Magazine

An article on South African wine pioneers and the dedication to their family heritage is a guaranteed page-turner that will draw you in with colourful characters as you devour each page.

Founded by Christopher Vanpoulle in 2010 to promote Iberian wines worldwide, in just a few years Very Fine Vinos has successfully carved out a prime position for itself in the Spanish wine arena. It has even become the official wine distributor of MasterChef, an institution in the country. Despite its success, the company has always favoured quality over quantity and demonstrates a new way of viewing distribution, one that is based on trust, interaction with people and good wine. After the untimely passing of its founder, the company is determined more than ever to continue on its journey.

Aragon wines hail from one of Spain’s oldest wine regions and were long renowned for their high alcohol levels and very rustic characters. But the tide is turning and over the past decade, they have been increasingly garnering accolades in international competitions and sparking excitement among critics, due to the efforts of several winegrowers, and often by co-operatives, who have successfully promoted local grape varieties.

The beautiful Tex-Mex actress took part in her 17th Cannes film festival this year, offering us an opportunity to discuss her relationship with wine and fine ‘Made in France’ fare. She did so with a genuine sense of humour, making her one of the most likeable stars in the realms of Hollywood.

Bordeaux experienced a host of weather events which had a negative impact on the development of the growing season, ripening and yields. They ranged from severe spring frosts to horrendous outbreaks of mildew and a cool summer with little sunshine, but ended with a mild autumn. A lot of hard work in the vineyards produced decent wines, some of them stellar even, but with significant inconsistencies from one appellation, or even property, to another. The following is an excerpt from our tastings, solely focused on the Crus Classés.

More often than not, only seasoned connoisseurs are familiar with Graves, despite the fact that the area produces very affordable, signature Bordeaux wines in a complete range of styles. Alain Echalier gives us a run-down of the appellation and offers a detailed visit to a selection of wineries.