Decanter: Explore Patagonia wine routes
Published in Decanter, December 2020 If you’re planning your next great wine holiday, here’s somewhere for your list. Go bold, go big: a week-long tour in the wilds of southern Chile and Argentina will reward adventure seekers and wine lovers alike. Amanda Barnes shares her itinerary for the ultimate road trip through a land of […]
Decanter: Brazil’s best wine routes
Published in Decanter, October 2020 As the Brazilian wine scene gathers momentum, wine tourism across this huge country is flourishing. Amanda Barnes recommends three fascinatingly diverse regions to explore, with tips on wineries to visit, where to stay and where to eat. Serra Gaucha: The mecca of Brazilian wine The heartland of Brazilian wine, with […]
The Telegraph: Travel feature on Sonoma
Published in The Telegraph, September 2019 With its Mediterranean climate and more than 200 days of sunshine each year, California is the greenhouse of the US, where fruits and vegetables grow to sumptuous perfection – including wine grapes. Home to more than 80 per cent of the United States’ wine production, California’s contribution is bigger […]
Exploring Montevideo & Canelones in Uruguay
Written for Decanter Magazine, October 2019 Exploring Uruguay and its wine regions feels like you’ve just been let in on one of South America’s best kept secrets. One of the smallest countries on the continent, Uruguay doesn’t have the same bombastic personality as many of its Latin American neighbours but sits as a silent siren […]
Riding with gauchos in Argentina
Greg Funnell and Amanda Barnes ride, swim and drink mate tea with some of Argentina’s most skilled horsemen, travelling from the north-eastern wetlands to the faded gaucho heartlands of La Pampa and Patagonia. By Amanda Barnes, photography by Greg Funnell: The Guardian, April 2019 The water reaches up to my knees as a large lump rises to […]
A Croatian Odyssey: Decanter special
Published in Decanter magazine, July 2019 The diverse regions of Croatia offer plenty for wine tourists to enjoy. Join Amanda Barnes as she tours the Croatian Uplands, Slavonia and Danube in the north of the country, then head to the coast with Anthony Rose as he travels south, from Istria to Dalmatia. While the coast […]
Mr & Mrs Smith Review – Explora Patagonia
‘Mr Explora must have some seriously good contacts,’ Mr Smith said to me, eyebrows raised. Mr Smith might be my rather more cynical other half, but he wasn’t wrong. With a direct view of one of South America’s most iconic and most photographed images – the cuernos of Torres del Paine – you couldn’t ask for a […]
Exploring the wine route of Alsace
Tucked into the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, the picturesque wine route of Alsace boasts ancient castles, medieval châteaux, petite Renaissance villages and more than 800 wine producers. A natural beauty spot, home to some of the finest wines in the world and just a short flight from the UK, it’s surprising that wine tourism in Alsace is […]
Down where it’s wetter: Argentina’s wetlands
The best way to see the Ibera wetlands is from the sky. At the cockpit window of a light aircraft, the flooded plains of Argentina’s next national park roll out before us like a carpet threaded with blues, greens, and gold. A single white boat appears like a toy or maybe an abandoned piece of […]
25 ultimate things to do in Chile: Fodor’s
Narrowing down your must-see list in Chile is quite a challenge, but manage this Top 25 and you’ll have earned your stripes as a true Chilephile. When it comes to landscapes, Chile has it all. Considering the country’s rather slim dimensions (just 217 miles at its widest point, and 40 at its narrowest) it might […]
