SAN ANTONIO: AMAYNA, THE MAGIC STORM

The first post-competition visit brought us, my two colleagues, fellow-judges and friends Romain Batya (Luxemburg), Roberto Gatti (Italy) and I, to the Leyda Valley in San Antonio. The Garcés Silva Winery (Amayna) was since a few years on my shortlist, and I was really happy to visit it at least. I discovered the Amayna wines [...]

CHILE: CASABLANCA VALLE SAUVIGNON BLANC

The whole group of judges at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles-Chile visited the Casablanca Valley by bus. We were really late and some of the judges were so starving that they nearly started an international rebellion for food at ounce! The Casablanca Valley Association did not capitulate and went on with the program, just a [...]

APRIL 2010 PRESS TRIP CHILE: CASA MARÍN

Viña CASA MARÍN is located in the village of Lo Albarca, in the San Antonio Valley, only some 4 kilometers behind the Pacific coast. This proximity to the Ocean (the closest in Chile), the unique microclimate, the step rolling hills and the diversity of pre-Andean soils make it a perfect terroir for high quality wines. [...]

APRIL 2010 PRESS TRIP CHILE: TABALÍ & LEYDA

Going to Limarí and Elquí was a dream of mine, like being able to go to Bío-Bío and Malleco sometime in the future. These regions have been ‘rediscovered’ quite recently and the wines coming from there are really booming. No doubt for me about it, we certainly will hear, see and taste many more from [...]

CONCOURS MONDIAL 2010: CHILE GOES FOR GOLD!

Right, France is once again the absolute winner of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2010, with 606 medals (401 Silver, 191 Gold and 14 Great Gold Medals) obtained by 2277 samples presented. Surely a great performance, and of course the Spanish did well too, with their second place: 378 medals (225 Silver, 136 Gold and [...]