Month: October 2017

General Wine

These wines will have you soaring over the Andes

When the Bousquet family sold its vineyards in the picturesque town of Carcassone in southern France to relocate on uncultivated virgin land high in Argentina’s Andes Mountains foothills, an observer touring the new site asked, “Are you buying a beach? No one’s even grown potatoes here.” Anne Bousquet’s story is charming and true. “The soil […]

General Wine

'Evita' aside, Malbec is Argentina's claim to fame

“What’s the first thing that pops into your head when I mention Argentina?” That’s the question I asked the Wine Goddess, my wife Mary Lee, and she replied, “Eva Peron, the Broadway musical, and the song ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina!’” It’s a good answer, but not the one I was expecting. So I refined […]

General Wine

Mellasat Vineyards' white Pinotage is turning reds

The Pinotage red grape and wine are unique to South Africa. Pinotage is also one of the least understood — and appreciated — wines in the world, and for good reason. Early vintages of Pinotage, created in 1925 as a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, were not very good. Critics complained of its poor […]