IT’S WINE O’CLOCK! Alvaro Covarrubias is a partner at the boutique Casas de Maule Estate Winery in Talca, Chile.  He also lives in Wellington, New Zealand and in Hanoi, Vietnam for part of the year. This column is about experiences and connecting readers to their inner passion for wine. ——————————————————————————————— QUAFFERS As... 

IT’S WINE O’CLOCK! Alvaro Covarrubias is a partner at the boutique Casas de Maule Estate Winery in Talca, Chile. He lives part of the year in Wellington, New Zealand, and in Hanoi, Vietnam. This column is about experiences and connecting readers to their inner passion for wine.  No snobbery, no dusty barrels or fancy signatures .… just great wine! ——————————————————————————————— Well,... 

Alvaro Covarrubias is a partner at the boutique Casas de Maule Estate Winery in Talca, Chile.  He lives part of the year in Wellington, New Zealand and in Hanoi, Vietnam. This column is about experiences and connecting readers to their inner passion for wine. ——————————————————————————————— TO... 

EARTHY …. WELCOMING Bustamante Reserva 2006. D.O. Maule Valley, Chile. 14% Alc.  Natural cork.  CH$3000 / US$ 5.50.  Silver Medal Cata D’Or Grand Hyatt Award 2007. Technical info: Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 50% / Carmenere 35% / Merlot 15%.  Harvested the 3rd week of April.  22,000 bottles made for the Reserva and 3000 bottles for their Ultra Premium Mantum wine; all numbered bottles. The... 

CHEEKY Miguel Torres Santa Digna Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2008. D.O. Central Valley, Chile.  14% Alc. Agglomerate cork.  CH$4790 / US$8.70 Visit them:  www.torres.es Springtime has arrived in Chile and this is excellent news for us foodies. It’s time to start enjoying the seasonal fruit and veggies!  So light that BBQ and enjoy fresh cheese, salad and other platters on the... 

When Newsweek magazine published an article on Chile’s urban tribes two years ago, it came as a surprise to many local psychologists, sociologists and parents. Not because they had not noticed the increasingly visual presence of these groups (mainly in Santiago) but because it became part of an international study on this type of phenomenon. It has deep roots in a society where youngsters lack... 

IT’S WINE O’CLOCK! Alvaro Covarrubias is a partner at the boutique Casas de Maule Estate Winery in Talca, Chile living half of the year in Wellington, New Zealand and in Hanoi, Vietnam. This column is about experiences and connecting readers to their inner passion for wine. ——————————————————————————————————————— ... 

By Alvaro Covarrubias, Staff Writer ELEGANCE: Vina La Rosa Don Reca Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. D.O. Cachapoal Valley, Chile. 14.5% Alc. Natural cork. CH$5000 / US$9.10 La Rosa Estate started in 1824 when the land was bought from Manuel Blanco Encalada, Chile’s first elected president. Their co-founder Manuel Ossa Covarrubias was a distinguished Senator of the Conservative Party,... 

It's Wine O'Clock This column is about experiences and connecting readers to their inner passion for wine. Alvaro Covarrubias L. is a partner at the boutique Casas de Maule Estate in Talca, Chile. He lives part of the year in Wellington, New Zealand and in Hanoi, Vietnam.  He is a regular contributor to wine blogs, printed publications and co-hosts a wine radio show in Santiago. alvaroc@casasdemaule.co.nz... 

Alvaro Covarrubias is a partner at the boutique Casas de Maule Estate in Talca, living some months during the year in Wellington (New Zealand) and Hanoi (Vietnam), tending to his wine distribution business. Alvaro is also a regular contributor to wine blogs, printed publications and he co-hosts a wine radio show in Santiago. He can’t stand wine snobs. His column “It’s Wine O’clock!”...