The Story of Chilean Malbec
Written for WinesOfChile.org Most people associate Malbec with Chile’s neighbour, Argentina, but little do they know that Chile has a possibly even longer history with the tasty varietal. There are some beautiful, gnarly old vines across the country and research by Pablo Lacoste actually suggests that the first Malbec vines arrived in Chile in […]
Argentine Wine Dragged Down By Red Tape
Written for Wine-Searcher.com on 26 Nov 2012 Public frustration with the economic policies of Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is on the rise – as evidenced by a recent series of mass cacerolazos, or pot-banging protests. Yet while the wine industry is at the forefront of the discontent, few producers will speak on record […]
Q&A: Charlie Arturaola
Written for Wine-Searcher.com Uruguayan Sommelier Charlie Arturaola was picked as Wine and Spirits Communicator of the Year in 2012 and stars in wine film El Camino del Vino among other TV appearances. He’s renowned for his bubbly personality and for having one of the top palates in the industry. What do you see when you […]
Chile Through a New Lens: Photographer Matt Wilson
Written for WinesofChile.org A world-renowned photographer is portraying Chile’s wine world in a new light. Former rock and skateboard photographer Matt Wilson might be the bad boy of wine photography, but his emotive pictures are certainly turning heads and gaining him accolades along the way. The winner of the Born Digital Photography Wine Award 2012, […]
Grape Expectations
Many people in the wine industry are returning to more artisanal and hand crafted forms of winemaking. You don’t need pavilion sized wineries and limitless funds to make great wine – just good taste and some common sense. Amanda Barnes learns a few tricks of the trade to make superb wine the simple way. For […]
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 […]
Q&A: Susana Balbo
Susana Balbo is one of the most influential winemakers in Argentina. She produces wine under her own label, Dominio del Plata, and is also a consultant to a number of wineries in other New World countries. Amanda Barnes interviews her. Written for Wine-Searcher.com What was your first memory in wine? My first memory is not actually mine, […]
Argentine Architects Trailblazers in Winery Design
Bormida & Yanzón, who celebrate their 40th anniversary this year, have been highly influential in determining the look of Argentina’s wine estates. Written for Wine-Searcher.com: Posted Saturday, 06-Oct-2012 It’s not so long ago that Argentina’s wineries were all made of traditional adobe walls (mud and straw) in oblong constructions. But in the past decade, the architectural […]
El gran roble
Como casi todo en la industria del vino, el uso de barricas fue descubierto por accidente. Antes de la era cristiana ya se usaban barricas como contenedores para transportar lo que fuere: desde aceite y vinagre a pescados, clavos… y vino. Para embarcar el vino desde los países productores a los consumidores, se lo colocaba […]
