Wine & Food

The dish most closely tied to San Juan's identity is the chivito — the province's roasted young goat. Usually the shoulder, the punta de espalda, is slow-cooked for hours over coals or in a clay oven until the meat falls off the bone. It's seasoned with nothing more than salt and a little olive oil from the province's own groves.

Few wines pair better with this smoky, slightly wild meat than Syrah from San Juan. Its black pepper note meets the char from the grill. Its firm tannins stand up to the fat of the goat shoulder instead of feeling thin beside it. A lighter, fruitier wine would simply disappear next to this dish.

For dessert, everything revolves around the province's second specialty: dried fruit. San Juan produces nearly all of Argentina's raisins, along with dulce de membrillo made from quince and candied squash, the alcayota — and this concentrated sweetness demands a wine that's at least as sweet, or it will taste thin and sour by comparison.

A late-harvest Torrontés Sanjuanino or a sweet Moscatel suits this far better than any dry red. Both bring enough sweetness of their own to stand up to raisin and quince. Their gentle acidity keeps the whole thing fresh rather than cloying.

In between, there's often a simpler moment: a piece of goat cheese with olive oil, paired with a young, easygoing Bonarda. No grand statement, but exactly the picture San Juan likes to paint of itself. Here, wine is part of everyday life, not an event.