Mendoza is a place full of life in summer: festival, tourists and buzz all around.

Vendimia is the vital city’s party, which celebrates harvest.

From weekly Tango meeting - where locals dance with whoever fells like taking part - to an open air cinema at the beautiful San Martin park- with stars, picnic and cigarettes allowed.

Summer seems to have its best here.

Last Saturday I took advantage of the good weather, after a sprinkle of rain, and had an asado (Argentine barbecue) at the patio of the hostel I was staying for the last month. It was in fact a “leaving party”, as I rented my apartment – finally.

To prove locals are not wrong, I paired the asado (meat, chorizo and morcilla – in this case) with the local specialty: Malbec.

However not just obvious combinations my experiments in Mendoza are made of. Last Friday I went to a “Chocolate and Wine Pairing”, where we had the opportunity to try some interesting matches, such as an Orange Flavored Chocolate (Rio Arriba, 62% Cacao, Ecuador) with Viogner (Lorca Poetico 2007, Bodega Mauricio Lorca) and, guess what?! It was divine! What a delicious surprise – literally - with the two of them embracing each other towards to a higher level.

Other good pairing was between an unexpected blend (Torrontes and Malbec) in a version of a fortified wine (Dona Albina Fortified, Bodega Familia di Tomasso) and an extra indulgence of chocolate (Lindt Extra Creamy, Milk Chocolate, Switzerland). The two of them had some lively similarities: the wine with a caramel hit and the chocolate was just as “dulce de leche” (if you don’t know what is that, you have to come to Argentina), however, dancing together they played their role smoothly.

A good match is like a fine dancer couple, both has to complement each other and to be in harmony and balance: Takes two to tango!

Salud,

Marcia

Since I wrote on this sort of blog, I was just back in Brasil.

Well, right now, I am already out of there again!

Not that I wasn’t busy last year, I think I just avoided writing and I’m not a great writer anyway.

I had much to say, I just thought I didn’t want to talk much publicly and as you know, there is nothing more public than a blog on internet.

Now I believe I need that, maybe to share how I feel or I just feel alone.

2008 was a good year of experiences and decisions made.

On the experiences side, I had some good ones and finally some of them were in the wine field – professionally.

Both of them made me rethink about on which part of the wine business I wanted to be.

Concerning at the decisions made, the most important was to find a job in a foreign country where I could work close to the wine-producer and live there – of course.

So here I am, away from home, looking after my desires and working to making my aims and dream to come true.

At this time, my journey wasn’t that far – at least I didn’t cross any ocean and I am still in South America.

In fact, I am in the city that I liked most during my round the world, which is Mendoza, Argentina: “Land of Sun and Good Wine”.

However, it took me I quite long ride to get here. So, this time, it is what I will be talking about in the next lines.

To make the decision of leaving my job and life in Brazil was not difficult as it was thought that never come out of my mind. To decide where to go next I had to consider many different aspects involved and all the answers leaded me to Mendoza.

It was a natural choice, since I loved city when visiting it; I very much I like they wine -that is one of the finest that South America produces; I felt quite comfortable in the “Argentine way of life”; it is not that far from home – not more than 3000 km and last but not least: it is one of the easiest places to get a work visa.

So, in the end of 2008 I quitted my job and had a time for “holiday” in Brazil that I used mostly to arrange my move to Argentina.

After a great festive end of year, I took a long trip to Mendoza.

Trust me when I say it was long!

First I took a flight from Sao Paulo to Porto Alegre - South Brazil. Then a bus from Porto Alegre to Montevideo (12 hours travelling) and after 5 wonderful days spent in Montevideo, I made the last journey, by bus again, towards to Mendoza: 23-hours-journey at this time!

Uruguay

I arrived at Montevideo’s Bus Station at 8:00h on the 5^th of January and bought straight way my ticket to the following Friday to Mendoza.

After that all my eyes were on the beauty capital of Uruguay.

What a good surprise! Montevideo is really charming and welcoming place to be.

I stayed in the coolest hostel I have been, for that I mean well located clean, friendly, charming and very quiet. As it was located in the Ciudad Vieja (Old Town), it was easy to go anywhere interesting.

Mercado del Puerto is a must with all that Parillas lying gorgeously in front of you. My first Uruguayan Parilla experience was delighting: great food, nice atmosphere and good service– especially from the kind attention giving to the costumer from the “assador”.

The second one was OK and neither impressing was the “medio-y-medio” I had
(50% with wine, 50% sparkling wine), which was served carefully warm (urgh!). What I did like that dinner is called “chimmi-shurry”, a delicious sort of sauce that I learn to adore and keep it close to my casserole always since on. Even thought it is usually used only with barbecue.

Any case I had the chance to have a good experience with their wines. I contacted some wineries and for my luck one of the best ones replayed inviting me to visit them.

They gave me all directions to find them, which I did, in a small town called Progresso – a name not very justified for a little city where time seems to have stopped.

In this small town I found Pisano Winery and was welcomed by Daniel Pisano who was my host in the visit.

I must admit that I haven’t tried many Uruguayan wines before – even thought Uruguay is so close - just around the corner! However, the ones I tried left a good impression of what the country is able to do.

The winery had a diverse variety of wines in their portfolio and I had the chance to learn about their history, production and to try a couple of them.

I tasted ones from two of their range. The first one was named Rio de Los Pajaros (translation for Uruguay, from the Guarani Language, which means River of Birds) in a sparkling wine version made of Torrontes, very fresh, aromatic and lively wine.

The second one was a Reserva Personal de Familia, Petit Verdot, 2006, which I loved and I was so pleased to taste on of my favourites grapes in a well made Uruguayan wine.

I also bought another one, moved by a curiosity for trying a very unusual one: Rio de Los Pajaros, Red Sparkling Wine made of Tannat, which I opened in the very same evening at the hostel.

About this red sparkling wine I can’t say may best words, as I didn’t like it. Tannat doesn’t seam to be the best choice to make it as it is too hash and the tannins present don’t really fit well with the low temperature and freshness needed to spark my taste.

Anyway it was good to try.

Two days latter I left Montevideo, with a feeling of admiration for its hospitality and impressed for our cultural similarities: food, music, landscape and much more that I maybe didn’t have time to discover at full. The good thing of that is that it is not far to go back again: just 1 day-travel from where I am now: easy-easy.

Cheers,

Marcia Amaral

• changes in grapevine maturation timing - as mentioned previously;
• interference of balanced composition in grapes and wine due to alterations in ripening patterns - such as reduction of acidity level;
• greater pest and disease pressure due to milder winters;
• changes in sea level - which could potentially alter the coastal zone influences on viticultural climates;
• alterations in varieties grown and regional wine styles;
• changes in the geographical distribution of viable grape-growing areas due to changes in temperature and precipitation.

Climate is, and it will always be, a critical factor for wine making.

FINDING AN WAY

A path of choice

When I decided that to hold two WSET's diplomas wasn't enough to introduce myself to the wine field, I planed my "round the wine world" trip, which had as main purpose to learn 'in loco' about wine from the most representative countries of the "New World" - as mostly any country out of Europe is called.

Today wine is said come from the Old World or New. The Old World is the heartland of winegrowing, where viticulture has evolved since 7000 BC. The classic regions of France, Italy, and Spain are the core, and sum up all that is traditional about making wine the time-honoured way. The New World comprises the pioneering vineyards of the southern hemisphere and North America, which were established by explorers and missionaries from the 14th century onwards.

On the other hand, I strongly believed we had a lot to learn from this new approach to wine business. I still do. This is one of the reasons why my route included Brazil, USA, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa.

Other reason for choosing this path was that my mother land has more in common to the "New World" nations, obviously.

The answer, as always, lay in the bottle

I constantly say that "just fools believe they know everything" We can associate that to a company's life. Old employees usually give to business valuable contribution with the expertise gained over years of experience and, new workforce brings a fresh air to the industry, commonly with competitiveness, courage and a new approach to deal with the trade's matters. Both contributions are extremely important and one can learn from another.

This applies to wine as well.

When other parts of the world out of Europe, such as Australia and California, introduced their wines in the market, they were a joke for the conservative part of the business. But consumers showed they were receptive to changes.

The "Old World" still thought that the "New World" wine was just a fashion with no strength to continue, but then the new version showed in the bottle their potential and beat the "Old World" in wine competitions.

At that stage newcomer countries were the ones smiling.

The new conquering the world

So, is the "New World" style the best? I would say: it depends.

It depends on many factors and more importantly of all: what you are looking for. I believe there is space in the market for diverse styles.

In fact, "new" and "old" styles come from any part of the wine world. Today, this difference is no longer as marked as it once was. The flavour boundaries between Old and New World wines are becoming increasingly vague.

The two sides have been realizing that they have a lot to learn from each other.

Improved grape-growing and winemaking techniques mean that an Old World wine can taste as luscious and ripe as a New World version. The reverse is also true and "new" winemaking is learning much from the "old" techniques such as barrel-fermenting, use of wild yeasts, and lees-stirring are all being adopted to generate more complexity in the wine.

Alan Boehmer described that: "Much has been written on the differences between European and New World wines. Just a few decades ago these differences in style were unmistakable. Today they are less so, but New World winemakers seem to be increasingly inclined to try to emulate the old ways."

These facts I observed on my trip. Either New or Old Worlds countries are paying attention to old and new skills to produce the best wine for the market they aim.

European way was reference in many wines bottled in other parts of the world. Besides, the New World style was not ignored in France, as far as wine is concerned.

Jancis Robison mentioned that approximation of both ways: "There is now such a thorough blending of ideas and techniques that it is no wonder that New and Old World stereotypes are on the wane."

While in France I could observe, in some bright people, the awareness of "New World" wine contribution.

It was made clear in visits to wineries that had recently changed the whole structure to quality-conscious one. I also observed some marketing techniques inspired by foreigner trend, such as the label appearance and the grape variety's information on it. Another example would be when New Zealand was mentioned as the world reference for Sauvignon Blanc, by a French chateau owner.

Newcomers to the trade

There are novice producers that slowly try to find their way to do things and market to aim.

Among them some countries that we probably never though would be able to produce high quality wine. In fact, most of them will possibly never produce an outstanding wine.

I am not being pessimist, I am just realist.

In fact, I am a believer that careful selection of material; right technology and methods; skilled, committed and passionate staff; investment and a good administration can do a great deal to any business. However, to make good wine, more than those factors are necessary.

French like to call that terroir. We could say that it is a combination of soil, microclimate e geographical location.

On the Geo Magazine, which I bought in France last October, the main subject was "La folie des Vins du Monde" where unusual wine producer countries were in the limelight.

Thailand, India, China, Japan presented the difficulties and perspectives of producing wine. One of biggest problems seems to be climate condition and, considering the perspective of changes on that factor, the prospect for most of them is not good neither.

The magazine also relates that, at this moment, they don't reach the level of others "New World" producers. Another trouble for the newcomers to solve is to convince the market to give their wine a chance, not only the external market, but even the internal one.

Can you imagine if China, for instance, gets it right to domestic market? Would they bother to export it? They probably would. However, a market as big as theirs is not to be ignored.

Where is Brazil in the Wine World Map?

Even been geographically close to Chile and Argentina, the wine business in Brazil has more similarities to countries from distant continents.

Brazil is not far from the situation of other newcomers.

We share with China, India and others, alike difficulties. Although, we also have some good perspectives in common.

Andrew Downie wrote that wine is becoming more popular in countries like Brazil, China and India because of a growing middle class and publicity about its health benefits.

He also mentioned that producers in all three countries are betting those markets will grow, and there are figures to back that up. The "International Wine and Spirit Record", a London-based research company estimates that by 2011, wine consumption will rise by 12 percent in Brazil, 39 percent in China and 82 percent in India.

In order to produce a wine to attend this growing demand and to aim the external market, many parts have to be worked on.

Brazil is doing some work on it.

A hand came from investment of foreigner companies as related also by Andrew Downie, who mentioned that Pernod Ricard owns brands in Brazil; Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton has invested heavily in Chandon, Brazil’s award-winning sparkling wine and Dão Sul that

four years ago had purchased land with some grape vines in Brazil’s semi-arid desert just south of the Equator - Thanks to hard work, better technology and hundreds of miles of irrigation pipes snaking in from the nearby São Francisco River, Dão Sul has produced one of the most successful tropical wines yet.

The decision to invest in Brazil was based on several factors, including cheap land and labour and advanced refrigeration techniques. One important advantage it shares with many new latitude producing nations is year-round sun. Another cause was a gamble based on Brazil’s long experience in grape production and winemaking. Immigrants from Portugal in the 16th century and then later from Italy, France and Germany set up vineyards in the south of the country.

However, the great majority of producers were brought up in Brazil. Few of them have made large investment recently, restructured the whole organization and counts with knowledgeable human source.

Many initiatives to modernize the industry have been taking. One of them is the work in "Vale dos Vinhedos" to organize the local producers and create conditions to reach a level of quality and identity in order to have its "Identification of Origin" recognized.

Another good scheme was to create an organization that represents Brazilian wine abroad: The Brazilian Wine Institute, a national association of vineyards, and Apex, Brazil's export agency. The project markets all of Brazil's main vintages under the banner Wines from Brazil at international wine shows.

Some producers aim mainly to export and others, specially foreigner companies, the first thing they do is to establish a foothold in Brazil so they can sell to the domestic market. Then they can think about exporting afterwards - as mention Joe W. Ciatti; the founder of Joseph W. Ciatti Company, the world’s largest wine broker; to Andrew Downie in his report.

I personally believe the first market to be cared of is the internal one, specially in the wine business. It is easy to see that the most successful producers of wine are big consumers of it as well. Wine is more than an alcohol beverage it is part of a culture, an attitude and, if it is not appreciated in the internal market, it will be even harder the external one to believe that is worth trying.

Brazil has many natural restrictions, such as latitude and climate, which must be dealt with. To help to find solutions to those particularities many sources have being made, it must be said. However, more investment, particularly in technology, is necessary.

It requires organization and union from producers to look forward to same direction and put forces together - but not only for marketing purpose.

A good example could be the meeting I participated in Waipara (New Zealand) where the locals producers got together to analyse the Rielsing's quality on the 2007's vintage and to help each other with suggestions for improvement.

An identity is also important. Brazil needs to find its own away.

It has been learning a lot from others, but it also has to look into its roots, culture and distinctiveness.

Many places are recognized by the uniqueness of an element, for example: New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc; Chile's Carmenère; Argentina's Malbec. We still don't have a variety that is the emblem of Brazil.

It is not just me how thinks like that, Hugo Casanova - head of Vina Hugo Casanova, fourth-generation Chilean vineyard, says in Carlos Adese's report: "It's necessary to differentiate oneself, to see how a grape can be emblematic and become what the market is looking for. It's a search for newness".

In this New World wines study, that I focused partially on my homeland, I could just point out how many good Brazilian still and sparkling wines I have been tasting since I came back home. I did indeed.

I could only mention how impressed I am with the hard work and commitment of many people in the trade. They make me feel patriotic.

But I choose to look at some worries, to reflect on them and share it here.

Shortly I will be writing about another subject that I do care about: Climate Changes.

SEMINAR (I Seminário Internacional de Marcas Locais e Regionais na Região da Uva e do Vinho)

One day after the arrival from my trip, I participated in a seminar about geographical identification of a regional product that is in process of development in the region of Vale dos Vinhedos - the only region in Brazil that has an "indication of origin" for its wines.

The product is a kind of salami, which has many process to follow until it can have the "indication of origin" recognized.

_ What it has to do with wine?

Not much, unless the subject of this is ready to eat and can be savoured and paired with wine, however, the whole course that leads to be renowned as a product typical and unique from a certain region has a lot to learn from the local wine business.

Important players in this matter were present, such as represents of the government, traders, searchers, and also an international group that has experience in the course of action and has been a partner of the institution responsible for the seminar: Faculdade Cenecista de Bento Gonçalves.

Bento Gonçalves is one of the places that compound the Vale dos Vinhedos. It is part of a region dominated by Italian ancestry and, still today very connected to its roots. It often receives incentives from Italian institutions.

Kepha Opus and Consorzio Fidi Artigiani, both Italian bodies, are the collaborators in this project, which has the Ministério di Lavoro (Labour's Ministry of Italy) as partner as well.

The event started with long time spent for introduction and, when finally the seminar went ahead, the project was presented.

My main reason for being in the event was the presentation of the Vale dos Vinhedos 'case', treated as a guide to the "salami case".

That happened almost in the end of the seminar, when Jorge Tonietto; professional of EMBRAPA (Brazilian governmental department related to agriculture); presented the work done to recognize and also to sustain Vale dos Vinhedos as a wine region with "indication of origin".

EMBRAPA works is extensive and very accurate. In the occasion the studies made in the region where in brief showed. The studies were very important to identify many relevant factors to be worked on in order to make the accreditation possible.

The data generated this survey is still nowadays a reference and extremely important, not only to Vale dos Vinhedos but also to other wine regions in Brazil and in other parts of the world, as it has important information of global viticulture.

Part of this information can be found at the WEB site www.cnpuv.embrapa.br

What impressed me the most was the depth of the analysis made. It was a good incentive to study a little more about what I was already very inquisitive: my country's wine business.

That can sound funny: to learn about my own country wine after doing it in many others. However, as I habitually explain: I feel in love with wine while living abroad and my studies started far away from home. So,now that I am back, I have to learn about Brazilian viticulture and try it out.

BORDEAUX WINE WEEK COURSE

In following week I was much busier. I had the mornings occupied by French classes and the afternoons by the wine course at L'Ecole du Bordeaux. Both of them were really good.

The language course was 3 weeks long and the wine one was only one week, but it was worthy every minute.

The course at L'Ecole du Bordeaux had Maguelone de Blasi as teacher. She is a courtier en vins (broker, who is the intermediary between winegrowers and negociants).

There are 130 brokers in the Bordeaux wine industry and to have Maguelone as an instructor was a privilege. The course was hold in French, with translation to English when the group was lost.

My French is good enough to understand a subject which I am familiar with, that was the case. However, I don't dare to try to speak - my knowledge of the Victor Hugo's idiom is just good sufficient to order a meal. In consequence, I was able to understand the contend and I learnt a lot (it helped a little to improve my French as well).

The course had 3 days of conference, tasting and, two days of visits to vineyards in Médoc and St-Émilion.

The school belongs to the owners of Château Lynch Bages, a "Gran Cru Classé", located in Pauillac, location of their first wine school.

We were a culturally diversified: group Japan, England, Italy, Holland and myself, representing Brazil. Apart from Adelaide; a lovely young lady born in Hong Kong, who was risen in Australia, currently lives in the United Kingdom and had her mother's recommendation the main reason to join the class; we were all above 30 years old of age and had already wine as an important subject in our lives, for different reasons.

During the classes we went through Tasting Techniques; Vinification Methods; Terroirs; Technical Vocabulary; Tasting - of course; and we had the opportunity to blend our own wine, with single varieties wines supplied by Château Lynch Bages - an exciting experience that included the marketing outlook of the business.

We tasted wines from diverse producers and regions:

On Thursday we went to visit the Médoc region, located at the north-west of Bordeaux city.

The Médoc Region

Médoc means "in the middle of waters", from the Latin: in medio aquae.

It has a very mild climate, with influences of the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf Stream) and the Gironde estuary.

All the vineyards are situated in a thin area of land. The Médoc Appellations benefit from a network of small brooks, and the best vineyards are situated by these rivers.

The region has 3 classifications:

• Cru Classés

There are many levels of Appellations:

The first day of visits, we left Bordeaux city early afternoon and travelled via the Road D1 and then N215 from where you see vineyards along the whole way.

It was a stop-along-drive journey, making the most of the opportunity to contemplate the vineyards, some of them with the harvest taking place.

We also stopped at prestigious Château Margaux for a picture time and wonder around.

It wasn't our final destination, so, we carried on up to Paulliac that is considered the capital of the appellation.

The estate visited at that day was a classified Cru Classé: Château Lynch Bages - surprise, surprise.

We visited vineyard and winery where our guide instructed us about the history of the business and processes involved in the production. There is a museum where they keep ancient objects formerly used to make wine. It was the most fascinating part of the visit.

The transition to modernity in the winery is very recent. They adopted concrete vats in 1973 and replaced them by stainless still in 1988.

Located on the Bages plateau, with the vineyard overlooking the Gironde estuary at the distance. The estate was at one time owned by the Lynch family from Galway in Ireland, but is now in the hands if the Cases family.

For their first wine, the oldest vines (average of 30-35 years old) supply the grapes and, time in oak barrels is longer than applied for the second wine, named Château Haut-Bages Averous.

The taste itself was, in reality, nothing new, because we sampled a wine that was familiar to all of us, as it had been tasted in class a couple of days before (Château Lynch Bages, Paulliac, 2001). It was a bit frustrating as our guide declined our request to sample something different.

Any way, the wine was still good, made of blend that is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (73%) and it has Cabernet Franc (10%) and Petit Verdot (2%) as partners.

The wine showed leather aroma and in the mouth it had smooth tannins, with some acidity and spicy flavours and in my opinion still it had some space to develop, if desired.

A tiny amount if white wine, Blanc de Lynch-Baes, is also made - from Sémillion, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Something of a rarity for the Médoc, it is similar in style to white Graves.

Saint-Émilion and Pomerol

Next day, the very last one of the wine course, we crossed over the River Garonne, passed by Entre-deux-Mers and ended on what is known as the Right Bank, where the main river is Dordogne.

Merlot is the king in this part of Bordeaux. Saint-Émilion and Pomerol are they key appellations.

The limits between the two regions is almost virtual and, if you blink on the journey you loose the limits where one finishes and the other starts.

Pomerol

Winegrowing in Pomerol goes back to the 12th century. Vines were planted by the charitable order of the Knights Hospitallers of Saint-John of Jerusalem (Order of Malta). These vines produced wine for the Church and pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela.

Despite the world-famous reputation, these wines have never been classified.

Located on a gently sloping plateau northeast of the town of Libourne, the richest wines come form the clay and gravel soils of the central plateau. It is here that all the top château, including Pétrus, Lafleur and Le Pin, can be found. On the lower terraces to the west and south, the soils are sandier and the wines lighter and less powerful in style.

This was my second visit to this region, but the first at day-light time. I had been at Pomerol, previously to the meeting at Château Gazin with Olivier Colas, opportunity when I tried a couple of their wines, included a 1988 vintage.

At this time we didn't visit any winery in the appellation, apart from the usual stop to picture a spot. We actually just tasted a wine from Pomerol (Château Vieux Maillet, 2003, 35) that took place in another estate: Château Franc-Mayne, this one, in fact, located in Saint-Émilion.

This appears to be a common practice among the local wineries open for visits, to sell other labels in their premises.

Saint-Émilion

The fortified village of Saint-Émilion was built on a limestone hill. Its origin is related to religion (named after an hermit monk Emilianous, who lived in a cave in the 8th century) and the Middle Ages is still alive through the architecture, the wine producing area and the structure of the wine estates and those are the main reasons why the whole district was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO, in 1999.

The region is known as the "Hill with 1000 Chateaux". It is easy to picture with you take in consideration that more than 50% of the local vineyards have less than 5 ha.

The wines of Saint-Émilion were first classified in 1954. This classification is revised every ten years. It is divided into two appellations:

• Saint-Émilion Gran Cru

The second most important grape variety is Cabernet Franc that is known locally as Bouchet.

We began the visits in the Château Franc-Mayne, Gran Cru Classé, which I previously mentioned.

Château Franc-Mayne has 7 hectares of vineyards in a single block located on the prestigious Cotê des Francs slope in the heart of Saint-Émilion appellation.

Two hectares of wines grown on top of former quarries, which consists on caves mined to extract limestone for construction when the town was build, in the 12th century. This is not in practice any more; however the quarries are still in use to store some of their barrels, in the naturally chilled environment (12-13° C) and, as a tourist attraction.

However, most of the barrels are kept in a modern storage. This is part of numerous investments that started 5 years ago in order to produce the finest possible quality: the vat room was entirely renovated, a detailed vineyard management programme was instituted (pot by plot), the grapes are hand-picked into small crates and carefully sorted prior to crushing, malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels, the well-known oenologist Michel Rolland provides expert advice on viticulture and winemaking.

We tasted a couple of wines, among them the first wine, labelled as usual under the château name (1999, 49).

Next stop was the closest one to the charming town of Saint-Émilion: Clos La Madeleine.

We arrived in Clos La Madeleine at the same time that the guide was busy with a group of Canadian tourists, so, we decided to join them to save time and started by the tasting.

The cellar door is located in a cave that adds a special charm to the experience. We had three different wines, two from Clos La Madeleine itself (2004, 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, € 38 and, 2005, 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, € 12) and one from Magnan La Gaffeliere, 2003 (75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, € 19) that was a presented as a typical Saint-Émilion, had a good balance, was ready to drink and a great value for money. The last was in fact, my favourite wine of the day. Perhaps it means that a good wine doesn't have to be necessarily expensive or that I am a low-cost-wine-appreciator.

After I bought a bottle of my favourite wine as a souvenir to a couple of friends, I joined the group in the tour that followed.

The vineyards are in a slop with a beautiful over-view to others local estates.

We went after the guide to the winery and finally to the cave, where the production of the winery is kept. The production is small, so does is the winery. To solve any problems of space, creativity is applied, for example, a door and a fan on the wall can be opened or closed depending on what a room is used for and, in consequence, the temperature required: malolactic fermentation or ageing.

We finished the day leaving the gorgeous region behind and ending the week of the wine course.

It was my best week in Bordeaux, I learnt a lot and also had the good company of a couple of classmates, with whom I used to visit a wine bar after class and carry on the studies there, chat and exchange life experiences.

That is what wine is about to me, sharing.

Next wine region to explore: Rhone - where I had Avignon as base and, feel in love with it.

Cheers,

Marcia Amaral

LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCED

I always make my plans considering the opportunities of the present and the uncertainty of the future. As a result, they have to be flexible.

France was not on my plans at the beginning of my trip, as I first thought to visit only "new world" countries, mainly for budged restrictions. However, I had to adapt my journey as I travelled considering the circumstances and, the "old country" was an alternative to visit instead of Australia.

It ended up being an important part of the voyage, not only because the country is on of the most relevant producers of wine in the world but also for being a reference on all subjects related this theme, since long time ago.

To end my travel visiting regions where wine has being an important* part of daily life from centuries was an amazing experience and I couldn't choose better place to complete my "round the wine world" trip.

* 800 million bottles/year for (70%) internal market and (30%) export.

Source: Conseil Interprofessional du Vin de Bordeaux, regarding 2006 data.

Bordeaux

When I thought of going to France I had in mind what I always do: make the most of the opportunity of being there, because I never know if I will ever have the chance again. So, I included one French Language Course, one Wine Course, as many work experiences as it would be possible and to travel a lot, as usual.

Beforehand I booked a hotel; the language course in Bordeaux and made all contacts that could I believed could result in one eventual volunteer work experience.

I arrived in Bordeaux on the 3rd of September, after a brief stay in London, and went straight to the hotel which was located in the city centre - one deservers a little of comfort occasionally, even when it means only a 2 stars rated accommodation.

The hotel was my base until I realized that I would never improve my French talking to no one and that my money would be gone shortly in an place not suitable for an 8-months-on-a-low-budged-backpacker.

I made contact with the school that I had booked to start studying from the 17th and, asked their help to find a host family, what I believed to be the best option, considering my aim to improve the language and to cut the expenses.

It didn't take long to be contacted and to move in with the family with whom I stayed for the majority of the period in the city.

The encounter with locals is always interesting and living with them is the best way to experiment the "real life" of a place. With the family I experienced a little of the French "art de vivre".

Other contact that made the difference during my stay was the owner of a Château* Perin de Naudine in Graves, Olivier Colas.

* The word "château" signifies a wine-producing estate with its own building. It is synonymous with the French words "domaine" and "clos" but has no connection with any architectural use of the word: castle.

Monsieur

Thanks to him, French wine made a transition from theory to practice and I could visit his business; join him in a meeting with former colleagues graduated in Enology by the Bordeaux University - which took place at the Château Gazin in Pomerol; help his team to harvest one day and, have a taste of the French hospitality.

Colas runs Château Perin de Naudine with passion, wisdom and dedication. The propriety was bought by him in 1996. It is located in Castres-Gironde and has a new equipped winery, beautiful and well kept vineyard and a château - here the word is connected with the architectural use of it: the château is a beautiful renovated 17th century's mansion.

I had the chance to had samples of its wines, from the barrel to the bottle. The reds have Merlot as main variety and an captivating minerality, particular to Graves wines and usually described as "mint", and the whites have a "new" and also "old world" approaches: Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel to keep the fruit flavour and for Sémillon oak barrels are used. The combination of both styles is a charming delight.

I couldn't help as much as I wanted because my lack of French made impossible to communicate with others but Colas, who was - understandably - very occupied dealing with the matters of the busiest time of year. However, that brief but close encounter with the Bordeaux wine making was great.

I also used my free time, before the beginning of my classes, to take a short course in l'Ecole du Vin and explore the wine area.

The "Initiations - Introduction to Bordeaux Wines" course was provide by the most recognized wine education institution in Bordeaux. In fact l'Ecole du Vin is part of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, where is located the Conseil Interprofessional du Vin de Bordeaux and also, a good wine bar.

During the 2-hours course we learned a little about the particularities of the Bordeaux region and tested 3 wines.

In the material provided by the school there was a very good description about the region:

"The fact that Bordeaux is a reference for all wine lovers is hardly an accident... The wines come from a completely unique "terroir" with an exceptional climate and geographical location.

Bordeaux's unique flavour is linked to the careful blending of several grape varieties, which varies according to terroir and château...

All quality wines in Bordeaux come under the AOC

It was a very good introduction to the complex system control in Bordeaux and about wine making in general.

There I learned that Chaptalization is authorized (by Custome Agency in Bordeaux), as far the level of sugar content in the grapes is not reached and, to wait for the right level can ruin the crops. However, it is an rare resolution.

They also explained the difference between mix and blend: in the first the single variety's wines are just put together and in the second they are selected carefully for the best of the result possible.

It was interesting to know that the term Claret used by the English market centuries ago to refer to dry red Bordeaux wines, is still in use in France, however, as Clairet and nowadays it is more specific, referring to a wine that is made in a similar way to red wines, however maceration takes place more quickly, resulting in a middle term, between rosé and red wines.

Another useful thing I learnt was about the variations of colours according the wine aging:

As it is said in the book Wines of the World (Eyewitness Companions): "The people of Bordeaux like to know where they stand - hence the need to rank their wines in a table of merit. However, there is not just one system of classification in place; several different hierarchies have been introduced at various times over the past of past two centuries, each with its own history and intricate set of rules".

The Bordeaux classifications are:

I mention all internal classifications while relating my journey. However, as the 1855 Classification is an overall classification that ranks the various Bordeaux wine appellations, it will open the explanations.

The most famous Bordeaux classification relates to the red wines of the Médoc peninsula* and the sweet white wine of Sauternes**. The system was drawn up at the demand of Emperor Napoleon III for the wines that were being exhibited at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1855. The Bordeaux Syndicat des Courtiers ranked the wines based on decades of trading statistics.

* 60 château from the Médoc and one from Graves were ordered in five different grades according to commercial value.

** 26 château in Sauternes and Barsac were ranked as either first or second growths.

Bordeaux has 57 AOC and on my 3rd day in the city, I went to see one of those.

My first visit in the region was a tour organized by the Tourism Office - which was by far the best tourism department that I found in my whole trip, with helpful staff and a great variety of activities organized by the establishment.

We left Bordeaux city centre in direction to Graves, early morning and not long after we were exploring the area that is close located.

In the day's agenda we had two wineries, with lunch in the second and followed by a visit to the Montesquieu's castle, where the famous and influential French philosopher lived.

Back to Graves Region

The Grave area spreads from the North of Bordeaux to Langon.

Red, white and sweet white wines are produced and identified by 3 AOC:

Pessac-Léognan is considered the birth place of Bordeaux vineyards. The appellation was created in 1987, but on a very ancient wine-growing area of the Graves de Bordeaux. More than 2000 years of history, it was the birthplace of the "New French Claret", the modern type of Bordeaux reds, created in the XVIIth century in Haut-Brion.

Château Haut-Brion was also the responsible for developing the concept of using oak barrels to age wine and, it is, in fact, the only estate outside the Médoc Region classified as a 1er Cru Classé, by the famous 1855 Classification, mostly for its contribution to the industry.

The region counts with its own classification: Graves Classification - compiled by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine, for both red and white wines, since 1953 and updated in 1959. There are 16 growers classified as Gran Cru Classé, with no hierarchy among them.

The district has a mild and temperate climate with strong influence of the River Garone and also the forest which is located between the Bordeaux region and the Atlantic Ocean, which forms a protective fence against the ocean winds.

It is the only wine-producing area in France named by the nature of its soil (graves mean gravel), which has extremely good drainage; it can have up to 3 metres of gravel.

Our first visit was to the "Gran Cru Classé de Graves" producer, Château de Fieuzal, located in Pessac-Léognan.

The Fieuzal family, who owned the Château until 1851, left their name to the vineyard.

In 1959, when the Graves wines were classified, Fieuzal was chosen for its excellent red wines.

The business, nowadays owned by an Irish couple, also includes the neighbour Château Haut-Gardère that produces wines classified as "Gran Vin de Graves". Also under the same classification is the second wine of Château de Fieuzal: L'Abeille de Fieuzal.

The manager, an elegant French gentleman, guided us through the winery explaining about the tradition and work of the state.

The production that is approximately 10000 cases of red and 2500 cases of white, has Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (33%), Cabernet Franc (4,5%), Petit Verdot (2,5%) for the red wines and Sémillon (50%) and Sauvignon (50%) for the white ones.

The vines, which have 30-years-old average, have Double Guyot pruning.

The best sample of the winery was, in fact, a white wine (Château Haut-Gardère, 2004) that had hand-picked grapes, no malolactic fermentation, a brief time in stainless steel followed by oak barrels were it was aged for 12 months on its fine lees with regular stirring.

It was fat and concentred, with some particularly elegant aromas: citrus, white peach and apricot.

A very good surprise for me - a confessed fan of "New World" white wine fresh and fruity style.

Sauvignon Blanc was there sharing the bottle with Sémillon and showing they can be very good partners.

The second visit was to Château Haut-Bailly, situated on a high ridge off a small winding road leading from Léognan to Cadaujac, just south of Bordeaux.

The records of the winery go back to the early 17th century when the proprietor was a Parisian banker, Firmin Le Bailly. The actual proprietors, an American banker and his French wife, bought the vineyard in 1998.

The château is surrounded by vineyards planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc grapes. The vines have between 30 to 90 years old.

The soil, unique to Léognan, is sandy and rich in a petrified sandstone containing the remains of prehistoric fossilized shellfish (visible on the walls of old buildings in the area, which had local material when built). It rests on layer of sandstone.

The first fermentation (1-3 weeks) takes place in cement vats - the same practice that I saw in almost all Argentinean wineries - and the second in oak barrels.

After a visit to the winery and vineyard, we tasted the wine in the patio, contemplating the beautiful scenery.

We also had the opportunity to try the estate's wines, while having lunch.

The lunch was wonderful and we had a 4 course meal, with wines to match and bread to pair - a real French habit.

The group was mostly merry and we chatted a lot. I met an American girl who was in a trip with similar purpose to mine: learn about wine, however we didn’t talk much, she didn’t seem to be very comfortable in the environment - very bizarre for who choose to have wine as a career. But, everyone has the own way to do things. I was having fun.

The meal was a pleasant time; however the wine that impressed me the most was still the white version of the previous winery visited.

It was time to leave and visit the Montesquieu's château, where does not have any grape growing; however it is on their plans. In consequence, the historical part of the building was the theme of the tour.

Finished the most touristy part of the day, Bordeaux city was were next destination.

South African Wine

The South Africa wine growing areas of the Cape produce some of the world's most outstanding wines. This wine growing area of South Africa has a Mediterranean climate. The mountain slopes and valleys form an ideal habitat for the wine grape vitis vinifera.

Long, sun-drenched South African summers ensure grapes with enough sugar. Wet winters with cool sea breezes and temperatures of 0-10 degrees Celsius also contribute to the ideal conditions for viticulture at the Cape.

The four most important soils are:

* Granite soil against the mountain slopes, with good water retention,

* Malmesbury Shale, crumbly, also good water retention,

* Table Mountain Sandstone, sandy with just enough water retention,

* Bokkeveld Shale, fertile (alluvial) soil, situated in the warm river valleys.

South Africa now cultivate 106 000 hectares of land under vines. Almost 4500 farmers in and their 50 000 labourers and 3 000 co-operative cellar staff, with their dependants, constitute a force of some 300 000 people. About 750 million litres of South African wine are produced annually, from which the producers' income in 2001 totalled about R159 billion.

Production of South Africa wine is handled mainly by 310 private cellars and 67 co-operative cellars. These co-operatives alone have invested vast amounts on production equipment and they press about 80% of South Africa’s total wine harvest.

In the past, most South Africa wine was sold through domestic wholesalers. However, with the opening up of foreign markets, rapidly increasing quantities of South African wines are being sold abroad. All wines for export must be granted an export licence. Samples of each batch of wine destined for foreign climes are sent to the Wine & Spirit Board at Nietvoorbij, Stellenbosch where they undergo detailed tasting tests and chemical analysis in the laboratories before licences are granted.

An official seal is given to each bottle by the Wine & Spirit Board which verifies that the claims made on the label regarding origin, vintage and grape variety.

Wine regions of origin

From the tip of the African continent, where the two great oceans meet at Cape Agulhas, to deep in the desert-like Karoo and the Free State - such is the stretch of South Africa’s wine regions. Nearly 60 officially declared appellations cover more than 100 000 hectares.

A Wine of Origin Scheme was introduced in 1973 that designated production regions, districts and wards. The latter is the smallest geographical unit with distinctive ecological characteristics. Official estates consist of single farms or multiple properties run as a unit.

Some of the most important regions are:

Constantia is the historic hub of Cape wine. Closest to Cape Town, it boasts some of the most famous estate names such as Groot and Klein Constantia, and Buitenverwachting. On premium terroir and in ideal climatic conditions, superb Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon wines are produced.

Franschhoek lies in a contained valley, a pretty town founded by the French Huguenots in 1688. Today it is very much a boutique region with old buildings, restaurants and small producers. Stylish cellars include La Motte, Cabrière, Plaisir de Merle and Boekenhoutskloof.

Paarl is another of the Cape’s historic towns where wine has been made for centuries. Home to the original KWV head office and its impressive Cathedral Cellar, as well as the country’s best-known brand Nederburg, many cellars, small and large, from boutique to co-operative, produce wine from the ordinary to the sensational. Winemakers have been concentrating on Shiraz, but some fine Chenin Blanc, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, blends, and even unusual varieties such as Viognier and Mourvèdre are turned into prize-winning wines. Glen Carlou, Villiera and the value-for-money co-operative Boland Kelders are among the top performers here.

Robertson and a few other villages lie along a fertile, if warm, valley where white wines such as chardonnay (from De Wetshof Estate) and sparkling wine (from Graham Beck Winery) used to be the main stars. Today the move is to red varieties, especially Shiraz (Zandvliet).

Stellenbosch is, in the minds of many, the finest wine area in South Africa, claiming the crown for reds. With a list of more than 80 wineries and producers, it is also the most expensive wine farmland. Nearly all the most famous international names in South African wines are found here in an area reaching from sea-facing slopes to valley-hugging hills. This is the home of Kanonkop, Meerlust, Rustenberg, Thelema and Warwick. The list is endless. This is also where Distell, the country’s largest player in the drinks market, is seated. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage and Chenin Blanc are the stars here.

It has often been noted that the Cape winelands are probably the most scenic in the world. For this reason wine tourism is one of the country’s growing industries. Offering a range of topographical pleasures ranging from high, snowy mountains to arid plains, arrangements for tourists are becoming more and more sophisticated in the various regions.

There are 15 very well organised Wine Route Associations, and information about accommodation, eateries and visits to cellars and farms is readily available through booklets, travel agents and the Internet.

Source of information: http://www.antbear.co.za/information/south-african-wine.htm and http://www.southafrica.info/plan_trip/holiday/food_wine/922781.htm

The opportunities that I had in New Zealand to learn from their expertise were much bigger than in South Africa, where I had very little chances and shorter time.

However, I made my part and did my best, attending to festivals, visiting wineries and managing to have a work experience.

South Africa reminded me my homeland Brazil, in many ways.

Both of the countries are still fighting to find solutions for their big social problems and differences. South Africa is known as the Rainbow Country for its multi raced population, where it is a true picture about Brazil.

They both suffered from colonization and slavery.

Either had decades of political regimes that had left deep marks, which has been healing slowly through the past decades.

They both have high levels of criminality and drug problems.

The nature and landscape are diverse and extremely beautiful on either.

Their people are welcoming and lively and most of time, very happy – thank you very much.

The two of them produce wine; however South Africa has been producing it for far longer than Brazil.

The first vines in South Africa were planted in Cape of Good Hope, by Jan van Riebeeck, in 1655.

However the responsible for the development of wine as a business was Simon van der Stel that started the viticulture in Stellenbosh (1679) and Constantia (1685).

The business in South Africa had its ups and downs – the most critic time was while in Apartheid, but, it is back on track again.

After travelling from Johannesburg to Stellenbosh through the coast, I arrived in the biggest wine region of the country on the weekend that a wine festival was taking place – not by casualty.

Stellenbosch vineyards make up over 18% of the total amount of land under vines in South Africa. There are a large selection of varieties planted and wines made in this region. It is widely recognised as a 'golden' area for growing grapes. It is called so because of the mountains terrain, well drained soils, good rainfall patterns and the famous Cape Doctor (the prevailing south-easterly which can be counted on to keep vines cool and relatively disease free).

The most planted white variety is Sauvignon Blanc, followed by Chenin Blanc, on the red side Cabernet Sauvignon leads the way with Shiraz coming up rapidly.

Most of the producers in the region produce classic wine varieties; however there are some few that are doing something rather different.

Although Stellenbosch has seen rapid residential and commercial growth over the past few decades, the heart of the town still remains with an historical atmosphere. The buildings reflect over three centuries of occupation including Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture.

The city is charming and the crests of the dramatically rising mountains that encircle the town – namely the Stellenbosch, Jonkershoek and Simonsberg Mountains are always visible.

My first contact with the business couldn't be more festive: the Stellenbosh Wine Festival.

On the 5th of August, a beautiful warm Sunday, literally, I went to enjoy my day with my South African friend, Albert.

We had a nice day, with time for learning and fun: tasting, food pairing, tasting, talk with specialists and some tasting.

It is a big popular event with more than exhibitors, which is very instructive and also a good way to get closer to so many wineries in just one place, furthermore, it is a nice entertainment.

The best event I attended in the Festival was a 'Wine Tasting' from wineries with a new generation of winemakers.

The best of the taste; in my opinion; was a Shiraz, Migliarina 2005, pungent but clean and elegant and full of black berries, made by Carsten Migliarinaa, who after having worked for ten years in the catering industry as a sommelier at well known establishments such as Le Pont de la Tour in London and the Grande Roche in Paarl it was time to follow his dreams and produce his own wine – a charming, shy and talented winemaker.

Next morning I was surprised by my friend who came to pick me up to give me ride to Robertson, my first wine region explored – finally.

After Albert left me to my own devices and headed to work I went to visit Robertson Winery, which makes wines in a simple and uncomplicated style to be sold as bulk wine. The attendant was lively and knowledgeable; however the wine didn't impressed that much.

What impressed me was the next visit, not for the product offered, but for the approach to business.

I included a visit to Klipdrift Brandy Distillery for recommendation of almost everyone – brandy is the national spirit, which mixed with Coke makes the most popular drink.

The warm and hospitality of the place is a contrast to the little information about the production itself: apart from the usual process of brandy making, our guide was not allowed to give any information regarding a values and quantities. Distell – the massive corporation that the distillery is part of – must have had bed experiences with espionage in the past.

Never mind, I am not into brandy anyway.

Next visit, I went to another Distell business, but also with a very strange approach to business, at this time for different reasons.

Bergkelder is a winery part of the group and is located near to the Stellenbosch city centre – reason why I chose it to visit.

The winery produce wines under the brand Fleur de Cap and, since 1998 had been selection the best samples to keep it in a natural way, unfiltered.

The tour offered by the winery is disappointing: it starts with a 15 minutes video about the winery history and ends with a wine tasting 'help yourself', that didn't made any effect on me.

Even the service at the winery didn't save it and the staff seemed very little committed with the business - very bad image.

After trying to find; without success; other ways to get closer to South African wines, apart from the usual 'taste visit' and the obvious drinking it, I decided to join a group in a 'wine tour'.

The tour was very interesting and our driver-guide, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. What a relief!

SIMONSIG WINE ESTATE

In a brief visit in the winery we learnt about the clever vats used there, which rotate, allowing the mixture of skins and juice while in the fermentation process, resuming the pumping over work.

Our driver–and–guide was extremely helpful all the time and gave a good hand to the winery staff. His contributions about the wineries visited and the winemaking process in general were very valuable. He even opened a bottle in the Napoleon's way: with a sabre taking all the very top of the bottle off with just one cut. Giving a charming introduction to the Simonsig's sparkling wine (Cap Classique, as the sparkling version of the wine is known in South Africa) named Kaapse Vonkel (sold for R65) – literally 'Cape Sparkle', which is made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay - It had good bubbles, some residual sugar and light flavour of lees.

The winery has traditional stile, such as Tiara, the winery flagship, which is a Bordeaux blend and also, the new world trend, such as the Sauvignon Blanc (2007, R50) that delivers what you except to find on its stile.

They have a big diversity in their product list, among them, more than half is a sweeter version with off-dry and dessert wines composing the list.

The winery was a good preview of all the wineries to come. They all seemed to be connect to the past, with old style of winemaking, however aware of the changes in the international market and trying to find their space on it.

That is what you could hear and read among the business: a search for its own identity and a trademark to represent the South African wine and, of course, the diversity of the country shown in the bilingual (English – South African) information, always present wherever you go.

FAIRVIEW

The next stop, just before the lunch, we had the welcome of those who are the main advertisers: Goats.

Fairview has a very unique approach in the local wine business, nothing compared with the others seen. They play with words to compose their wine's names (Goat do Roam – referring to Côte du Rhone; the Goatfather, instead of Godfather and so on) and even the limelight of the propriety is nothing related to wine: goats are the stars.

All seem very coordinated and synchronized with a marketing plan that apparently is working well.

The professionals behind the counter are very skilful and keen on helping; the cheeses that the state produces are delicious and award winning; the grapes you find there you probably not find anywhere else in the country (Mouvèedre, Carigan are examples).

So, one could say that they work on not only the marketing of the business, but on all levels.

The  winery has three range of wines: Fairview (single varietals for white and red; red blends; dessert wines and single vineyard wines); Goats do Roam and Spice Route, being the latest named after the location where they source the grapes, which are grown in the Darling region, with no irrigation applied.

The Shiraz (Syrah, as it is called here) variety was a delight in all forms and labels presented and the grape has its quality prized in the flagship of Spice Route, from where also come the most expensive and best sample of them all:  Malabar (R300), a dark chocolate and plums flavoured star, shinning among goats.

After a typical South African lunch (I had Potjieko, a stew of vegetables), that made us merry and full, we headed to Franschhoek (corner of France in Afrikaans), a quiet little town, French in character, with breathtaking scenery and the culinary capital of South Africa.

In 1688 the French Huguenots (French Calvinists) came to South Africa - enriching the country with their culture, language and wine making talent. With their eye for beauty and good winegrowing conditions, they settled in the Franschhoek Valley.

DIEU DONNé

Translated literally from French, "Dieu Donné" means "God Given" or a gift from god. It was probably inspired by the spectacular scenery viewed from the state, over the Simonsberg Mountains, which are stunning.

In 1987, French-Mauritian, Robert Maingard acquired Dieu Donné Vineyards located in the area, in search of his French roots in South Africa.

The French roots are well shown, especially at their Sparkling wine, Maingard Brut, Method Cap Classique (R65) that is not a Champagne, but also delivers a good lasting bubbles wine and a sensual lees flavour.

The surroundings also helped to make the wine tasting special and it was the one of the gifts of the day.

MÔRESON

The last visit of the day was at Môreson which in Afrikaans means "morning sun".

The estate, which is about 5km from the picturesque Franschhoek, is part of La Motte, one of the original farms granted to the French Huguenots in 1695 by Governor Simon van der Stel.

The wines are sold under two labels: Môreson and Pinehurst. We tried samples from the first. Among them Chenin Blanc (great value for money: R37, in a wine that shows all the "New World fruity and freshness characteristics); Pintage (R78, it didn't disappointed and was a glass full of spices, pepper with good tannins and balance) and the star -once more- Shiraz (or Syrah, it depends on the side of the region one is). The Shiraz delivered more to the palate than to the nose, but in the mouth it was there to last, with plum and black berries to make your memories lengthy.

BOSMAN FAMILY VINEYARDS

On the 16^th of August I travelled to Wellington to give a hand to Albert’s brother, Marco Zielman, on his work at the Bosman Family Vineyards, with his mobile bottling.

I had helped before in a bottling process, however I learnt with Marco how to deal with problems during this task, as that day didn’t seem to be our lucky day and mainly everything has problems. But hi was skilled and professional to solve all of them; however we finish the work 5 hours later than expected.

Tired and starving, we went back to Paarl to meet Albert for a dinner and on the way we had Biltong of venison, ostrich and kudu – a dried salami–like sausage, very traditional and popular in the country.

PAARL SHIRAZ FESTIVAL

Saturday, 18/08, festive time again, this instance at Nederburg Wine Estate, for the Shiraz Wine Festival –From Persia to Paarl.

The theme was chosen to celebrate the local best variety, Shiraz, connecting it with the origin of its roots, Persia.

The festival has a schedule full of wine tasting, live entertainment acts, Persian market and food stalls, Band's live performance and in addition a Persian Procession.

We also had the opportunity to know some interesting business, such as SONOP.

SONOP has a policy of Fair Trade, which means the farm workers are also partners. In practice this means that they own and reap the rewards of 10% of the vineyards. They utilise organic wine making methods.

Their wines are sold at the local market also under other branded names, such as supermarkets.

I tried the Pinotage that was good. However, their 2004 samples were still harsh, what could be the difference of a wine that doesn’t have much chemical help.

Another stall visited was the one of BACKSBERG.

This winery wine making philosophy can be expressed quite simply; they aim to provide wines with level of drinkability. They use modern technology, combined with traditional wine making practices to create the quality wines.

They explained that much emphasis is placed on the gentle handling of the grapes to retain the specific fruit character of the different varieties.

They also praise themselves for being eco–friendly ‘The environment has become an important issue at the winery and through sustainable development and biodiversity we have made a commitment to control our damage to the environment. In conjunction with Food and Trees for Africa, we are the first wine farm in South Africa to be approved Carbon Neutral consequently reinforcing an ongoing commitment to an improved environment’.

Nevertheless, the business doesn’t apply organic nor biodynamic procedures justifying it saying that their main priority is the drinkability of the product.

I wish we can learn enough about sustainability and combine it with drinkability.

Festival ending, sun going down in the beautiful South African sky and, it was time to find a spot for a glass of wine to be savoured while the sun went down, then, it was what we did.

KLEIN CONSTANTIA

With a lift from Albert I went to on of the wine regions I wanted to visit the most in the country: the Constantia Valley.

Situated on the narrow Cape Peninsula just 20 km from Central Cape Town, the valley is the frame of South African winemaking. Nowadays, it is contained by up-market residential development and the slopes of Table Mountain National Park - a World Heritage Site.

When the Governor of the Cape, Simon van de Stel, secured a land grant here in 1685 from the Dutch East India Company, he named it Constantia, and planted on it some of 100000 vines. It was there that the world famous sweet "Constantia" (sought after by the 18th and 19th century aristocracy) was produced.

Since 1980 Klein Constantia has been redeveloped and everyone involved has seen it as a challenge, almost a mission, to bring back the famous wine. Early records were studied and careful selection made from vines which in all like hood came from the original stock used in Constantia 300 years ago.

Klein Constantia has 75 hectares under vines, and growing conditions are near perfect for the production of quality wine grapes. The vineyards, ranging in altitude from 70 to 350 metres above sea level, enjoy a cool maritime climate - as it lay between two great oceans: the Indian and the Atlantic, it is cooled by the moisture-loaded winds. Rainfall is mainly in the winter. The deep, well drained soils are mainly derived from decomposed granite, which had wrinkled down over millions of years.

Klein Constantia specialises in varietals wines Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the flagship blends: a red "Marlbrook" and white "Mme Marbrook", and the lusciously sweet "Vin de Constance", a re-creation of the first legendary, Constantia wine.

My trip to there was not in useless, the wine that I had dreamed about tasting was as good as I expected.

VIN DE CONSTANCE, 2002, is made from Muscat de Frontigan grape variety that rest on the vines until it almost turn into raisin, resulting in a amazing dessert wine, well balanced, with 12.97% of Alcohol and  153g/l of residual sugar.

The grapes for the wine are hand harvest and after crushing and destemming are left on their skins for several days to macerate. This process aids in the eventual pressing of the grapes as they yield their juice much easier when the skins are oft and slightly broken down. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks is followed by a lengthy cellar maturation process that can take up to four years and involves at least 2 years barrel maturation.

The wine made my day and, fulfilled it with honey and dried apricot, probably in the same way as it delighted others centuries ago.

Well, my visit within the wine country in South Africa ended here, though I always keep good memories and, I have plenty of them from the country where I appreciated the wine tradition, furthermore, its people, who made all difference in my journey.

Cheers,

Marcia