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Argentina: Exploring the Outer Reaches

featured, Argentina

Joaquín Hidalgo, May 2025

In a country as vast as Argentina, vines grow in the most unexpected places. This report explores some of the lesser-known regions where wine is made, along with a look at classic areas such as the southern and northern valleys. These 250 wines tell the story of a different landscape—and a different people.

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Northern Mendoza: Velvet Comes Back into Fashion

featured, Argentina

Joaquín Hidalgo, Apr 2025

Not so long ago, Argentine reds were turning heads for their mixture of rich flavors and velvety textures. The heartland of that velvet era was Luján de Cuyo. In this new stage of development, the velvet has returned, only this time accompanied by more modern wine styles. From Luján to Primera Zona and the East, this report focuses on over 300 superb sun-kissed wines from the north of Mendoza.

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Rías Baixas & Ribeiro: The Beating Heart of White Wine in Galicia

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Mar 2025

Located in Northwest Spain, Galicia is home to wines with an Atlantic soul. Among the region’s white wine DOs, Rías Baixas and Ribeiro present contrasting yet equally intriguing styles. From Albariño to Treixadura, the 300 wines reviewed in this report offer a journey through Galicia's diverse terroirs.

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The Vivacious Reds of Ribeira Sacra and El Bierzo

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Feb 2025

Ribeira Sacra and Bierzo share a climate and dominant red grape variety, and yet they produce two very different versions of Mencía. In this report, I survey over 300 wines to provide a comprehensive overview of the wine country that spans the mountains between Galicia and León.

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Uco Valley: The Age of High-Elevation Reds

featured, Argentina

Joaquín Hidalgo, Nov 2024

The high-elevation vineyards of the Uco Valley are turning out red wines that continue to redefine what we once knew from Argentina. Lighter reds, shaped by the cold and sunshine, showcase a stylistic renaissance in the glass.

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From Revolution to Evolution: The Garnatxas and Cariñenas of Priorat & Montsant

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Nov 2024

Priorat and Montsant are the two main red-wine-producing DOs in Catalunya, but they are quite different from one another. In the 1990s, Priorat enjoyed a resurgence that led to a golden era before its regional style began to shift, while Montsant was only formally established in 2002. I visited the two regions in the spring of 2024, thoroughly touring most of the towns and vineyards and tasting a range of wines that reflect the past, present and future of an area of great character.

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Argentina: New White Releases

featured, Argentina

Joaquín Hidalgo, Oct 2024

The combination of newly planted terroirs and a renewed focus on white wine production has created a dynamic landscape in Argentina. As the first vintages of these wines age, they are starting to show all their potential for evolution. This report explores major trends and highlights especially noteworthy bottles from more than 400 tasted, encompassing White, Rosé and Sparkling categories.

Montserrat is a mountain range as distinctive as it is omnipresent in catalonia. this view is from the sabat%c3%a9 i coca vineyards  near the bitlles river  on the outskirts of vilafranca del pened%c3%a8s.

The Rambunctious Catalan Mediterranean and Beyond

featured, Spain

Joaquín Hidalgo, Sep 2024

Within a surface area that only accounts for 6% of Spain, Catalonia bottles a wide range of Mediterranean and continental wines in two distinct styles. White and sparkling wines rule the roost on the coast–which is the main focus of this report–where the ethereal Xarel·lo fills glasses with sun and energy. In a land rich in native varieties, this dispatch takes readers on a tour of Mediterranean flavors and attempts to offer a lucid guide to the tangled mess of categories and classifications that hold sway in the region.

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The Chilean Coast: Where the Pacific Shapes Vibrant Reds and Whites

featured, Chile

Joaquín Hidalgo, Jul 2024

A little-known strip of Chile is producing a rich seam of distinctive, characterful reds and whites, with Cabernet Sauvignon conspicuously absent. This report focuses on Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cinsault, País and more from the Chilean coastline, where a range of delicious wines are ready to be discovered.

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The Bewildering 2024 Season in Argentina

featured, Argentina

Joaquín Hidalgo, Jun 2024

The 2024 vintage, despite being one of the warmer ones, presents wines with distinct fruit flavors, vibrant colors and juicy freshness in its reds. While the exact reasons remain unclear, both barrel samples and winemaker reports suggest this trend. This report explores hypotheses to understand the uniqueness of the 2024 vintage.