Bolivia's burgeoning wine industry

Back on June 16th Mir Global ran a small piece on South America's numerous wine producing regions (click here to read). The basic premise of the blog post was to share with readers around the world that wines are produced across Latin America.

Chile and Argentina are unarguably the regional leaders in wine production, with their wines now common place in international markets around the world. Nonetheless, it would be unwise to overlook the potential of other up and coming producers from other countries in Latin America.

Of the many countries that do produce wine in South America, Bolivia is one country Mir Global Marketing is largely ignorant about. I stumbled upon this interesting from the Global Post this afternoon about Bolivia's burgeoning wine scene and I must say I'm intrigued.

Photo: John Enders, Global Post

Here is a small excerpt from the article, A hidden high-altitude treasure; Bolivia’s Tarija region produces great wines — it's just hard to find them outside the country.

Even the French will admit that Chilean and Argentine vinos can be as good as they come. But Bolivian wine? Well, just wait. If you haven't tried a fine merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, malbec or sauvignon blanc from this small but expanding wine-producing area in southern Bolivia, you're in for a tasty surprise.

Bolivians long have had a passion for their national drink, singani, a grape brandy distilled from muscatel grapes, but as recently as a decade ago, locals turned up their noses at their own wines, preferring to buy excellent and inexpensive ones from their southern neighbors.

Today, however, Tarija's major winemakers — Kohlberg, La Concepcion, Aranjuez, and Campos de Solana — are supplying the national market and sending their wines abroad, especially to Europe. Their secret: altitude.

...

Bolivia’s modern wine industry began some 40 years ago when Julio Kohlberg and others brought new varietals, mostly reds, to production. Nobody is really sure, but it is estimated that about 4,942 acres are under cultivation in the Tarija region. Producers began exporting about a decade ago but have been stifled by a lack of investment, marketing and stable access to markets.

Click here to access the complete article from the Global Post

Yunnan Province -- Well kept secret of China's burgeoning wine culture

High on wine: Forget a wine cellar, China’s Yunnan province has a wine tower

by Maggie Rauch

The city of Kunming, capital of Yunnan (South of the Clouds) province, sits at 1,900 meters (about 6,200 feet). One day that might mean interesting things for wine making, but right now it just means that the city is home to China’s national high-altitude training center for Olympic athletes. That base, bizarrely enough, is also home to one of the coolest hidden places to buy and consume wine in China.

The Haigeng National Training Base is about a 20-minute drive from the city center, a stone’s throw from Dianchi Lake, China’s sixth largest inland body of water, on the side opposite Kunming’s Western Hills.

Western Hills of Kunming

Until a few months ago, the first sign you could see of Haigeng from the road was a drab cement water tower that looked like the kind of place where one might brew performance-enhancing cocktails for weightlifters and swimmers.

Since being taken over by an American businessman who built a miniature golf course on the site, the water tower has been painted a much more playful bright yellow and transformed into one of the coolest places in China to uncork a bottle of wine. The tower is the centerpiece of the new Hello! Haigeng Mini Golf Park, which has a big restaurant on the first floor and a tiki bar on the second floor patio.

You enter the wine cellar–which I guess is technically a wine tower–with the permission of the proprietor, from a door next to the tiki bar’s VIP cabanas. Inside, brick walls, hardwood flooring and soft lighting give the place a cool and surprisingly rustic vibe.

Sit on one of the cushioned benches and order a Syrah, and you might forget that you’re above one of China’s first mini golf parks, in the place where its top divers and soccer players train, inside a bright yellow water tower. Now sip your Syrah, remember where you are, and think about how surreal it is.

Click here to read Maggie's entire article at the Grape Wall of China


[Source] -- Grape Wall of China

Wines for grill and barbecue

The love of a good barbecue / grill out is a tradition many cultures around the world share. Social norms, which let me just say are heavily influenced by the media we watch and read, typically make you associate barbecued or grilled foods with beer.


I must admit- a good quality beer, served cold, complements anything from a American BBQ to a Argentinean parrillada wonderfully.

However, there are wines that go with barbecue as well. Here are a few that were recently highlighted in this San Francisco Chronicle article:


2006 Earthquake Zin Lodi Zinfandel ($28)
This registers at least 7.0 on the Richter scale - with enough power, spice and jammy fruit to conquer most tomato-based barbecue sauces. Blended with a little Petite Sirah and Syrah... Click to read more

2007 Feudi di San Gregorio Sannio Falanghina ($16)
A meld of stone fruit, pear, golden apple and Meyer lemon; aromatic with more body than expected. The balance and tart, clean finish speaks to both grilled vegetables and shrimp. A Sauvignon Blanc like the 2007 Vina Robles Paso Robles bottling ($14) will also work... Click to read more

2006 Hess Collection Allomi Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($25)
Intense nose of dark berry, loam and creme brulee with similar berry, chocolate hints and supple tannins on the palate. A relatively inexpensive Napa Valley Cab that will pair well with grilled meats... Click to read more

2006 JC Cellars California Cuvee Syrah ($25)
This is blended from multiple vineyards and appellations, resulting in a deep, rich California-style Syrah. Ripe aromas and flavors of blackberry, loam and pepper with generous lashings of oak. Includes 21 percent Petite Sirah... Click to read more

2007 King Estate Winery Domaine Oregon Pinot Gris ($25)
Oregon's organically farmed King Estate, founded in 1991 by the King family, produces Pinot Gris on 300 of its 465 acres. Lovely aromas and flavors of citrus, stone fruit and spice underscored with hints of mineral; rather lush mouthfeel... Click to read more