Taking life one sip at a time
Oregon vs Burgundy tasting at Domaine Drouhin.
On a recent trip to the Willamette Valley, Oregon’s prime wine-growing region, we had the opportunity to really delve into the connection between Oregon and Burgundy. We met with two winemakers from France, a sommelier from Oregon, several Oregon winemakers and did a comparative tasting of the two regions. The experience taught us a lot and of course was great fun as well.
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Chile’s climate provides ideal conditions for Carménère.
There are certain wine regions in the world that are known for a particular grape variety. For example, the Napa Valley is synonymous with Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy for Pinot Noir and Argentina for Malbec. Then there are the regions that have so many different unique micro-climates they can produce a much greater variety of high-quality wines. Sonoma is one that comes to mind with its 17 different AVAs and 259 different soil types. On a recent trip to Chile, we discovered that although it’s a place often associated with Carménère, it’s finally gaining notoriety for its quality with respect to a diverse range of varieties. For the last 3 decades, Viña Montes has been at the forefront of this transformation helping to reposition the country’s reputation worldwide both with quality and diversity.
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Andeluna does a spectacular food/wine pairing.
We recently visited the beautiful Andeluna Winery in Argentina on a unique visit to taste their wines, have lunch and as a special treat, learn how to make empanadas from the winery’s chef.
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Surreal times living in a COVID-19 world.
In February, had I encountered you at a meeting, in a restaurant or a coffee shop, passing on the street or any other situation, I probably would have greeted you with a smile and a handshake. Or perhaps a hug or even a kiss, if we had that kind of relationship. Today, that is unthinkable.
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One of the many amazing vineyard views in Stellenbosch.
Terroir is one of those words we often hear spoken in the wine world. Most of us have a vague sense of what it might mean, though many of us would be challenged to actually provide a proper definition for it. Terroir is very important to the quality of a wine, so it is worth exploring further. In this article we will put forward our definition of terroir and describe why it is so important to the world of wine.
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The barrel room at Achaval Ferrer.
If a wine enthusiast is playing a word association game and “Argentina” were to come up as a clue, he or she will likely say “Malbec”. On a recent trip to South America we discovered many other quality wines that Argentina produces, however, our visit to Achaval Ferrer certainly made us appreciate why Malbec is such a source of national pride.
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A wonderful memory captured at Polkura Winery in Chile.
COVID-19 affects everything. And just about everything it affects is more urgent than this article. But that does not mean this article is not important. It is important that we get a little bit of a respite from the daily….no, hourly…barrage of news about this pandemic. It is important that during these times of self-isolation and mandated isolation that we reach out to other humans and tell them our stories and listen to theirs. If we must remain isolated, it becomes all the more important that we not become disconnected.
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Paul Lato
From the numerous interviews we’ve done over the years, we’ve learned that the journey of a winemaker is rarely an easy one. Paul Lato definitely took the road less travelled and the challenges he faced almost forced him to give up pursuing his dream. Thankfully he persisted, and when you taste his wines you’ll be as grateful as we are that he did.
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