Off To Buenos Aires, Not To Buy Property

Not all that much happens down here in Colchagua, which explains the infrequency of my posts. And not all that much has happened since I last posted. So I haven't got all that much to say. But I'll make an effort, all the same.

I'm off to Buenos Aires on Thursday for a few days. I'm really looking forward to going back- it's been 18 months since my last trip and I've missed it. I lived over there, for three years, before moving to Chile. I wouldn't want to live there again- the economy is a disaster, the government is a disaster and there's no chance of either ever improving- but I love going back to visit. I get all the good out of the city, without having to deal with the bad every day. I fell out of love with Buenos Aires, but I like to spend a dirty weekend with her every now and again.

I can't wait to go to El Trapiche, (the greatest parrilla known to man for the most amazing bife de lomo you can find in Buenos Aires), to visit the gorgeous MALBA, to flaneur my way along Avenida de Mayo and around San Telmo, to go shopping in Palermo Viejo, to take in the outrageous, Argentine-style art deco and art nouveau and, most of all, to catch up with friends I haven't seen in just too long.

I worked in real estate in Argentina as well, but stopped believing in what I was selling. So I moved to Chile, a much easier and much more stable country in which to invest. Here are a few examples of real estate in Chile- all excellent investment opportunities.

How about a stunning, Colonial-style house in Pirque, just 45 minutes from the centre of Santiago?

Or an even more amazing US desert-style ranch all the way up north in the Atacama?

Or perhaps one of the last, great vineyard properties that will come onto the market in Colchagua for a long, long time. A truly beautiful property...

Anyway, if you're interested in real estate in Chile and not real estate in Argentina, then please feel free to get in touch.

The Last Asado Of The Season...

...was pretty entertaining. I usually invite everyone I know and around 15 to 20 people turn up. This time, over 30 people came (and another 9 or 10 who had confirmed, didn't show. Which was good as I don't think I'd have had enough food..!).

So a good time was had by all, or so I've been led to believe. Next asado will be in September. I'll miss asado season but it's something to look forward to during Winter.

Some photos:

Helicopters, Views and Some Amazing Wines

So, I've had quite a last week or so, most of it wine related (as it should be)...

First up was a rather enjoyable evening meal last weekend with my fellow English Matt in Santa Cruz, of Matt Wilson Photography fame, his wife and a visiting French sommelier. Matt's married to Andrea Leon, one of the lead winemakers at Lapostolle, so we usually get some pretty decent wine to drink when we meet up. After the usual Lapostolle suspects (Sauvignon Blanc, limited edition Pinot Noir) we broke out without doubt the nicest dessert wine I've ever had, a lovely bottle of Tokaji. Really, really good.

On Wednesday evening, Matt called and said he needed an assistant for a photo shoot he was doing for Lapostolle the following morning, aerial shots of the winery. I'd never been in a helicopter before and was kind of nervous but thought the experience would be worth the potential terror. As it turned out, it was not in the least bit scary. And it was an amazing experience, about 45 minutes of flying around the Apalta Valley. If you ever get the chance to do that...do it..!

Apalta Valley from the air:

Then yesterday, I had a lunch with the owners of Viña Las Niñas, the lovely Sabine and Bernard and some other friends. Bernard produced another rather good after dinner wine, a 22 year old Banyus.

I got back home from that lunch at 6, just in time to start preparing for another Saturday night dinner with Matt and Andrea and our new sommelier friend. I thought I should step up and provide some decent after dinner wine to rival what we had the week before.

I'm pretty sure I won...with a bottle of 1977 Vintage Port. I was given 6 bottles when I was born, in 1977, and now have one left. It was a bit of a palaver decanting it...the cork was pretty much rotten and there was so much sediment, we ended up filtering it through a T-shirt. It was really, really worth the hassle, though- it was an amazing wine.

Andrea also brought a bottle of Montes' top line Purple Angel (***CORRECTION*** Andrea allowed Matt to bring a bottle of his own wine to the dinner) and I also provided a bottle of wine that probably fewer than 50 people in the world will have ever tried, an experimental bottle of Cabernet Franc from Los Vascos, given to me by the general manager, Mario, a great friend who is currently fighting for his life after a terrible car accident 6 weeks ago. Fuerza, Mario, we're thinking of you.

This is really quite the selection of wine:

So next week, I'm having an asado, after finding half a lamb in my freezer- it's got to be eaten before Winter. It's also Matt Wilson's birthday and a load of winemaker friends are coming along so it's going to be another day of drinking great wines, eating great food and being with great friends.

I love Colchagua.