Santa Rita – A Clean Sweep: Producer Profile, Decanter Magazine 2018
CHANGE IS AFOOT in Alto Jahuel. First planted in 1850, the roots of Santa Rita’s historic 600ha wine estate run deep. This is a site of both viticultural heritage and cultural importance for Chile: it was once a hideout for 120 soldiers during the independence wars, and it was in this same vineyard that Carmenère was first identified, hidden away between Merlot vines, in 1994. … Continue reading Santa Rita – A Clean Sweep: Producer Profile, Decanter Magazine 2018
Mr & Mrs Smith Review – Explora Atacama
Published on Mr & Mrs Smith, January 2018 I realise that Mr Smith and I aren’t quite as adventurous as everyone else visiting Explora when, after the long, dusty road from the airport, we want to get acquainted with the barman before the mountain guide. ‘Of course,’ smiles the manager who greets us on arrival, ‘but head to the Explorer’s room soon to book your … Continue reading Mr & Mrs Smith Review – Explora Atacama
Cava’s new category – Cava Paraje Calificado
Following three years of paper pushing, Cava’s new, super-premium category, Cava Paraje Calificado (CPC), has been approved and will hit shelves in time for Christmas. This slimmed down Cava category presently includes 12 wines, all of which meet meticulously high standards in a bid to elevate Cava to a world-class sparkling wine category.
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Chile’s Central Valley
While most of Chile’s wines come from the Central Valley, they have a reputation of being the least exciting the country has to offer. That is changing, however, with winemakers injecting passion into their products, writes Amanda Barnes in The Drinks Business. PDF: Chile’s Central Valley It is easy to become distracted by what is happening on the fringes of Chile’s wine scene. As a country that … Continue reading Chile’s Central Valley
South America’s Top 10 wine hotels
South America used to be the domain of gap year backpackers and shoestring tourism. That isn’t the case any more. There’s been a boom in luxury adventure tourism across the Southern Cone, with five-star hotels nestled into the desert plains of the Atacama and down to the waterfalls and glacier lakes of Patagonia. In the wine regions too you can experience the wilderness of the … Continue reading South America’s Top 10 wine hotels
Exploring the future of cork closures
The multilingual vocabulary of wine can make people feel tongue-tied, but the pop of a cork transcends all language barriers. There are few other sounds in the world quite so synonymous with celebration. Whether you’re opening a fine bottle of wine, a well-aged port, or even a cheap bottle of fizz, that pop announces the party. Cork has been used as a stopper since the … Continue reading Exploring the future of cork closures
South America’s top sommeliers share the next big thing
Written for Decanter magazine, October 2017 NOT SO LONG ago, restaurant diners in Buenos Aires and Santiago would be offered a choice of two wines – red or white – and no one could tell you much about either. But since the first sommelier school opened in 1999, the rise of the somm in South America has been hypersonic. Today you’ll find wine lists categorised … Continue reading South America’s top sommeliers share the next big thing
Why Chile is more exciting than you think
Written for The Tasting Panel, August 2017 Chile sometimes gets pigeonholed as a safe, New World producer with good, simple wines at a fair price point. It’s not a bad rep, but it isn’t exactly riveting either. However, boasting both the oldest vines and the newest wine regions in South America, Chile is plump with diversity and spilling over with innovation. While the industry is … Continue reading Why Chile is more exciting than you think
Argentina’s new appellations
Written for SevenFifty Daily, August 2017 The freedom of the New World, and its lack of draconian appellation rules, might be much envied by producers in the Old World, but winemakers in Argentina are seeking more rigorous legislation for its regions. As a country with a 500-year history of vinification, Argentina is by no means new at the wine game. However, until recently, Argentina’s appellations—known … Continue reading Argentina’s new appellations
Climate change: The next frontier
Some areas of Chile and Argentina are experiencing changes in the frequency and severity of weather extremes. While many winemaking regions struggle to adapt, there are some visionary producers who see it as an opportunity to explore. Amanda Barnes investigates… Decanter July 2017Decanter July 2017 THE WINE MAP is undeniably changing. The worldwide phenomenon of climate change is creating new, once-unimaginable wine regions, while at … Continue reading Climate change: The next frontier
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