The rediscovery of Carménère is a fascinating story. While many different grape varieties have been brought back from obscurity in different periods of time, none have made such a fantastic reappearance as Carménère. Believed to be extinct for centuries, Carménère truly came back from …
Amanda Barnes
Amanda Barnes
Amanda Barnes has been writing about wine and travel since 2003. South America has been her home since 2009, but she is currently on a mission to unlock the world of wine by traveling Around the World in 80 Harvests!
There was little talk of Chilean Carignan before Vigno exploded on the wine scene in 2010. The first association of its kind in Chile, Vigno appeared as a small but formidable army of Carignan-fanatics ready to put this underappreciated variety on Chile’s wine map. …
How is Port made and what are the terroir essentials of the Douro? This Fast Facts is a Douro study guide to the viticulture and winemaking in Portugal’s Douro Valley where Port is made. Learn about the climate, soils, vineyard training systems (the patamares, socalcos …
There’s no lack of a good fiesta in South America… The Carnival continent certainly knows how to throw a party and the harvest season is no exception. There are several harvest festivals (known locally as the Vendimia) worth visiting. Here is my round up …
What are the soils and climate of Maule, and essentially what is Maule terroir? Eduardo Jordan, winemaker at De Martino, discusses this unique Chilean wine region and shows us exactly why the soils are ideal for dry-harvesting Carignan. There’s also a little surprise living …
Eduardo Soler is a fascinating frontman for Ver Sacrum – an art lover, a mountain climber and an appreciator of Pagan traditions. Fittingly, there’s nothing usual about Ver Sacrum for Mendoza – from the varieties through to the ethos of the three winemaking friends. …
While Mendoza has always been a friend of the Bordeaux varieties beyond Malbec (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to mention a few), in recent years there is an increasing trend towards Mediterranean varieties too. Syrah is the most widespread Mediterranean variety you’ll …
It was an absolute pleasure to be squeezed between two winemakers last week – both Arnaud Hereu and Andres Sanchez were in the hot seat for our Wine Drinking with Wine Makers session in Maule. I had spent the week in Maule visiting lots of …
What is the Carignan boom all about and why is it deeply linked to Maule, one of Chile’s most traditional terroirs? Winemaker Arnaud Hereu from Viña Odfjell discusses his own discovery of old vine Carignan in Maule and why he believes this historic Chilean …
Take a 360-degree spin around an English vineyard in this video as Amanda interviews Exton Park vineyard manager Fred Langdale. From the Pinot Noir vineyards of Exton Park overlooking the South Downs, Fred discusses the unique weather pattern from the English Channel combined with …