Wild and awesome an adventurous life that I live, brought me to South America at last, which I’ve never visited despite so many years of living in the US! While in Bogota Colombia, I wasn’t sure what to expect on wine menus. It was reassuring to see some familiar wines from the Andes which I’ve tasted plenty in the oh so many Hong Kong tastings. I was fairly impressed with the long list of Argentinians and Chileans that we’re available. The usual big suspects and of course a ton I have never seen before.

I was taken to everyone’s favorite posh spot, Nemo’s next to the Four Seasons hotel. I was taken to it twice actually, once closed on a Sunday evening. While the food selection of this place was ultra impressive, as one would expect being one of the finest restaurants in Esmeralda country, I was barely able to pick out a wine name that I thought I would know.
​

Sadly my lunch companion couldn’t drink, as she’s my friend’s lovely 15 years old daughter, I had to adhere to the per glass menu. The kind manager offered me 2 heavy hitters as I was craving for something bold and red.

Montes with the pretty angels of course we know well, was stacked against Sibaris, both Chilean and Colchugua Valley which I was seriously hoping (while Lapostolle was only by the glass alas. Sorry Charles, I can’t drink the whole thing). It was satisfying and wonderful to taste even just 2 at lunch. Sibaris was definitely winning choice that day, with great tannins and acidity that I needed for food, and just more complex as a whole with rich black fruits. For sure I wasn’t going to have that many glasses of wines aa the trip was so rushed and mostly was in the remote country side, so to sit at a beautiful restaurant in its sunroom was really quite a highlight and a treat. I look forward to return to South America again to explore all the big muscle wines. Shame I haven’t hit the Argentinian yet, next time when I find the courage to fly 30+ hours... oh really.

HURRAY HURRAY!  It's celebration time as the eagerly awaited (three solid months!!) WSET exam result came in. I was super thrilled when the envelop has the highly anticipated bump - the pin! Looks like it'll be a weekend long celebration. Opened the champagne the same night with my good wine friends at their shop. We enjoyed a wonderful champagne by Henri Giraud Espirt, what an amazingly beautiful "wine champagne". It totally made the night.  ​