Akin to many countries in the Americas, the story of Chilean wine starts with explorers from Europe. In this case, they were the Spanish conquistadors[1]. These conquistadors brought grape vines with them as they searched for areas to colonize. Read more about Chilean Wine History …
The story of Algeria and their wine trade is one for others to learn from. It is no longer a wine hub, but its history has shown that the area is capable of producing a respectable vintage. Read more about The History of Algerian Wine …
Phew. That was brutal. Picking a country with such a storied past and such a plethora of information on wine was maybe not a great second choice — but oh well! It’s done. There is so much to go through that it becomes difficult to decide what to keep and what to leave out.
I’m going region by region to understand how wine has been influenced over the years. In South Africa, the East India Company, as well as others who ended up at the Cape of Good Hope, all brought their own varietals, tools, or techniques to the area. Learn more here.
Wine-making in South Africa is most frequently dated back to the “accidental” founding of the Cape of Good Hope settlement in 1647 A.D. by the Dutch. Read more about The History of South African Wine …
Well, my mom just entered semi-retirement this week, joining my dad who has been fully retired for several years now. They had started to pick up more hobbies once their kids started leaving the house for college — tinkering with stained glass, bread-making, and making their own bacon for example. However, one thing that they have really enjoyed is the study of wine. My parents began by reading the New York Times Wine School column, which is a great, although somewhat intimidating starting point.