Top wine, sustainable practices, and an army of geese
Written for The Guardian newspaper, April 2016. Part 2 of 4 part feature When you walk through the Cono Sur vineyard in the morning, it feels like you might have stumbled across a movie set. A low-lying fog slowly fades away to reveal dozens of abandoned bicycles: resting on the vine rows; leaning against the […]
When it comes to wine, there’s nowhere quite like it
Written for The Guardian newspaper, April 2016. Part 1 of 4 part feature Looking out from under the shade of an ancient Peumo tree, the view ahead of lush green vineyards framed by undulating hillsides could be anywhere in the Mediterranean – or perhaps even England on one of those rare, warm summer days. But […]
Chile’s most powerful winemakers? The Top 10 in numbers
Written for The Drinks Business, Sep 2016 What they are making, is most likely what you are drinking. These ten winemakers command two thirds of the bottled Chilean wine exported in the last year. Their daily decisions in the vineyard and winery impact the wine that eventually meets your glass, and for that fact alone […]
Uruguay: More than Tannat, Decanter October 2016
A vast array of soils and terroirs gives this diminutive but plucky nation the tools it needs to forge a strong identity of its own, says Amanda Barnes. And it’s the growing reputation of Uruguay’s white wines that’s grabbing the attention… Read the full article here, Decanter October 2016 Read more on Uruguay on […]
Chile Harvest Report 2016
Written for Decanter April showers hit the Chile 2016 vintage, with some producers describing conditions as more like those on France’s Atlantic coast and overall production down by a fifth versus 2015. With wine regions spanning over 1000km, the Chile 2016 vintage was always going to have regional variation. But, most areas experienced a cooler […]
El Nino hampers Argentina’s 2016 harvests
Written for Decanter The El Niño weather cycle saw Argentina report its worst pre-harvest grape losses since 1957, with production in 2016 expected to be 27% smaller than 2015 across the country and 39% down in Mendoza. A cool and wet spring set the harvest back by a month. April was a wash out with […]
And the winner is…
Written for Decanter. Sleepless nights, thousands of pounds invested in rare bottles, and zero social life are common elements of preparation for the World’s Best Sommelier Competition. Japanese candidate Hiroshi Ishida spent last month living away from his wife and three children, for his final purgatory of preparation. This year’s competition saw a record 61 […]
Is Uruguayan Tannat old hat?
Written for Around the World in 80 Harvests The tiny South American country is synonymous with this plucky variety that was first brought to its shores by Basque settler Pascual Harriague in 1870. Since then it has dominated Uruguay’s wine scene, accounting for up to 50% of plantations at its peak. “Why Tannat?”, you might ask. […]
Guide to Vale dos Vinhedos: Brazil’s unexpected wine region
Written for Around the World in 80 Harvests. Brazil’s main wine region, Vale dos Vinhedos, may well be what you least expect from the country known for its tropical beaches, flamboyant carnival and vast Amazon jungle. The landscape of Serra Gaucha, one of the southernmost states in Brazil, consists of hillsides and forest. It is humid, […]
Turn left before the gauchos: Casa de Uco
Written for Great Wine Capitals The best way to experience Mendoza is out in the vineyards overlooking the awesome Andes mountains, and the ultimate spot that combines the life of the vineyards with the remoteness and grandeur of the Andes is the Uco Valley. Since I moved to Mendoza in 2009, I’ve seen wineries and […]
