2   the golden hour over the trapiche costa y pampa vineyards in chapadmalal  buenos aires province  in the humid pampa  6 kilometers away from the atlantic ocean shore. the dominant note is the green of the fields.

Argentina: Where Extremes Offer Up Unexpected Surprises

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Feb 2024

Wine consumers often mistakenly conflate Mendoza with Argentina—not an unreasonable error given that 70% of the country’s grapes grow in the province. But, when one tilts their glass toward the country’s other regions, perceptions can often be altered. Argentina’s varied whites and reds reflect the essence of a vast range of quite different landscapes. This report takes us on a journey through them.

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The Whites of Rueda Get Serious

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Feb 2024

A region famous for simple, fruity whites that are ideal for casual summer drinking, Rueda is increasingly producing wines of greater depth and sophistication. The effort put in by producers is beginning to pay off, although it is still early days. In this report, I review some of the bottlings that offer a glimpse into that promising future.

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Reds From Toro: Old Vines and New Knowhow

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Dec 2023

Renowned for producing wines with good structure and energy since medieval times, Toro is a small but proud DO located in Castilla y León that focuses mainly on reds. With vines that date back to pre-phylloxera times and soils that temper the region’s sunny climate, several of the labels found in Toro offer breathtaking energy and flavor.

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Ribera del Duero: A Shifting Frontier for Spanish Wine

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Nov 2023

Forty years after its official inception, the Ribera del Duero DO is experiencing a period of change, with a wide range of new wines and styles that run the gamut from traditional to strikingly forward-thinking. Whether its producers are focused on expressing the identity of a region or looking to push the boundaries of what can be done with premium red wines in the higher areas of Castilla y León, the DO offers a diverse range of reds along with a handful of whites whose character is defining the area’s transition from the past into the present.

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The Uco Valley: Where Diverse Terroirs Work Their Magic

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Sep 2023

The mountainous region in the center of the province of Mendoza has enjoyed a boom in investment and vineyard expansion in recent decades. It is now the home of some of the country’s most accomplished efforts to make wines with an authentic sense of place. Thanks to in-depth studies of local terroirs and an increasingly diverse range, the Uco Valley produces some of Argentina's most interesting wines.

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The Age of Mountain Whites: Enjoying the Altitude

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Jul 2023

A small revolution is taking place in the white wines of Argentina, particularly in the higher areas of the Uco Valley, on the cold, sunny slopes of the Mendozan Andes. In this report, I take a look at the best of the new wave of Argentine whites.

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Chile: Thinking Outside The Box

featured, Chile

Joaquín Hidalgo, Jun 2023

Readers are likely familiar with Chile’s rich, fruity reds. Beyond that, wine lovers will find a number of bottles that speak to a country with a vast range of landscapes and styles. Inspired whites and reds offer new profiles, many of which are worth getting to know.

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The Harvest in Chile: A Two-Sided Vintage

featured, Chile

Joaquín Hidalgo, May 2023

The 2023 harvest in Chile had two very different sides, depending on location. For most, it was a hot, dry year marred by forest fires in the south, from Maule to BioBio. Producers will remember 2023 as a vintage where the greatest conundrum was deciding the right time to pick.

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The 2023 Harvest in Argentina: Throwing Out the Playbook

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, May 2023

The 2023 season was uneven, marked by frosts, extreme heat and more unpredictable weather caused by the La Niña phenomenon. To succeed this year, producers had to throw out the playbook and improvise.

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Luján de Cuyo: Old Vines and a Patchwork of Soils

Argentina, featured

Joaquín Hidalgo, Jan 2023

Luján de Cuyo is a historic region that is reinventing itself and looking to a terroir-based future. This report covers the relaunch of the first D.O.C. in South America, several new Malbecs and a handful of old vintages, exploring how a region with much to offer is making the most of its best qualities.