Torula News

OpdotEd - Around the World of Wine by André Drobotoff

South America, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay & Central  America, Mexico- 20 March 00, vol. 1. no. 3

The plantation of the Brazil vineyard goes back to end of the last century, in the south of the country (Rio Grande do Sul). Italian immigrants brought with them peninsular grape varieties: Trebbiano, Barbera, Malvasia. 
Currently dominated by the hybrid Americans which are better adapted to the soil and the tropical climate. Brazilian wine exports have progressed spectacularly in part, thanks to the great American wine-growers like Marcus James.
Academia do Vinho offers many information at their web site.

Peru vineyards are the highest placed in the world, at about 2 000 meters of above sea level.
Vineyards have been planted between Pativilca, to the north-east of Lima and Tacna to the Chilean border. In this coastal region, the annual rainfall does not exceed 2mm and the irrigation systems are vital to viticulture. The grape varieties are very varied : Cabernet-Sauvignon,  Malbec, Grenache and Chenin. To recommend a wine-grower Tacama Wines who produce top quality white and red wines, using only the best ingredients and following the rigid rules that the wine industry dictates with regard to this process.

The Uruguayan viticulture has been developed at the end of XIXth century, by the Basque immigrant initiative. Vineyards are planted, mostly, west of Montevideo. The country is the fourth producer of wine of South America .  It makes middle class wines of American hybrids, but also finer wines from European grape varieties: Cabernet-Sauvignon,  Merlot,  Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay. The best producers are Establecimiento Juanico. Its main brands of wine are: Don Pascual, Fine Variety Wines and Preludio, High Elaboration Wines. Establecimientos Dante Irurtia is an establishment with an extensive selection of clones.  The grapes selected by cloning have underlined all the varietal character and the resulting harvests give place to these rare bottles that conform to your "Private Vintage". They produce too "Posada del Virrey" wines elaborated with French grape varieties : Viognier and Tannat.

In Mexico where the first Spanish exploitation's goes back to XVIth century, one cultivates especially the vine in the south of California, within immense Bodegas. The great wine-grower Pedro Domecq is synonymous with quality and diversity.