The Wine World Cup

So with the world cup fever dying down for another four years we can all prise ourselves out of our sofas, de-robe our cars and houses of St.George flags, and start talking to the wife and kids again. It was one of the craziest tournaments in decades with many of the favourites making an early exit, most suprising absentees from the final eight were France, Italy and England. South America seemed to be flying high at this stage but hot favourites Brazil and Argentina fell at the final furlong leaving a pan-European clash for the last game. Uruguay were the shock of the tournament but were widely chastised for performing their very own ‘hand of god’ act, knocking out local favorites Ghana.

For the Second tournament running then, European football fans have emerged victorious over their South American counterparts. The opposite is occurring in the Wine industry however with some really unique and exciting flavours coming out of countries like Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Mexico at the moment. Chile in particular is putting out some spellbinding Reds, the grapes grow in rich, fertile soil on the high altitude vineyards of the Maipo and Raphel Valleys. Just like their bold young squad who gave Spain a real scare in the group stages, Chilean Wine such as the full bodied Cabernet Carmener Montgrass are challenging established European favourites such as Spanish and Italian Wine

The Argentinean squad are widely regarded as one of the best in the world, while their wine producing abilities may not live up to that glorious accolade at present, they have all the right ingredients to be one of the major industry movers and shakers in the very near future. Just as their starting eleven is made of a huge pool of individual talent, the touch of Messi, the dogged determination of Tevez, their Vineyards posses a range of qualities. The Mendoza and Patagonia regions can boast the purest water flowing from the Andes, clear, unpolluted skies and year round sunshine adding up to make the ‘Argies’ a major player in the Wine World Cup

Even if your country didn’t fare to well in the football this summer, take comfort in the fact that they probably produce an amazing wine that will help you relax and forget all your World Cup worries, at least until 2014!