Flaherty Wines

Ed reports from Rio de Janeiro:

I just spent a week on a promotional tour for Tarapacá Gran Reservas in Brazil. I visited Vitória (the capital of Espírito Santo), Rio de Janeiro, and São Paolo. I understand just enough Portuguese to get myself into trouble, but the Brazilians were very forgiving of my odd gringo Chilean “Portuñol.” On Friday, instead of returning home to Chile, I flew back to Rio de Janeiro to help promote the arrival of Flaherty 2006 over the weekend. Marcio Moualla (the owner of Terramatter, our importer) and sommelier Alex Ordenes picked me up at the airport at 10:00 p.m., and from there we headed over to Ristorante Borsalino, where Flaherty 2006 was just put on the wine list. Sales Terramatter style means eating pizza and pasta with the restaurant owner and drinking cachaça with crushed lime and honey until four in the morning. The next morning (well, before noon anyway) I went for a walk along the Copacabana beach. My descriptions would not do Rio justice—I can only say that it is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. It has beaches, mountains, lagoons, parks, and historic buildings all in the city, but the great thing is the people and food. Chilean wine is the best seller in Brazil, and Flaherty is now being sold in restaurants in Rio and Brasilia.

So, if you are ever in Rio de Janeiro you can enjoy a glass of Flaherty at the following establishments:

Mr. Lam  (in Bairro Lagoa). Don’t miss the Peking duck.

Térèze (at the Hotel Santa Teresa). Incredibly beautiful views of colonial Rio are matched by the food.

Forneria São Sebastião (in Bairro Ipanema). Casual dining and café in an open air room.

Esplanada Grill (in Bairro Ipanema). Elbow-to-elbow dining, with the best steak in Rio.

Borsalino Ristorante Italiano e Pizzeria (in Bairro Barra). Great Italian food.

Garcia & Rodrigues (a wine store, deli, and restaurant in Bairro Ipanema). Flaherty will soon be available at the shop and on the wine list.