“This…. this was all vineyards of Malbec…” They say the Italian influence runs strong in Argentina, and nowhere does it look stronger than in the face of our driver, Carlos Tizio Mayer – Plump, Roman-nosed and topped with a wavy shock of grey hair, he could be any of a dozen Italian uncles plucked straight…
Category: overachiever wines
Is Great Malbec Born, Or Made? (Taste Testing – And Being Tested – At Argentina’s Familia Zuccardi)
Visit Familia Zuccardi, in the Maipú region of Mendoza in Argentina, and any (or all) of three things are likely to happen: You get stuffed like a veal calf, mostly on splayed goat, beef, and half-a-dozen different preparations of sausages, all done up Argentine Barbeque style. You fall somewhat under the kind-old-uncle spell of Director…
Short Answers, Long Finishes And Seesaws (Tasting With The Grandfather Of Modern Chilean Winemaking At Viña Morandé)
You don’t really know a winemaker until you’ve shared a seesaw ride with him. That’s my new mantra after visiting Viña Morandé’s “House of Morandé” restaurant and tasting bar (oh, yeah – and playground) just outside of Santiago in Chile. The playground is for the kiddies, to keep them occupied while mom and dad taste…
PR Jonesin’ And The Temple Of Parker Scores (Adventures In Wine Tasting At Chile’s Errazuriz)
Quick quiz for you: How many times can you listen to a winery’s PR guy mention Robert Parker scores before you want to shove wine barrel bungs into your ears to drown out all sound? For me, the answer is “somewhere around 25 times,” which is about the amount I endured in the impressive underground…