This week has been great; full of nice experiences.

One of them is WORK. I’ve got a job!

Well, it is still starting, so we are on “honey moon”. However, my sixth sense tells me that it is going to be a good experience for both of us. I hope so, as I am working on commission and to sell their wine to international markets is my duty.

For obvious reasons I am not going to mention the name of the company in any situation here, neither their wines - if the reasons are not clear to you, my virtual friend, I name some of them: I am discrete, professional and a serious person.

Anyway, to be part of a business with coworkers and responsibilities are some of the things that make like the work environment and I am glad to be working on what I have chosen to do – how many times am I going to say that?

I also took part of an event called Argentina Wine Awards which had not just a competition of the best Argentine wines but also a seminar with some international judges, representing the markets which the event was focused: Brazil, UK, USA and Canada.

It was a very interesting opportunity to hear from some of the greatest wine specialist (so good to hear Tim Atkin again!) and how they see their market and, especially, consume of argentine wine on them.

Continuing my wine-themed week, on Thursday I went to an experience - part of the summer festival that takes place in Mendoza every year - called Musica y Vinos en las Alturas, with folk music, Malbec, on the rooftop of the highest building in the city. From the 8^th floor (!!) we could have a 360° view of the from the mountain surrounded city. The Cuyo traditional songs and dance reminded so much Southern Brazil that I felt back to my roots.

Friday was a day for a big wine tasting on a street of the city. I paid the fare and drunk the wine. In fact they were eight of them that I made sure to choose the most unknown wines or wineries. This kind of event is great for that; you don’t have to go to the producer as they come to you.

When I just arrived I picked up a white, to be more precise a Viogner 2008 from Lagarde Winery which stands during the whole night as the best white wine. Lagarde is fairly well known, so are its wines, however it is rare to find a Viogner from Mendoza and the winery was the first one to plant the variety in the region and has been doing really well.

There were some good red ones as well. From Familia Cassone Winery I tasted their Obra Prima Malbec 2005 while chatting to a very friendly chap who works for the winery and enthusiastically explained all about their range of wines and where are sold in Brazil (I didn’t want to disappoint him saying that I’m not there any longer so I’m not going to look for it in the Brazilian market…) and SinFin Malbec, named SinFin Guarda,  from this unknown winery - at least for me – which was a shame not to get the year of it (excuse for some information missed: it was my last wine), however, I do remember how lovely it was and merrily I ended my “Tour du Vin” just on time to eat some asado - obviously at usual diner time for locals: 23:00h!

In conclusion, if my sixth sense is doing a good job, I am living the life I always wanted to.

Salud,

Marcia Amaral

A got a new point of view: I just moved in to my new place.

It is a spacious and bright studio – for that I mean one big window that makes a 30 metres square apartment really bright Nevertheless, that is good enough for the moment.

Actually, at this very moment I look over the window to contemplate a green street with man-planted trees to refresh a little the warm. The buzz of the buses is non stop during the day. The streets get a few more quiet at the “siesta” time; however, as today is Saturday, I reckon more people are out than in the weekly routine.

Traffic in Mendoza is as good as in the other parts of Argentina, so you can picture an organized chaos. Apart from the usual old cars that the nation is so famous for, buses over here are very very colorful, with outside painted in a whole grade of colours and their interiors decorated as well.

They also pollute a lot and to see a black smoke been spited from them is part of the streets behavior, even if the note on each back of a bus: “Let us know if it makes dust!”.

But I see much more from my window. I observe a city where new and old problems are alive in this sunny land. I perceive people which still walk slow and stop to greet and chat with friends along their way. I witness suspicious strangers analyzing potential sources of illicit income. I notice a group of polices who always have a hand standing on their guns and whose at two o’clock have a break for a “siesta” relief. I distinguish people waiting for public transport which can come in electric trolley version, which I find hard to understand why they keep running – at least they don’t pollute as much as the other buses.  I glimpse loved babies been kissed by their fathers with a beautiful tenderness. I see a city full of the contrasts of good and bad, which are there, sharing the same country, city, street and walkway.

Sometimes is hard to define which is which. This is why I am exercising my abilities of observing.

Salud,

Marcia Amaral

Well, as I said on the previous entry, I came back with my amateur writing for the sake of communication. I have no idea who it to, but I think it is a way of taking my thoughts out of my mind and looking after my well-being.

I believe I write little for thinking too much. So from now, I am going to put down my feelings without the pretention of becoming a wine journalist – well, in fact I never considered that…

So, don't worry if some of what I write doesn't make much sense to you…

Anyway, talking about thoughts, they come like a rollercoaster in my mind. They carry with them happiness and scariness of starting all over again.

 Here I am, doing that once more, how long for?

Mendoza, Argentina.

Mendoza was always a land to dream of. While travelling over the world, it was always in my mind, as a summer passion that you just wanted to have some of little extra time to get to know a few more or, just to enjoy it.

Here I am, since 11 of January, trying to find out which of the options made me to dream of it.

Come to Mendoza was an easy and at the same time difficult decision to make: I knew I want to live abroad again and I was sure that at this time my life would be very much about wine and Mendoza is just perfect for what I was looking for, however, to restart again, leave your job, relationship and country are not that decisions you make every-day.

Any case, I had a time of consideration: one year to be more precise, and I made my movement forward the dream.

Today; sat in the gorgeous balcony of the hostel that I am staying for the moment; I rethink the whole situation. Do I regret? Not at all. Mendoza is still a dream, but the more it became reality the more scared I fell – quite natural, as reality is very frightening.

Mendoza is still as stunning as I when I first came here – however, now I live here and as a local I suffer all problems they do.

Inflation and safety are the major concerns. It became really costly and unsafe place since the wine revolution took place, about 10 years ago. From a small city Mendoza turned to a huge tourism destination from people all over the world – not mentioning the foreign investors that bought massive pieces of land, built their wineries or proprieties and brought money enough to rise general prices, whose for Mendocinos are hard to survive with.

So, here I express my worries as a Mendocina “wannabe”.

Cheers or, I should say: Salud!

Marcia Amaral