San Juan: A sanctuary in the desert
Written for Wine Republic, October 2013 San Juan is a city in a wild landscape of bare mountains and flat plains two hours north of Mendoza City. You’ll see a few tumbleweeds roll past on a Sunday afternoon in San Juan and that’s not just because of its dusty surroundings and sleepy lifestyle but also […]
Taming Torrontes, Argentina’s volatile grape
© Amanda Barnes | Marcos Etchart’s boutique winery, Yacochuya, in high-altitude Cafayate Just like an adolescent, the torrontes grape is unpredictable, idiosyncratic, and has yet to settle on a permanent style. By Amanda Barnes | Written for Wine-Searcher When wine lovers think of Argentina, it’s usually the malbec grape that springs to mind. But that could be set to change, […]
Argentina’s dog eat dog world…
Written for The Vines of Mendoza A dog is supposedly a man’s best friend, and in Argentina you would be forgiven for thinking it’s a man’s, a woman’s, a grandmother’s and even a gaucho’s best buddy. Dogs rule supreme: in every street corner, every park bench and every handbag. You only need to see the […]
Southern Cone Harvest Report 2013
Written for The Drinks Business With most of Argentina experiencing outstanding quality and Chile encountering one of the strangest harvests in their recent history, this year’s harvest has been remarkable. Across Argentina the flowering period and harvest went by almost without a climatic hitch. In Mendoza, where the sun shines on average more than 300 […]
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 […]
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, […]
Cahors: Tierra de Malbec (Espanol)
Todos conocemos la gran historia del Malbec y su exito en la Argentina, pero la biografia de esta variedad en Francia, su lugar de nacimiento, es muy diferente. Amanda Barnes viajo 11.000 kilometros y visito la cuna del cepaje, Cahors, buscando descubrir el verdadero origen. Articulo de El Conocedor, Diciembre 2011 Mientras nuestro Malbec ha […]
Malbec vs Cot
Malbec made Argentine wine famous, but its true French roots are lesser known on this side of the Atlantic. Amanda Barnes goes in search of the original Malbec – in Cahors, France before indulging in a luxury tour of its adopted home here in Mendoza. **Article taken from Wine Republic The French Connection Coming from […]
