Taking the world one wine at a time.
Grapes Malbec, Bonarda (Percentages are kept a secret….like we care!) Facts It’s not mandatory that you sit on the front porch of your house on Halloween with your “better half” to drink the Alma Negra “M Blend,” but that’s what I chose to do last night. In my former life (as a Restaurant Manager) I always seemed to find myself missing out on most of the “fun” holidays (Halloween, Valentines Day, Saint Swithin’s Day…
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Grapes 100% Cabernet Franc Facts Cabernet Franc isn’t exactly the first grape that springs to mind when you think of Argentina. Maybe that’s why this one wasn’t that pricey! Cab Franc shouldn’t be named the “red headed stepchild” of Argentine grapes; it’s actually more like the: “some guy who showed up a party (hosted by a guy named: ‘Mal Bec’) without an invitation, and was ignored by everyone there, even though he has a…
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The New York Times has reported that the Chapel Down Winery (England), recently crushed more than two tons of refrigerated Malbec grapes that had been air-freighted over from Mendoza, Argentina, in hopes of producing an English take on the popular South American wine. The problem came when it was time to bottle. Frazer Thompson, chief executive of Chapel Down, was told that he had breached regulations that prohibit the use of grapes from outside the…
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Grape 100% Malbec Facts The name of “Malbec” supposedly comes from the surname of a Hungarian peasant who is attributed with being the first person to spread the variety throughout all of France. If you were to ever check-out the big nerdy wine book that is The Oxford Companion to Wine, you’ll find that there are over 400 different names for the Malbec grape! This proving that the grapes’ popularity isn’t just a recent…
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Ladies and gentlemen! What you are witnessing is my first ever dessert and wine pairing! Remember this post for as long as you can, because I never make desserts in my own home…which is such a shame, because I love them! Dessert wines are so often forgotten about, and I think they could possibly be one of the most misunderstood types of wine. It never fails to amaze me that when I pour a…
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I don’t know why I haven’t thought to combine coffee and wine before! What a perfect way to start your morning! Of course, I’m kidding! Everyone knows mornings are purely meant for Champagne… If you recall my review last week on the Malamado, you’ll be well aware that it’s a fortified wine made in Argentina from the Malbec grape, with a little brandy added in order to boost the alcohol. Familia Zuccardi is the winery…
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Grape 100% Malbec (fortified with brandy) Facts Q: When is a Port not a Port? A: When it’s made in Argentina. – The Malamado holds the title of the first ever fortified Malbec produced in Argentina; however it can’t be considered a true Port since it isn’t actually made in Portugal, even though it’s produced in the same style. – All Zuccardi wines are made from estate-grown grapes (they generally don’t buy from…
Read MoreWine Del Fin Del Mundo Grape 100% Malbec Place Patagonia, Argentina Price $16.99
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Grape 100% Syrah Facts In France, Syrah dominates the Rhone region where it’s often blended with small amounts of Viognier (a white grape) in order to add “aromatic complexity”, and mellow the wines out a little. Dante Robino was born in Canelli in the Piedmont region of North-West Italy in 1885. After learning the art of turning grapes into wine, he emigrated to Argentina, starting his own winery in 1920. …
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“Do you want us to filet it for you?”, said the helpful fish monger at my local fish shop. “Nah, that’s alright mate! I got it!”, I confidently replied, knowing full-well that I can’t remember the last time (if ever) that I filleted Sea Bass. Work seems to have been so crazy for me lately, that putting the time into making a good home- cooked meal meal has kind of been put on the backburner….
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The Story Torrontes [Tohr-ron-tez] is quite easily the most widely planted white grape variety in Argentina with Chardonnay in a distant 2nd; and with the recent upsurge in sales over the past couple of years, it’s likely to stay that way for a while! Most folks in the wine community are already on-board with the idea that Torrontes has the potential to become as popular in Argentina, as Pinot Grigio is in Italy. It’s not…
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Grape 100% Torrontes [Tohr-ron-tez] Facts Torrontes is to Argentina, what Pinot Grigio is to Italy. Not quite as famous yet, but certainly has already become the signature white grape of the country. Torrontes is the most planted white grape in Argentina, leaving Chardonnay trailing waaaay behind. The current vintage of Dante Robino Torrontes is 2010, meaning that this wine (and Torrontes in general) is meant to be drank in its youth, and…
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