Sicily: A rummage through Godâs larder
Written for the Circle Update, Circle of Wine Writers Some people call Sicily âGodâs kitchenâ and its not hard to see why. A bountiful coast filled with sea creatures coming from the Mediterranean Sea and coast of Africa; an agriculturally rich land with sunny climes with cool coastal areas as well as sub tropical heat; and a […]
Touring Sicily’s vineyards…
Written for the Circle Update, Circle of Wine Writers Tasca dâAlmerita âYou are home!â Conrad Maurigi said as we arrived. âIf only!â would have been my response, not from being tired on last stop of the week but because Tasca dâAlmerita is a place of sublime beauty. Lolloping hillsides striped with green vines and studded […]
How to survive Friend’s Day…
If you are living in Argentina and donât know what Dia del Amigo is, youâve been living here with your head in a barrel. If you live abroad and have no clue, you are forgiven and you can read all about Dia del Amigo (20th July) here. As one of the biggest days on the Argentine […]
Capital of Cool
Written for WinesofChile.org Casablancaâs elevation to Wine Capital status comes not only on the back of its awesome wines but also its capital of cool, Valparaiso. This funky port town shows the world Chileâs wild side: arty, edgy and plenty of parties. A favourite of backpackers, Chilean students and beach lovers, Valparaiso is a mecca […]
Argentina’s dog eat dog world…
Written for The Vines of Mendoza A dog is supposedly a manâs best friend, and in Argentina you would be forgiven for thinking itâs a manâs, a womanâs, a grandmotherâs and even a gauchoâs best buddy. Dogs rule supreme: in every street corner, every park bench and every handbag. You only need to see the […]
Young Wine Writer of Year Award 2012: Runner Up
My entry to the Young Wine Writer of the Year Award (UK) which placed as Runner Up. The True Face of Harvest Carlos wiped the dripping sweat from his brow. His stout index finger brushed his right eye, and the vinegar he had doused on it stung the crease of his eyelid. He winced and […]
A Worker’s Paradise: Public Holidays in Argentina
Christmas is, as Andy Williams sang, the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ because to the majority of us it means a couple well deserved long weekends. The idea of getting extra time off work, which doesn’t involve precious holiday leave, frankly makes it quite ‘wonderful’, especially for those living in countries with stingy holiday […]
Pinotsaurus: Pinot Noir and Dinosaurs in Neuquen
I looked at the grey stony structure. Almost the same size as my entire body, this was just a single vertebra of an entire spine – just one piece of the enormous puzzle that makes up one of the largest creatures that ever walked the earth – the 90 million year old fossil of an […]
Dia del Amigo…
It is one of the busiest days of the year… no, Christmas hasn’t come early, nor has Thanksgiving been adopted by Argentines. This Friday is Friend’s Day. It sounds sweet, soppy and like something taken from an episode of Sesame Street, but this is actually one of the biggest days on the Argentine calendar. When […]
Chainsaws in Uruguay and the new ‘alternative tourism’
A bare-chested 70-year-old man burst into our room, shouting something in Spanish and waving his arms. It was 4am. My boyfriend and I had been asleep: it was our first night couchsurfing in a strangerâs house. His voice boomed around the dark room for a minute and then he slammed the door shut and stormed […]
