Talking Wine – September 2016

There is very little Cabernet Franc planted in Argentina but many producers are convinced that, in time, this grape will be second only to the famous Malbec and give Bonarda, another popular local variety, a run for its money. Rogelio Rabino, the winemaker at the Kaiken winery believes Bonarda is great at entry level but will never produce a premium wine, whereas Cabernet Franc is capable of hitting great heights. This grape is well known in the Loire and is used as one of the lesser grapes in Bordeaux although some producers use a higher percentage of this than Cabernet Sauvignon, the predominant grape in the Medoc. There are a few examples of straight Cabernet Franc which are a little lean when grown in cooler climates such as the Loire but can be quite beefy and smoky when they have seen a little more sun. Ask your local wine merchant to select a few examples to try!

Rarely a day goes by without Donald Trump upsetting someone somewhere. This time it was in Scotland where he has been granted permission to have a beer buggy on the golf course with an alcohol licence from 10.00am so that golfers can immediately celebrate a great chip, drive or putt. How crude and basic is that? Surely the whole essence of any sport is to play hard, finish the game, shake hands and then have a drink and relive the fun with some gentle banter and bonhommie. At this rate a golfer on a good round would be in no fit state to even reach the clubhouse! But we are talking Donald Trump – need I say more?