aren’t grown much (Malbec) or at all (Torrontés) in other countries. However, more mainstream varieties (like Cabernet Sauvignon) are quickly gaining ground.

1. Malbec (red). The quintessential grape of Argentina, Malbec was brought to Argentina by the French. It’s still grown in France, along with the United States and some other regions, but nowhere else in the world is it as closely associated with the country it’s grown in. Argentine Malbecs are intense and full-bodied, are characterized by cherry and blueberry flavors, and have a soft texture. Unsurprisingly, Malbec pairs extremely well with red meat – greatly simplifying your decision about what to order in Argentine restaurants.

2. Torrontés (white). If Malbec is the king of wine in Argentina then Torrontés is the queen. Like Malbec it’s strongly associated with Argentina; in fact, Argentina is the only country currently producing it. Dry, aromatic, fruity and floral, like Sauvignon Blanc Torrontés has the body to be enjoyed on its own…so don’t feel like you have to be eating before you have an excuse to crack open a bottle!

3. Cabernet sauvignon (red). Still lags behind Malbec, but ‘cab sav’ is coming up fast in Argentina, with more and more vines being planted each year. It is, of course, a superstar in the wine world, and unlike Malbec and Torrontés it’s grown in just about every wine-producing country in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, bold and assertive wine with significant tannin levels.

Best regions

Some areas of Argentina are blessed with combinations of geography and climate that form near-perfect wine-making conditions. Here they are.

1. Mendoza. The largest and most important wine-producing area, Mendoza’s wineries are responsible for a massive 80% of Argentina’s total wine production. The secret to its success lies in its arid and sunny climate, and in the fact that because of its altitude, nights are cold. The almost total absence of rain is particularly ideal for growing Malbec grapes, which are highly susceptible to rot and mildew. In the absence of rain, readily available melt-water from the Andes is used to irrigate the vines. There are four distinct areas of wine production in Mendoza: Eastern Mendoza; Lujan du Cuyo; the Uco Valley, and Maipu.

2. San Juan. The number-two wine region. San Juan province is even hotter and drier than Mendoza. It’s perfect for growing the syrah grapes that are the star of the area. Bonarda grapes also feature, along with grapes for sherries, brandies and vermouth. San Juan province shares a border with Mendoza province.

3. The north-west. This area encompasses three neighboring provinces: Jujuy; Catamarca, and Salta. All three are at high altitude, and in fact some of the highest vineyards in the world are located here. The climate of these provinces is similar to that in Mendoza, but the higher altitude leads to more acidity in the wines. The best torrontés in Argentinac comes from the province of Salta.

Must-see Mendoza wineries

Because Mendoza is the biggest and best wine region, the wineries that you’re likely to have the chance to visit are probably going to be there. So without further ado, here are three that you shouldn’t miss.

1. Ruca Malén. Features a five-course gourmet lunch (burp!) paired with the full line of wines produced by the vineyard. The view from the dining room is excellent and the wine-making facilities are modern and impressive.

2. O. Fournier. A ridiculously pretty vineyard with a great view of the Andes located about an hour out of the town of Mendoza. It has an unmistakable main building that looks like a flying saucer, great staff and great food to go along with its spectacular wines. The best of the bunch are the tempranillo blends.

3. Carmelo Patti. One of the best wineries in Mendoza to get the smaller-scale, more traditional experience. The eponymous Señor Patti leads the tours himself – a nice touch – and you get to taste wine from the barrel. The Cabernets are very good. As for visiting many of the smaller wineries in Argentina, the tour is in Spanish.

A footnote: if you really want to make the most of your Mendoza visit, it’s well worth hiring a private guide for the day to take you around. Not all of the wineries have learnt how to properly market themselves to tourists yet, so trying to do it on your own can be a hit and miss experience.

Good places in Buenos Aires to taste wine

If you want to spend some of your time in Argentina tasting wine, your path is clear: get thee to Mendoza! However, if you can’t make a trip right now don’t fret, because there are some excellent places to sample local wines right here in the city. Here are three of the best.

1. Winery. A chain offering tastings at three of their vinotecas. For around AR$100 you can taste five wines (four red, one white) with tapas. This deal doesn’t include a commentary on the wines, which is fine if you and your friends are already wine buffs or would simply rather be left to chat amongst yourselves.

2. Club 647. A good option for tasting wines excellently paired with food. They have a user-friendly wine list divided into categories such as ‘fruity with medium suppleness’ and ‘fresh, young and light bodied’ instead of the normal regional/varietal groupings. You’ll pay around AR$100-150 for a tailored flight of 4-5 wines.

3. Terroir. The upscale option for serious wine tasting in Buenos Aires, Terroir may be the best wine store in town. It’s not cheap, and it is just a little pretentious, but this Palermo vinoteca offers a vast and unmatched cellar of high-end wines. It’s located in a nice three-story townhouse. Tastings start at AR$250 per person.

Finally…

Hopefully you’ve now got some idea of how and where to start your journey of Argentine wine discovery. A final word about buying a bottle from your local chino: there are good wines at any price point, but it’s the $AR20-30 range where they start to get really good, and the AR$35+ level where they get outstanding. They’re never going to be as cheap if/when you go home, so why not take advantage while you’re here? Your taste buds will thank you.

Next Step: Join WSJwine Club and Have 12 World-Class Reds Delivered Direct To Your Door w/ $120 Savings

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